Founders and boards setting pay for a senior hire usually find one number quoted without saying what it counts. This page does the opposite. Pick a role and a company type to see every published figure we could verify, each labelled with what it measures, its year and its source. Figures are never blended into one number.
CEO · Large / listed
4 published figures. Each measures something different, so they sit side by side and are not averaged.
CEO (promoter and professional)
₹10.8 crore median, a year
Total cash incl. long-term incentives
Source: Deloitte India Executive Performance & Rewards Survey 2025, p.4.
Professional CEO
₹10 crore median, a year
Total cash incl. long-term incentives
Source: Deloitte India Executive Performance & Rewards Survey 2025, p.4.
Promoter CEO
₹18.3 crore median, a year
Total cash incl. long-term incentives
Source: Deloitte India Executive Performance & Rewards Survey 2025, p.4.
CEO, listed companies
₹7.2 crore average, a year
Average total remuneration
Source: Resource Bridge CEO & CFO Compensation Reports 2025 (as reported by Business Standard, 29 July 2025).
CEO · Startup
No published data yet for a CEO in startups. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for CEO · Large / listed.
Context, not role-specific
All startup leadership roles (CXO, VP, function head)
₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore range, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Passionate In Marketing).
CEO · Manufacturing
No published data yet for a CEO in manufacturing companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for CEO · Large / listed.
COO · Large / listed
One published figure, labelled with what it measures.
COO
₹4.1 crore median, a year
Total cash incl. long-term incentives
Source: Deloitte India Executive Performance & Rewards Survey 2025, p.6.
COO · Startup
No published data yet for a COO in startups. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for COO · Large / listed and COO · Manufacturing.
Context, not role-specific
All startup leadership roles (CXO, VP, function head)
₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore range, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Passionate In Marketing).
COO · Manufacturing
One published figure, labelled with what it measures.
COO, manufacturing
₹1–3 crore range, a year
Base salary
Source: Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026 (as reported by Business Standard, 10 March 2026).
CFO · Large / listed
2 published figures. Each measures something different, so they sit side by side and are not averaged.
CFO
₹3.9 crore median, a year
Total cash incl. long-term incentives
Source: Deloitte India Executive Performance & Rewards Survey 2025, p.6.
CFO, listed companies
₹2.3 crore average, a year
Average total remuneration
Source: Resource Bridge CEO & CFO Compensation Reports 2025 (as reported by Business Standard, 29 July 2025).
CFO base salary by company revenue
Base salary ranges, all sectors. Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026, as reported by Business Standard.
- Revenue ₹1,000–5,000 crore ₹1–3 crore
- Revenue ₹5,000–10,000 crore ₹1.5–4 crore
- Revenue above ₹10,000 crore ₹1.75–6 crore
Check before relying on the top band. The same Business Standard article gives this band as both ₹1.75–6 crore and ₹1.75–8 crore. We show the lower figure until it can be checked against the Michael Page guide itself.
Source: Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026 (as reported by Business Standard, 10 March 2026).
CFO · Startup
One published figure, labelled with what it measures.
CFO, growth-stage startups
₹1.1 crore median, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Moneycontrol, 6 March 2025).
Context, not role-specific
All startup leadership roles (CXO, VP, function head)
₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore range, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Passionate In Marketing).
CFO · Manufacturing
No published data yet for a CFO in manufacturing companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one. The CFO revenue bands below come from a source that covers all sectors.
Published figures exist for CFO · Large / listed and CFO · Startup.
CFO base salary by company revenue
Base salary ranges, all sectors. Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026, as reported by Business Standard.
- Revenue ₹1,000–5,000 crore ₹1–3 crore
- Revenue ₹5,000–10,000 crore ₹1.5–4 crore
- Revenue above ₹10,000 crore ₹1.75–6 crore
Check before relying on the top band. The same Business Standard article gives this band as both ₹1.75–6 crore and ₹1.75–8 crore. We show the lower figure until it can be checked against the Michael Page guide itself.
Source: Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026 (as reported by Business Standard, 10 March 2026).
CHRO · Large / listed
2 published figures. Each measures something different, so they sit side by side and are not averaged.
Head of Human Resources
₹2.6 crore median, a year
Total cash incl. long-term incentives
Source: Deloitte India Executive Performance & Rewards Survey 2025, p.6.
Head of HR / CHRO, large listed companies (15+ years)
₹1.5–4 crore range, a year
Base salary
Source: Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026 (as reported by Business Standard, 10 March 2026). Also reported by India Today, 27 February 2026.
CHRO · Startup
One published figure, labelled with what it measures.
CHRO, growth-stage startups
₹95.2 lakh median, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Moneycontrol, 6 March 2025).
Context, not role-specific
All startup leadership roles (CXO, VP, function head)
₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore range, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Passionate In Marketing).
CHRO · Manufacturing
No published data yet for a CHRO in manufacturing companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for CHRO · Large / listed and CHRO · Startup.
