Engineering branches in India are amongst the most respected fields of study. Compared to professionals in other fields, engineers find themselves fitting more easily at different levels of society. Because they help solve problems of practical importance, they are always in high demand, are highly valued by companies and organizations, both public and private, and thus earn handsome packages even as freshers. But not all engineering branches are valued similarly.
In a fast-growing country like India, every year, lakhs of students opt for engineering courses in the hopes of securing a good package and a post that is commensurate with their skills. But even within different engineering fields, there are certain branches that are more gilded and better-paying than others.
Although the decision to choose an engineering branch is highly dependent on the student’s affinity for the field, it pays to aim for engineering branches that have a better growth outlook and lead to some of the highest-paying engineering jobs in India. With that, let’s take a look at some of the highest-paying engineering branches that you can opt for.
Note: The estimated salary packages may vary depending on the skills and experiences of the engineers, the organizations employing them, and the industry or the sector they’re a part of.
Top 7 Highest-Paying Engineering Branches In India
Engineering is a vast field. Though engineering branches have traditionally been divided into four main categories – mechanical, electrical, chemical, and civil – the field has now grown and expanded considerably to the effect that there are now hundreds of sub-branches or categories within the four main engineering disciplines. Given below are some of the highest-paying engineering branches and their scope in India.
| Engineering Branch | Designation | Average Salary – Entry level* (0-3 years of experience) |
| Computer Science Engineering | Big Data Engineer | Rs 7 LPA |
| Machine Learning Engineer | Rs 7 LPA | |
| Data Scientist | Rs 9 LPA | |
| Data Analyst | Rs 4 LPA | |
| Blockchain Developer/Engineer | Rs 6 LPA | |
| Software Engineer | Rs 5 LPA | |
| Mechanical Engineering | Mining Engineer | Rs 4 LPA |
| Manufacturing Engineer | Rs 5 LPA | |
| Automotive Engineer | Rs 6 LPA | |
| Construction Engineer | Rs 4 LPA | |
| Mechanical Engineer | Rs 3 LPA | |
| Nuclear Engineer | Rs 6 LPA | |
| Aerospace Engineer | Rs 6 LPA | |
| Petroleum Engineering | Drilling Engineer | Rs 5 LPA |
| Oil Drilling Engineers | Rs 8 LPA | |
| Production Engineers | Rs 4 LPA | |
| Completion Engineers | Rs 4 LPA | |
| Reservoir Engineers | Rs 8 LPA | |
| Civil Engineering | Construction Manager | Rs 7 LPA |
| Urban Planner | Rs 5 LPA | |
| Environmental Engineer | Rs 4 LPA | |
| Geotechnical Engineer | Rs 5 LPA | |
| Transport Engineer | Rs 5 LPA | |
| Chemical Engineer | Chemical Engineer | Rs 4 LPA |
| Energy Engineer | Rs 3 LPA | |
| Pharmaceutical Engineer | Rs 5 LPA | |
| Food Engineer | Rs 4 LPA | |
| Electronics & Communication Engineering | Electronics Engineer | Rs 3-4 LPA |
| Software Analyst | Rs 4 LPA | |
| Field Test Engineer | Rs 3 LPA | |
| Communications Engineer | Rs 5.5 LPA | |
| Network Planning Engineer | Rs 4 LPA | |
| Biotechnology Engineering | Research Scientist | Rs 6 LPA |
| Biotechnologist | Rs 3 LPA | |
| Microbiologist | Rs 3 LPA | |
| Geneticist | Rs 3 LPA | |
| Research Analyst | Rs 3-4 LPA | |
| Biomedical Engineer | Rs 3-4 LPA |
* Note – Salary estimations are acquired from Glassdoor.co.in and Ambitionbox.com
1. Computer Science Engineering
There is hardly any industry that doesn’t leverage computer and software solutions. Be it IT, hospitals, railways, hospitality, banking, or insurance, every industry is run on devices that are driven by microprocessors and software.
Computer science engineers readily find job opportunities in the development of new platforms, apps, databases, network security, design, and a host of other upcoming domains such as machine learning and blockchain. Computer Science engineers are amongst the best-placed engineers in India every year.
Top Recruiters: Some of the top recruiters for Computer Science engineers include the likes of Deloitte, Wipro, IBM, Google, Microsoft, Infosys, TCS, etc.
2. Mechanical Engineering
Along with computer science, mechanical engineering salary is a topic of great interest to engineers. India has always had a strong manufacturing sector with an ever-growing automobile, steel, metal, and mining industry. With greater reliance on automated machineries, mechanical engineers have grown in demand as engineers that can create, supervise, and diagnose mechanized systems. These professionals are also needed in other sectors such as IT and aerospace where their knowledge of manufacturing and production is an indispensable asset.
