A viral post on X has ignited a candid discussion among tech workers in Bengaluru, questioning if Rs 50 LPA has effectively replaced Rs 25 LPA as the new salary norm. Many participants assert that salaries exceeding Rs 1 crore are now common rather than exceptional.
One user stated, “50LPA for 3 years’ experience is a norm in Bangalore,” while others added, “People with 8-12 years are in the Rs 1Cr–1.25Cr range now. Above 15 years, they’re making Rs 2Cr+.”
The conversation was sparked by Sourav Dutta’s post: “I hear so many people earning 50LPA in Bangalore IT sector. Either they’re stating inflated CTC or 50LPA is the new 25LPA. Can some techies confirm?” This prompted hundreds of responses analysing Bengaluru’s rising pay scales.
The reality behind the numbers
While many confirmed that top-tier professionals do earn crore-plus packages, some cautioned that these figures might be misleading. For example, one tech worker explained, “Microsoft offers 50LPA, but only 16L is base salary,” with the rest often coming from stock options or bonuses, resulting in a “Monthly take-home might be just Rs 1.2 lakh.”
Several users remarked that even Rs 50 LPA may not suffice in Bengaluru’s expensive living environment. One quipped, “50L is the new 10L,” while another bluntly stated, “If you’re not earning 1 Cr++ in Bengaluru then it’s a waste of time. Better to pack up and leave.”
Not everyone buys the hype
Not everyone agreed with these broad claims. Some questioned the comparison baseline: “You should have some baseline, are you comparing 50LPA to 10LPA from 2005, 2015, or 2020?” Others noted that such salaries are limited to a select group: “In a way, yes—but only for top-tier professionals.”
The debate also highlighted regional disparities, with one user commenting, “Just Bengaluru things. In Hyderabad, 25L is still 25L.”
Meanwhile, Bengaluru’s status as a tech hub continues to rise. A recent CBRE report confirms the city now hosts over 1 million tech workers, making it the largest tech talent hub in Asia-Pacific and placing it alongside global centers like San Francisco and London.