CTO / CIO · Large / listed
One published figure, labelled with what it measures.
CIO
₹1.7 crore median, a year
Total cash incl. long-term incentives
Source: Deloitte India Executive Performance & Rewards Survey 2025, p.6.
Deloitte publishes a CIO figure, not a CTO figure.
CTO / CIO · Startup
One published figure, labelled with what it measures.
CTO, growth-stage startups
₹1.77 crore median, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Moneycontrol, 6 March 2025).
Context, not role-specific
All startup leadership roles (CXO, VP, function head)
₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore range, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Passionate In Marketing).
CTO / CIO · Manufacturing
No published data yet for a CTO / CIO in manufacturing companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for CTO / CIO · Large / listed and CTO / CIO · Startup.
VP Sales · Large / listed
No published data yet for a VP Sales in large and listed companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for VP Sales · Startup.
VP Sales · Startup
One published figure, labelled with what it measures.
VP Sales, B2B SaaS startups
₹85.1 lakh median, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Moneycontrol, 6 March 2025).
Context, not role-specific
All startup leadership roles (CXO, VP, function head)
₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore range, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Passionate In Marketing).
VP Sales · Manufacturing
No published data yet for a VP Sales in manufacturing companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for VP Sales · Startup.
VP Product · Large / listed
No published data yet for a VP Product in large and listed companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for VP Product · Startup.
VP Product · Startup
One published figure, labelled with what it measures.
SVP Product, growth-stage startups
₹1.72 crore median, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Moneycontrol, 6 March 2025).
Context, not role-specific
All startup leadership roles (CXO, VP, function head)
₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore range, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Passionate In Marketing).
VP Product · Manufacturing
No published data yet for a VP Product in manufacturing companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for VP Product · Startup.
Head of Marketing · Large / listed
No published data yet for a Head of Marketing in large and listed companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for Head of Marketing · Startup.
Head of Marketing · Startup
One published figure, labelled with what it measures.
Head of Brand Marketing, growth-stage startups
₹80.6 lakh median, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Moneycontrol, 6 March 2025).
Context, not role-specific
All startup leadership roles (CXO, VP, function head)
₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore range, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Passionate In Marketing).
Head of Marketing · Manufacturing
No published data yet for a Head of Marketing in manufacturing companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for Head of Marketing · Startup.
BU head / GM · Large / listed
One published figure, labelled with what it measures.
Business Unit Head
₹2.1 crore median, a year
Total cash incl. long-term incentives
Source: Deloitte India Executive Performance & Rewards Survey 2025, p.6.
BU head / GM · Startup
No published data yet for a BU head / GM in startups. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for BU head / GM · Large / listed.
Context, not role-specific
All startup leadership roles (CXO, VP, function head)
₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore range, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Passionate In Marketing).
BU head / GM · Manufacturing
No published data yet for a BU head / GM in manufacturing companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for BU head / GM · Large / listed.
Plant / Ops head · Large / listed
No published data yet for a Plant / Ops head in large and listed companies. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for Plant / Ops head · Manufacturing.
Plant / Ops head · Startup
No published data yet for a Plant / Ops head in startups. None of the sources used here publishes a figure for this combination, and this page does not estimate one.
Published figures exist for Plant / Ops head · Manufacturing.
Context, not role-specific
All startup leadership roles (CXO, VP, function head)
₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore range, a year
Fixed pay
Source: xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25 (as reported by Passionate In Marketing).
Plant / Ops head · Manufacturing
2 published figures. Each measures something different, so they sit side by side and are not averaged.
Head of Manufacturing / Operations
₹80 lakh – ₹2 crore range, a year
Base salary
Source: Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026 (as reported by Business Standard, 10 March 2026).
Plant / Site Head (15+ years)
₹70 lakh – ₹1.5 crore range, a year
Base salary
Source: Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026 (as reported by Business Standard, 10 March 2026).
Published figures from third-party reports, quoted with attribution. Not GoodSpace data. No affiliation with or endorsement by any source is implied. General information, not pay advice.
How to read the pay bases
The same CFO can be described by four honest numbers. These are the bases used on this page:
- Base salary Base salary only. Excludes bonus and long-term incentives.
- Fixed pay Fixed salary only. Excludes variable pay and equity.
- Total cash incl. long-term incentives Fixed pay, variable pay and long-term incentives together.
- Average total remuneration The mean of total remuneration disclosed in annual reports.
A median is the middle of the sample; an average can be pulled up by a few very high packages; a range is the band a recruiter reports. So a startup median fixed pay, a recruiter's base-salary range and a large-company median including long-term incentives will differ even for the same title.
City context: senior managers, not CXOs
Not CXO pay. No source used here publishes CXO pay by city. These are average CTCs for all senior managers with 15+ years of experience (function and geography heads), across six industries. Use them to see how cities differ, not to price a CXO role.
