India's Blue and Grey-Collar Salaries Surge 23% Over Two Years: Comprehensive Analysis of Workforce Trends

The report indicates that even entry-level workers are experiencing benefits from the evolving employment landscape

Mumbai:

According to a report released Tuesday, salaries for India's blue- and grey-collar workforce have seen a substantial 23 percent increase over the past two years, demonstrating the expanding demand and opportunities for skilled workers in these sectors.

The comprehensive WorkIndia Salary Report 2025 highlights this 23 percent growth in overall salaries within just two years, showcasing the rising demand and opportunities available to India's blue and grey-collar workforce.

This analysis is based on data collected from 1.93 lakh job seekers between 2023 and August 2025.

The report identifies a gender disparity in salary growth rates, with male workers experiencing a faster increase at 9 percent compared to female workers at 6 percent, underscoring the continuing issue of gender pay inequality in the workforce.

Interestingly, non-metropolitan cities have emerged as significant growth centers, recording an average salary increase of 14 percent, surpassing the 10 percent growth seen in metropolitan cities.

The analysis shows that full-time employment has maintained consistent salary increases of 10-15 percent annually, while part-time positions experienced more volatility, with a substantial 32 percent rise in 2024, followed by a 12 percent decrease in 2025.

Office-based roles demonstrated steady double-digit growth throughout the period, whereas remote work positions remained stagnant without significant salary improvements.

The report also indicates that newcomers to the job market are benefiting from these changing employment trends, with entry-level salaries growing by 12-13 percent from 2024 to 2025.

Professionals with experience have observed steady annual increases ranging between 8 percent and 14 percent.

Educational qualifications were found to significantly impact salary increases, with graduates experiencing the most substantial jump as average maximum salaries rose by 18 percent in 2025.

At the industry level, Information Technology emerged as the sector with the greatest gains, showing a 31 percent increase in average minimum salaries, while Typist and Data Entry positions recorded a remarkable 45 percent increase.

Engineering and Interior Design sectors also demonstrated consistent upward growth at rates of 10 percent and 11 percent respectively.

However, several industries experienced downward trends, with salaries declining sharply in the Labour sector by 32 percent, Accounts and Finance by 15 percent, and Healthcare, Sales, and Office sectors seeing reductions of approximately 10 percent.

The Legal sector recorded a 15 percent increase, while Automobile, Domestic Work, and Manufacturing sectors maintained steady growth at 9 percent.

"The 23 percent salary growth over the past two years demonstrates the rapidly expanding opportunities for India's blue- and grey-collar workforce. Nevertheless, persistent gender disparities, industry inequalities, and wage volatility indicate that considerable progress is still needed," stated WorkIndia co-founder and CEO Nilesh Dungarwal.