Salaries rise for tech professionals with AI skills, but dip or stagnate for those in traditional IT roles: Study

Technology professionals with artificial intelligence (AI) skills are recording a 12% year-on-year rise in salary while those associated with traditional roles have either seen a stagnation or a decline, according to a study by jobs and career platform foundit.

After AI, the next segment that has consistently witnessed an increase in salaries are computer & network security and semiconductors at 9%, according to foundit Insights Tracker (fit).

Over the last two years, the divide has become sharper as AI salaries have compounded 23% between 2024 and 2026 while pay in sectors such as computer hardware and ecommerce has declined. Salaries in IT services have stagnated over the two years.

For AI professionals with three or under three years of experience, the salary ranges between Rs 8.87 lakh and Rs 15.41 lakh per annum (LPA); this rises to Rs 70.99–89.24 LPA for those with more than 15 years of experience. Cybersecurity records an even higher salary ceiling of Rs 97.81 LPA, the highest across the categories tracked, the study notes.

The contrast in salaries between AI specialist jobs and mainstream IT roles is stark.

Entry-level pay in IT and IT services starts at Rs 2.68–5.08 LPA, about a third of what AI freshers command, and salary reaches Rs 57.55–72.13 LPA for those with 15+ years of experience. Both categories have also recorded a 1% pay decline over the last year.

“For professionals, the takeaway is straightforward: salary growth will increasingly follow those who keep deepening and renewing their skills as business needs shift," said Tarun Sinha, CEO, foundit.

Salary growth outside technology is concentrated in areas building new capabilities. Over the last two years, salaries in semiconductors have compounded 17%, while they have compounded 13% in industrial automation.

The study also notes that AI compensation varies sharply by location, reflecting where specialised employers and mature technology ecosystems are clustered. Bengaluru remains India's highest-paying market, supported by its density of product companies, AI-first startups, and global capability centres (GCCs).

Senior AI professionals in Bengaluru earn Rs 61.70–91.25 LPA, 10–15% higher than in NCR or Mumbai, and up to 40% more than in Chennai at the senior end. Hyderabad is emerging as the closest challenger, backed by expanding investments in GCCs and product engineering.