Earn Rs 25,000 or Higher? Your Wage Ranks in the Top 10% in India  (2024)

Mumbai: If you earn a salary of Rs 25,000 or higher, then your pay ranks in the top 10% of the total wages earned in India. The State of Inequality in India report released by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister earlier this week sheds light on the economic polarities of income profiles in the country.

The EAC-PM report has recommended that the government should consider formulating an urban equivalent of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme that would offer guaranteed employment to the urban workforce.

It has also asked the government to consider raising the minimum income level and introducing a universal basic income.

Extrapolating from the Periodic Labour Force Survey, the report stated that the top 1% in India earns thrice as much as the bottom 10%.

As per the PLFS survey of 2019-20, the annual cumulative wages came to be around Rs 1,869 crore, out of which the top 1% earned nearly Rs 127 crore, and the bottom 10% accounted for a measly Rs 32.10 crore. This indicates that the top 1% earns almost thrice as much as the bottom 10%.

What is more sobering is the fact that this trend in income is not an aberration.

In fact, in 2017-18, from the total approximate earning of Rs 1,784 crore, the top 1% earned about Rs 110 crore while the bottom 10% accounted for close to Rs 32.41 crore. This resulted in the top 1% earning more than thrice as much as the bottom 10%.

Earn Rs 25,000 or Higher? Your Wage Ranks in the Top 10% in India (1)

‘The top 10% have pocketed more than 30% of the total income’. Photo: Reuters

What’s more, this trend is entrenching itself – with the top 1% earners accounting for a total of 6-7% of the total income earned. In 2018-19, their share shot up to 6.84% compared to 6.14% in 2017-2018. In 2019-20, the top 1% earners saw a slight moderation as their total income cooled down to 6.82% of the total income earned.

Meanwhile, the top 10% pocketed more than 30% of the total income.

Continuing in the same vein of displaying disproportionate income levels, the growth rate of the bottom 50% has been at 3.9% from 2017-18 to 2019-20, while the top 10% has grown by 8.1%. Additionally, the top 1% grew by almost 15% between 2017-18 to 2019-20, whereas the bottom 10% registered a fall of close to 1%. In 2018-19, a fall of almost 7% among the total salaried incomes in the bottom 10% and an approximately 2% fall in the bottom 50% was observed, which is to say that while the rich got richer, the poor became poorer.

As per the PLFS data for 2018-19 and 2019-20, nearly 15% of the entire workforce earned less than Rs 50,000 a year, which comes down to Rs 4,166 per month or less. What further compounds the situation is that the PLFS data for the two years mentioned reported negative and zero incomes, indicating that several households have no disposable income or their debts and borrowings exceed their earnings.

The PLFS data cleaves the working force into regularly employed, self-employed and casual labourers.

For the self-employed workforce, the average earnings were Rs 9,661 for males and Rs 4,558 for females in rural India. In the urban region, the average salaries for July-September 2019 period came to Rs 17,166 for males. Females earned an average of Rs 7,141. Likewise, the average monthly income for self-employed workers was Rs 9,945, which increased to Rs 10,538 in 2019.

The rural-urban divide

The report by the EAC-PM also points towards the massive gap in terms of household wealth between rural and urban spaces in India.

A 44.4% wealth concentration in the highest quintile in urban areas is contrasted against a meagre 7.1% concentration in the highest quintile in rural India. Similarly, 28.4 % of households fall in the lowest quintile in the rural landscape, while only 3.1% of households in the urban regions. Notably, more than 50% of the households fall in the bottom two quintiles of wealth concentration (approx. 54.9%).

Among states and Union Territories, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, and Goa have accounted for more than 50% of households in the highest quintile.

Earn Rs 25,000 or Higher? Your Wage Ranks in the Top 10% in India (2)

At the same time, states like Bihar and Jharkhand have recorded the highest concentration in the bottom-most quintile (with Bihar capturing nearly 51% of households in the lowest quintile).