- Mumbai₹38.85 lakh
- Bengaluru₹36.46 lakh
- Ahmedabad₹35.12 lakh
- Chennai₹34.76 lakh
- Pune₹33.32 lakh
- Hyderabad₹32.84 lakh
- Delhi NCR₹31.22 lakh
- Kolkata₹25.03 lakh
Average CTC, 2024-25. Tier-1 average ₹34.11 lakh. Source: Randstad India Annual Salary Trends Report 2024-25, p.14.
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Method and sources
- Published figures only. Every number is quoted from a named report or a press report of one, with its year and pay basis. Nothing is estimated, adjusted for inflation or converted between bases.
- Never blended. Where several sources cover a role, each figure gets its own card.
- Gaps are shown as gaps. A role and company type with no published figure says so, rather than borrowing a number from elsewhere.
- Left out on purpose: a search firm's marketing article (its method can't be checked) and crowdsourced figures for engineering managers (not leadership roles).
- Press reports. Some guides are gated, so their figures are quoted as reported by the publication named on each card.
Sources
- Deloitte India Executive Performance & Rewards Survey 2025. Data year: 2025 survey (FY2024-25). Median total cash including long-term incentives, large companies (CEO, COO, CFO, head of HR, BU head, CIO).
- Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026, as reported by Business Standard, 10 March 2026. Data year: 2026. Base salary ranges: CFO by company revenue, CHRO in large listed companies, COO and plant and operations heads in manufacturing.
- xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25, as reported by Moneycontrol, 6 March 2025. Data year: 2024-25. Median fixed pay in growth-stage startups (CTO, SVP Product, CFO, CHRO, VP Sales, Head of Brand Marketing).
- xto10x Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25, as reported by Passionate In Marketing. Data year: 2024-25. The same study: typical fixed-pay range for all startup leadership roles (shown as context, not role-specific).
- Resource Bridge CEO & CFO Compensation Reports 2025, as reported by Business Standard, 29 July 2025. Data year: FY2023-24. Average total remuneration of CEOs and CFOs from about 1,000 listed companies’ annual reports.
- Randstad India Annual Salary Trends Report 2024-25. Data year: 2024-25. Average CTC of all senior managers by city. Not CXO-specific.
Last updated: .
Questions
How much does a CEO earn in India?
In large companies, the Deloitte India Executive Performance & Rewards Survey 2025 reports a median CEO pay of ₹10.8 crore in total cash including long-term incentives (₹10 crore for professional CEOs and ₹18.3 crore for promoter CEOs). Resource Bridge's study of about 1,000 listed companies' annual reports, as reported by Business Standard, puts the average CEO remuneration at ₹7.2 crore for FY2023-24. The two measure different things, so they are shown side by side, not averaged.
What is the typical CFO salary in India?
Deloitte India's 2025 survey reports a median CFO pay of ₹3.9 crore in total cash including long-term incentives. The Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026, as reported by Business Standard, gives CFO base salary ranges by company revenue: ₹1–3 crore (revenue ₹1,000–5,000 crore), ₹1.5–4 crore (revenue ₹5,000–10,000 crore), ₹1.75–6 crore (revenue above ₹10,000 crore). The same article also prints the top band as ₹1.75–8 crore. In growth-stage startups, xto10x's 2024-25 study, as reported by Moneycontrol, reports a median CFO fixed pay of ₹1.1 crore.
How much does a CHRO earn in India?
The Michael Page India Salary Guide 2026, as reported by Business Standard and India Today, gives a base salary range of ₹1.5–4 crore for heads of HR in large listed companies. Deloitte India's 2025 survey reports a median of ₹2.6 crore for heads of HR in total cash including long-term incentives. In startups, xto10x reports a median CHRO fixed pay of ₹95.2 lakh.
What do startup leaders earn in India?
xto10x's Evolving Compensation Trends 2024-25, as reported by Moneycontrol, gives these median fixed salaries in growth-stage startups: CTO ₹1.77 crore, SVP Product ₹1.72 crore, CFO ₹1.1 crore, CHRO ₹95.2 lakh, VP Sales in B2B SaaS ₹85.1 lakh and Head of Brand Marketing ₹80.6 lakh. It puts fixed pay for leadership roles typically at ₹80 lakh – ₹1.7 crore.
Which Indian city pays senior managers the most?
Randstad India's Annual Salary Trends Report 2024-25 puts the average CTC of senior managers (15+ years) highest in Mumbai, at ₹38.85 lakh, and lowest of eight tier-1 cities in Kolkata, at ₹25.03 lakh. These figures cover all senior managers, not CXOs.
Why doesn’t this benchmark give one number per role?
Because the sources measure different things. Some publish base salary, some fixed pay, some total cash including long-term incentives, and some averages of annual-report disclosures. Blending them into one number would be an estimate, so each published figure is shown on its own, labelled with what it measures, its year and its source.