Pay distribution in ITES / software industry now and post ten years.

 What's the percentage of professionals earning above ₹15 lakh per annum (LPA) in 2025, and above ₹40–45 LPA in 2035 (adjusted for inflation), as a proportion of **all professionals in the IT and ITES (Information Technology and IT-enabled Services) industry in India**, across roles like product management, engineering, front-end developer, back-end developer, ML engineer, cloud services, cybersecurity, and IT infrastructure. Since the IT and ITES industry includes a broad spectrum of roles (e.g., software developers, testers, support staff, BPO employees, etc.), the percentages will be lower than in my previous response, which focused on specific roles. Below, I’ll provide an updated analysis with percentages relative to the entire IT and ITES workforce, along with projections for 2035.

### Methodology and Assumptions

- **IT and ITES Workforce**: India’s IT and ITES industry employs ~5.4 million professionals in 2025 (based on projections from NASSCOM and other sources). This includes software engineers, product managers, IT support, BPO/call center staff, testers, analysts, and niche roles like AI/ML and cybersecurity.

- **Salary Distribution**: The average IT salary is ~₹7–8 LPA (2025), with entry-level roles (e.g., BPO, testing) at ₹3–6 LPA, mid-level roles at ₹8–15 LPA, and senior/specialized roles (e.g., ML, cloud) at ₹15–50 LPA+. Only a small fraction of the total workforce earns above ₹15 LPA due to the inclusion of low-paying roles (e.g., BPO, ~25% of ITES).

- **Data Sources**: I’m using salary trends from GeeksforGeeks, AmbitionBox, upGrad, and industry reports (e.g., NASSCOM, Deloitte) for 2025, with assumptions for 2035 based on a 9–10% annual salary growth rate and a doubling of the tech market size by 2035 (~$500–600 billion).

- **2035 Projections**: The workforce may grow to ~7–8 million by 2035, with a higher proportion in specialized roles (AI, cloud, cybersecurity) due to demand for 2.73 million new tech jobs by 2028. The ₹15 LPA threshold in 2025 adjusts to ~₹40–45 LPA in 2035 due to inflation and compounding salary growth.

- **Challenges**: Exact percentages are hard to pinpoint due to limited granular data on the entire IT/ITES workforce. I’ll estimate based on salary ranges, role distribution (~60% software development, ~25% ITES/BPO, ~15% niche roles like AI/cloud), and experience levels (60% entry-level, 30% mid-level, 10% senior).

### 2025: Percentage of IT/ITES Professionals Earning Above ₹15 LPA

The IT and ITES industry includes low-paying roles (e.g., BPO, support) and high-paying specialized roles (e.g., ML, cloud). Below are estimates for each specified role, expressed as a percentage of the **total IT/ITES workforce** earning above ₹15 LPA in 2025.

1. **Product Management**

   - **Context**: Product managers (~2–3% of IT/ITES workforce) are concentrated in product-based companies and startups. Mid-level (3–5 years) earn ₹12–20 LPA; senior (7+ years) earn ₹20–40 LPA.

   - **Percentage Above ₹15 LPA**: ~1–1.5% of the total IT/ITES workforce. Only ~40–50% of product managers earn above ₹15 LPA, and their small share in the workforce dilutes their contribution.

   - **Drivers**: High demand in e-commerce and fintech, but limited headcount compared to engineering or ITES roles.

2. **Engineering (General Software Engineering)**

   - **Context**: Software engineers (~50–60% of IT/ITES) include developers, testers, and support roles. Mid-level engineers (3–7 years) earn ₹15–20 LPA; seniors (7+ years) earn ₹20–45 LPA.

   - **Percentage Above ₹15 LPA**: ~8–10% of the total workforce. Only ~25–35% of engineers earn above ₹15 LPA, and many (e.g., testers, service-based firms) earn less.

   - **Drivers**: Large engineering workforce, but salary disparity between product companies and service-based firms (e.g., TCS, Infosys).