Both states happen to have less than 10% of the concentration in the topmost quintile as well (Bihar at a mere 3.3% and Jharkhand at 8.8%).

Earn Rs 25,000 or Higher? Your Wage Ranks in the Top 10% in India  (2024)

FAQs

Earn Rs 25,000 or Higher? Your Wage Ranks in the Top 10% in India ? ›

Your Wage Ranks in the Top 10% in India. A new report by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister throws up sobering figures on the inequity levels in India. Mumbai: If you earn a salary of Rs 25,000 or higher, then your pay ranks in the top 10% of the total wages earned in India.

How much do top 10% of Indians earn? ›

For instance, in India, if you earn Rs 25,000 or more in India, then your salary comes under the top 10 per cent of the total wages earned in India.

Is 25000 monthly salary among top 10% incomes earned in India report? ›

According to the report, income data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2019-20 showed that a monthly salary of Rs 25,000 is already amongst the top 10 per cent of total incomes earned, pointing towards some levels of income disparity.

Is 25K a good salary in India? ›

A decent earning and average salary in India is around INR 3 LPA. If you earn up to INR 25K in a month, you earn a decent salary. Your salary also depends on various factors. Like the industry, you work.

What percentage of people earn 25000 in India? ›

It stated that only 10 per cent of Indians earn higher than Rs 25,000 per month. Read more insights here. New Delhi: If you earn Rs 25,000 a month in India, you are among the top 10 per cent in terms of income.

Are you in the top 10 if you earn 25000? ›

An Indian earning Rs 3,00,000 per annum or Rs 25,000 per month, would be placed in the top 10 per cent of the country's wage earners.

Is 20k a good salary in India? ›

With a combined income of Rs 20,000 a month, a couple can still lead a decent life in any Indian city. Three experts do the math for you keeping in mind the costs of living in 3 cities. With a combined income of Rs 20,000 a month, a couple can still lead a decent life in any Indian city.

What salary is considered rich in India per month? ›

It would be around 60-odd lacs. Considering that this survey is about 3 years old and incomes shot up drastically in that period, I would say someone earning about 80-90 Lacs today will be considered in the top 1% of Indian households. I guess that would be the definition of rich.

What is a good salary in India in USD? ›

In other words, the average monthly salary comes to around $428.49 per month (based on the exchange rates that were applicable in July 2021).

What income is considered rich in India? ›

The report has clubbed these groups into seven categories, ranging from the “destitutes” (those with an annual family income of under Rs 1,25,000 or$1,700 in 2020-21) to the “super rich” (annual family income of over Rs 2 crore or $270,000 in 2020-21) with the middle class in between.

Is 50 lakhs a good salary in India? ›

If you earn more than 50 lacs a year you're in the top 0.3% of India. Above 25 lacs, you're in the top 1.2% of India. Only 3.2% of Indians earn above 15 lacs a year.

What is a comfortable salary to live in India? ›

What salary is needed to live comfortably in Mumbai? Depending upon the standard of living, your average salary should be Rs 40,000 - Rs 60,000 per month.

Who earns 1 crore salary in India? ›

Income tax data shows that only 131,000 Indians earned above ₹1 crore annually in FY21, roughly 0.01% of the country's population. A 2020 Bloomberg report said India's top-paid 1% earn ₹55 lakh and above. To be sure, many businesses and self-employed individuals under-report incomes to avoid higher taxes.

What is the income of top 5% in India? ›

To be in the top 5 percent, your minimum wealth should be $45,909, while you require a minimum of $22,476 to be among the richest 10 percent of Indian adults. In rupee terms, you should have just Rs 16.74 lakh to be in the top 10 percent.

How much of Indian wealth is 1%? ›

India's top 1% owned more than 40.5% of its total wealth in 2021, according to a new report by Oxfam. In 2022, the number of billionaires in the country increased to 166 from from 102 in 2020, the report said. Meanwhile, it added that the poor in India "are unable to afford even basic necessities to survive".