Top Recruiters: Some of the best-known companies hiring mechanical engineers include ONGC, ISRO, TATA Power, HPCL, etc.
3. Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum engineering is a relatively new branch of engineering, and yet, it has already shot up the ranks of the highest BTech salary branches in India. Because of the dearth of skilled professionals in this field, petroleum engineers occupy prominent positions in the energy sector. Many industry experts project that there won’t be enough petroleum engineers in the future to fill up the vacancies in the coming years even as demand for energy continues to rise. This makes petroleum engineering one of the highest-paying engineering jobs in India as well as abroad.
Top Recruiters: The top recruiters for petroleum engineers include the likes of Indian Oil Corporation, ONGC, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Lubricants India, Oil Gas India, etc.
4. Civil Engineering
In a fast-growing country like India, infrastructure development projects are a dime a dozen, and all of them require the skills and expertise of civil engineers. The construction of roads, dams, bridges, airports, and railways are all projects that cannot do without civil engineers.
The developmental models adopted by towns and cities are also managed and supervised, to a great extent, by these professionals. With various infrastructure projects in place, and many more in the pipeline, the need for civil engineers is only going to increase in the time to come.
Top Recruiters: Some of the known recruiters for civil engineers include DLF, Hindustan Construction Company, TATA Projects, Unitech, L&T, etc.
5. Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering deals with the need and production of different kinds of materials through chemical processes. Chemical engineers work in various industries, such as fertilizers, food processing, natural gas, and many more. Their demand has consistently grown in sectors related to pharmaceuticals, healthcare, fertilizers, petrochemicals, and many more. These are amongst the highest-paid industries nowadays that cater to the needs of the growing population in a variety of ways.
Top Recruiters: The top recruiters for chemical engineers include Tata Chemicals Ltd., Reliance Industries, Aditya Birla Group, Honeywell, etc.
6. Electronics & Communication Engineering
This is the fastest-growing engineering branch out there that deals with the study of designing and manufacturing electronics systems, telecommunication, power, and network development. The unprecedented rise of technology and communication channels across the globe has fueled a huge demand for electronics and communication engineers. Because the branch comprises both hardware and software development, there is immense scope for career advancement opportunities and growth.
Top Recruiters: Some of the best known recruiters include Cisco, Bajaj Allianz, Volvo, Brigade Group, Robert Bosch, etc.
7. Biotechnology Engineering
In the past decade, biotechnology engineering has taken off as the choice of BTech specialization for many students. Furthermore, the recent developments brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise in epidemics, and novel diseases has skyrocketed the need for biotechnology engineers and the difference they can make in regards to public health.
However, the scope of biotechnology engineering goes well beyond that, with areas like agriculture, fertilizers, food processing, animal husbandry, environmental conservation, and research being equally important and well paying.
Top Recruiters: Some of the top recruiters include the likes of BrainWave Biotechnology Ltd., Dr. Reddy’s, Rasi Seeds, Bharat Biotech, and Piramal Group.
Highest-Paying Engineering Branches In India – Conclusion
There are various factors that determine which engineering branch has the highest salary in India. Some, such as mechanical and civil engineering branches, have stood strong for many years while many others have grown tremendously in the last few decades.
Besides one’s experience, skill, and the hiring company, being in positions that are aligned with one’s interests turns out to be the single-biggest factor for career growth. Nevertheless, understanding the trends and the demands of the day is crucial when looking to choose an area of study, especially in a field that is as broad as engineering.
FAQs
Which branch of engineering pays the most?
Some of the engineering branches that pay the most include Computer Science Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, and Civil Engineering. This is true at both the entry and senior level due to the high demand for professionals in these engineering branches.
Which branch of engineering has the highest scope in India?
Engineering branches with the highest scope in India are Biotechnology Engineering, Electronics & Communications Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. These fields have seen an upward trend in recent decades and are expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years.
Which engineer is the most in demand?
Petroleum engineers, Civil engineers, Data Scientists, Machine Learning engineers, and Electrical engineers are the most in demand nowadays due to the unprecedented advancement in the technologies that are related to these fields.
Which engineering branch is the easiest to study?
Of the various engineering branches out there, Computer Science engineering is considered the easiest to study mainly because it doesn’t involve a whole lot of mathematics. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the difficulty level will depend on whether or not one has the basic skills and guidance necessary to make the subjects interesting, which will allow candidates to work their way through hard concepts.
Do engineers get to travel?
Depending on the employer and the type of engineering work, engineers can expect to travel a fair amount. Some engineering fields will require one to travel a lot, such as Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, wherein engineers have to go to the project site and directly monitor and supervise the work or solve onsite problems.
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