3. **Front-End Developer**

   - **Context**: Front-end developers (~10–15% of engineers) earn ₹6–15 LPA (2–5 years) and ₹15–25 LPA (5–10 years). They’re a subset of engineering.

   - **Percentage Above ₹15 LPA**: ~2–3% of the total workforce. Only ~20–30% of front-end developers cross ₹15 LPA, and their share is small.

   - **Drivers**: Demand for UI/UX in apps, but lower pay than back-end or full-stack roles.

4. **Back-End Developer**

   - **Context**: Back-end developers (~10–15% of engineers) earn ₹6–15 LPA (2–5 years) and ₹15–30 LPA (5–10 years).

   - **Percentage Above ₹15 LPA**: ~2.5–3.5% of the total workforce. Slightly higher than front-end due to complexity, but still a small fraction.

   - **Drivers**: Critical for scalable systems, but limited by overall engineering salary distribution.

5. **Machine Learning (ML) Engineer**

   - **Context**: ML engineers (~1–2% of workforce) are highly paid, with 3–5 years earning ₹15–30 LPA and seniors exceeding ₹43 LPA.

   - **Percentage Above ₹15 LPA**: ~1–1.5% of the total workforce. ~50–60% of ML engineers earn above ₹15 LPA, but their low headcount limits impact.

   - **Drivers**: High demand in AI-driven sectors (healthcare, retail), but niche role.

6. **Cloud Services (Cloud Engineer/Architect)**

   - **Context**: Cloud professionals (~2–3% of workforce) earn ₹15–28 LPA (3–5 years) and ₹28–70 LPA (senior). Demand is surging (2 million jobs by 2025).

   - **Percentage Above ₹15 LPA**: ~1.5–2% of the total workforce. ~55–65% of cloud professionals earn above ₹15 LPA, but small role share.

   - **Drivers**: Cloud adoption (37% in 2025) and certifications (AWS, Azure) boost pay.

7. **Cybersecurity**

   - **Context**: Cybersecurity professionals (~1–2% of workforce) earn ₹11–20 LPA (2–5 years) and ₹20–50 LPA (senior).

   - **Percentage Above ₹15 LPA**: ~1–1.5% of the total workforce. ~45–55% of cybersecurity professionals cross ₹15 LPA.

   - **Drivers**: Rising cyber threats and talent shortage; niche but growing.

8. **IT Infrastructure**

   - **Context**: IT infra roles (~5–7% of workforce, including DevOps) earn ₹5–12 LPA (2–5 years) and ₹12–25 LPA (senior). DevOps earns higher.

   - **Percentage Above ₹15 LPA**: ~1–1.5% of the total workforce. Only ~15–25% of infra professionals (mostly DevOps) cross ₹15 LPA.

   - **Drivers**: Steady demand, but automation limits growth for traditional roles.

**Overall IT/ITES Estimate**: ~15–20% of the total IT/ITES workforce earns above ₹15 LPA in 2025, driven by mid-to-senior professionals in high-demand roles (AI, cloud, cybersecurity) and engineers in product companies. Low-paying ITES roles (e.g., BPO, ~25% of workforce at ₹3–6 LPA) significantly lower the overall percentage.

### 2035: Expected Differences

By 2035, the IT/ITES workforce may grow to 7–8 million, with a higher proportion in specialized roles due to AI, cloud, and cybersecurity growth. The salary threshold adjusts to ₹40–45 LPA (equivalent to ₹15 LPA in 2025). Key drivers:

- **Market Growth**: IT/ITES market may reach $500–600 billion, with AI, cloud, and cybersecurity leading.

- **Role Shift**: Specialized roles (AI, cloud) may grow to 10–15% of the workforce (from 5–7% in 2025), while BPO/ITES shrinks relatively.

- **Salary Growth**: 9–10% annual hikes compound salaries; top roles (ML, cloud) may see 12–15% hikes due to demand.

- **Automation**: Routine roles (testing, basic infra) face automation, capping salary growth, while strategic roles (product management, AI) surge.