What is middle class in India? ›

A more recent survey by Indian think tank People Research on India's Consumer Economy (PRICE), which defined a middles-class person as one with an annual income of Rs 5-30 lakh, found this category of Indians to have increased to 31 percent of the population in 2020-21 from 14 percent in 2004-05.

What counts as top 10% income? ›

The average earnings of those in the top 10% were roughly $173,000 in 2020, according to a study by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). Landing in the top 10% is a fairly attainable goal for upwardly mobile Americans.

At what income level are you top 1%? ›

The gap between the top 1% of earners and average Americans is stark. In fact, the average American household earns a median income of under $70,000, but in some places, the top 1% can earn as much as $955,000.

How much does the top 15% make? ›

This section's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information.
DataTop thirdTop 15%
Household income
Lower threshold (annual gross income)$65,000$100,000
Exact percentage of households34.72%17.80%
Personal income (age 25+)
2 more rows

Is 40 lakhs a good salary in India? ›

Is 40 lakhs a good salary in India Quora? 40 LPA is a very less salary with FIVE Years of Experience. You should atleast get 40 Cr Per Month because 40 LPA is very less that too in a city like Bangalore.

Is 1 lakh good salary in India? ›

The ₹1 lakh salary gives enough disposable income for young earners to invest. Young professionals tell how they manage with the salary that has been a benchmark for a successful career.

What is the average salary of Indians in the US? ›

According to the latest US Census data, the Indians now have an average household earning of $123,700, i.e a little over ₹1 crore, PTI reported. The median earnings of the Indians there is nearly double the nationwide average of $63,922.

What is considered rich in Mumbai? ›

10 lakh/month OR has assets over 20 crore in India is "rich" ( holds true even for an expensive city like Mumbai in my definition ).

Is salary in India equal to salary in USA? ›

The answer is NO. Using the concept of PPP (Purchasing Power Parity), we can get a more accurate estimate for the conversion. Let's get started! According to PPP, a salary of INR 100000 in India is equivalent to INR 359468.61 or USD 4547.61 in United States.

How to compare salary in India and USA? ›

Working in the US means more salary but also more expenses. How does it compare with India? If you apply purchasing power parity, a $1 lakh salary per year equals Rs 23 lakh in India, not 80 lakh. See prices of a few everyday items from Numbeo.

What is the salary of 30 lakhs in India vs USA? ›

So, for 30 LPA in India, the equivalent salaries are: 165K USD in USA.

What is upper middle class in India? ›

Affluent households earn more than ₹30 lakhs a year. Middle-class households earn from ₹5 lakhs to ₹30 lakhs a year. Aspiring households earn from ₹1.25 lakhs to ₹5 lakhs annually. Destitute households earn below ₹1.25 lakhs annually.

In which position India is in rich? ›

With a total of 187 billionaires, India secured third place on the 2023 M3M Hurun Global Rich List in terms of the number of billionaires.

Is one crore enough to live in India? ›

In Sushil's case, the answer to is 1 crore enough for retirement is no. While ₹1 crore seems like a huge number, it isn't sufficient to survive in India due to high inflation and lack of social security. Retirement planning isn't easy, and as you make calculations, it is better to be conservative.

How many people earn more than 20 lakh in India? ›

2) In the ₹10-15 lakh salary bracket, there were more than 22 lakh taxpayers. 3) More than 7 lakh individuals fell in the ₹15-20 lakh income bracket while those drawing an annual salary in between ₹20-25 lakh were about 3.8 lakh in number.

Is 42 lacs good salary in India? ›

42 lakhs per annum income is very good .

Is 30 LPA a good salary in India? ›

30 LPA is awesome for a middle-class person. But more is possible for a person earning 30 LPA as an employee (because that requires near-mastery of the skill, in this case, software development).

Can you survive in Mumbai with 25,000 salary? ›

And the answer is Yes, definitely yes. I know many families whose monthly income is less than 10k or 15k a month and they stay in rented flat/chawl room & surviving. Its all depend on lifestyle you adopt. You can't expect high standard lifestyle with this salary.