**Projected Percentages Above ₹40–45 LPA in 2035**:

1. **Product Management**: ~2–3% (up from 1–1.5%). Growth in AI-driven products increases demand; ~60–70% of product managers will exceed ₹40 LPA.

2. **Engineering (General)**: ~12–15% (up from 8–10%). Specialized engineers (AI, cloud) will drive growth, but generic roles stagnate.

3. **Front-End Developer**: ~3–4% (up from 2–3%). Automation of UI tasks limits growth unless paired with AI/UX skills.

4. **Back-End Developer**: ~4–5% (up from 2.5–3.5%). Demand for cloud-native systems boosts pay.

5. **ML Engineer**: ~3–4% (up from 1–1.5%). AI adoption makes ML engineers ~5% of workforce; ~70–80% will exceed ₹40 LPA.

6. **Cloud Services**: ~3.5–5% (up from 1.5–2%). Cloud roles grow to ~5–7% of workforce; ~70–80% exceed ₹40 LPA.

7. **Cybersecurity**: ~3–4% (up from 1–1.5%). Cyber threats push demand; ~65–75% exceed ₹40 LPA.

8. **IT Infrastructure**: ~1.5–2% (up from 1–1.5%). DevOps grows, but automation caps traditional roles.

**Overall IT/ITES Estimate**: ~25–30% of the IT/ITES workforce will earn above ₹40–45 LPA in 2035, up from 15–20% in 2025, due to growth in high-paying roles and market expansion. However, low-paying ITES roles will still limit the overall percentage.

### Summary Table

| **Role** | **% of IT/ITES Above ₹15 LPA (2025)** | **% of IT/ITES Above ₹40–45 LPA (2035)** | **Key Growth Drivers (2035)** |

|---------------------------|---------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|

| Product Management | 1–1.5% | 2–3% | AI-driven products, strategic roles |

| Engineering (General) | 8–10% | 12–15% | AI/cloud specialization |

| Front-End Developer | 2–3% | 3–4% | UX, AI-integrated UI |

| Back-End Developer | 2.5–3.5% | 4–5% | Cloud-native systems |

| ML Engineer | 1–1.5% | 3–4% | AI adoption across sectors |

| Cloud Services | 1.5–2% | 3.5–5% | Cloud adoption (80–90%) |

| Cybersecurity | 1–1.5% | 3–4% | Rising cyber threats, compliance |

| IT Infrastructure | 1–1.5% | 1.5–2% | DevOps, hybrid cloud; automation limits growth |

| **Total IT/ITES** | 15–20% | 25–30% | Specialization, market growth |

### Key Differences by 2035

- **High-Growth Roles**: ML engineers, cloud services, and cybersecurity will see the largest increases (~2–3x their 2025 percentages) due to workforce expansion (from 1–3% to 5–7% per role) and high salary growth (12–15% annually).

- **Moderate Growth**: Product management and back-end development will grow steadily, with ~1.5–2x increases, driven by strategic and scalable system needs.

- **Lower Growth**: Front-end development and IT infrastructure will see modest increases (~1.5x), limited by automation and commoditization.

- **Industry-Wide Shift**: The overall percentage of high earners rises due to a larger share of specialized roles and fewer low-paying ITES jobs (e.g., BPO may shrink to 15–20% of workforce).

### Recommendations

- **Upskilling**: Prioritize AI/ML, cloud certifications (AWS, Azure, GCP), and cybersecurity (e.g., CEH, CISSP) to join the high-earning bracket.

- **Career Path**: Move to product-based companies or GCCs for 20–35% higher pay; focus on roles with strategic impact (e.g., product management, ML).

- **Location**: Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi-NCR offer the highest salaries; Tier-2 cities

 (e.g., Coimbatore) will grow by 2035.

- **Future-Proofing**: Combine technical skills (e.g., AI, cloud) with business acumen (e.g., product strategy) to stay in the top 10–20% of earners.