Which is the most expensive city in India? ›

According to Mercer's 2022 Cost of Living survey, Mumbai is the most expensive city to live in India.

Can a doctor earn 1 crore per month in India? ›

Surgeons, Gynecologists, and Prosthodontists are the highest-paid doctors in India, with annual salaries averaging INR 1.91 crore, INR 1.77 crore, and INR 1.67 crore, respectively.

Which profession has highest salary in India? ›

1. Which job has the highest salary in India? Jobs with the highest salaries in India are medical professionals, data scientists, machine learning experts, blockchain developers, full-stack software developers, investment bankers and product managers.

How many Crorepatis are there in India? ›

As of April 2023, India has 167 billionaires, which put the country third in the world, after the United States and China. Mukesh Ambani the chairman and largest shareholder of Reliance Industries, has been the richest Indian for 14 consecutive years.

What is the top 10% make? ›

A study by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found that the average earnings of those in the top 10% were roughly $173,000 in 2020.

How much do top 5 percent make in India? ›

To be in the top 5 percent, your minimum wealth should be $45,909, while you require a minimum of $22,476 to be among the richest 10 percent of Indian adults. In rupee terms, you should have just Rs 16.74 lakh to be in the top 10 percent.

What is top 3 percent income in India? ›

90% of Indians make less than 25,000 monthly. If you're making > 1L a month, you're among the top 3%.

How much wealth does the top 10 percent have? ›

top 10% of adults hold 85%, while the bottom 90% hold the remaining 15% of the world's total wealth, top 30% of adults hold 97% of the total wealth.

How much does the top 20% make? ›

They found that the top 20% of all Americans earn over $130,000 in income. Thats over 5 times more than the bottom 20%.

What is the top 10 percent vs top 1? ›

Someone in the top 10% has a net worth of $1,219,126, while someone in the top 1% has a net worth of $11,099,166, according to the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances from 2019.

How many people earn more than 25,000 in India? ›

Furthermore, barely 3% of Indians make more than Rs 25 lakh per year. Furthermore, barely 3% of Indians make more than Rs 25 lakh per year. According to the survey, the share of the salaried class increases as income levels grow. Salaried people account for 21.6 percent of the population.

What is a wealthy salary in India? ›

The average Wealthy salary ranges from approximately ₹6.2 Lakhs per year for a Territory Manager to ₹19.5 Lakhs per year for a Senior UI UX Designer. Salary estimates are based on 135 Wealthy salaries received from various employees of Wealthy. Wealthy employees rate the overall salary and benefits package 3.9/5 stars.

What is a respectable salary in India? ›

Indian Median Salary

The median salary in India in 2022 is ₹29,400 per month.

Is 10 lakh a good salary in India? ›

10 lakhs per annum mean the person earns around 80 to 90 thousand a month. Well, technically the person can easily lead a comfortable middle-class lifestyle in India. Atleast at Kolkata earning that much money is enough to be labeled as belonging to High-Income-Group.

What is the monthly income of top 1% in India? ›

To be in top 1% of earners in India requires an annual income of $77,000 (₹55 lakh), according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Who is considered rich in India? ›

Among the “rich”, or those with an annual household income of over Rs 30 lakh, every household owns a car. In the category of “crorepatis”, there are al-most three cars per family.

Are millionaires in the top 10 percent? ›

No, a millionaire isn't in the top 1% of wealth in the U.S. To be in the top 1%, you would need to have a net worth of over $11 million. To be in the top 10%, however, you need a net worth of $1.22 million, which means most millionaires are in this range rather than in the 1%.

What income is rich? ›

Based on that figure, an annual income of $500,000 or more would make you rich. The Economic Policy Institute uses a different baseline to determine who constitutes the top 1% and the top 5%. For 2021, you're in the top 1% if you earn $819,324 or more each year. The top 5% of income earners make $335,891 per year.

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