What is the starting salary of a fresher CA in India?

A fresher CA typically starts between ₹6 LPA and ₹13 LPA depending on the firm, role and city. Audit roles at mid-size firms sit at the lower end, while Big 4 deals/consulting teams and MNCs pay ₹9-14 LPA. Rank holders and Big 4 articles can start at ₹13-18 LPA.

What is the CA salary per month?

A fresher CA's monthly salary is usually around ₹55,000 to ₹90,000, depending on the employer, role and city. This rises significantly with experience.

What is the highest salary of a CA in India?

In recent ICAI campus placements the highest domestic package was around ₹26-27 LPA, and international offers crossed ₹50 LPA. Beyond campus, CFOs, Big 4 partners and CAs in investment banking or private equity regularly earn ₹60-70 LPA and often more than ₹1 crore in total compensation.

What is the CA salary in Big 4 firms?

Big 4 firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) typically pay fresher CAs around ₹9-14 LPA, with deals and consulting roles at the higher end. Managers and senior staff can earn ₹25-50 LPA, and partners considerably more.

What is the CA salary after 5 years of experience?

With about 5-10 years of experience, CAs generally earn ₹18-30 LPA, and more in specialised or leadership roles. Mid-level professionals in consulting, MNC finance or investment banking can earn ₹1.5-2.5 lakh per month or higher.

Which city pays the highest CA salary in India?

Mumbai is generally the highest-paying city for Chartered Accountants, with an average CA salary of about ₹16.5 LPA, followed by Delhi NCR/Gurgaon and Bengaluru. Metros pay noticeably more than tier-2 cities.

Do CA rank holders earn more?

Yes. CA Final rank holders (top All India Ranks) usually command ₹13-18 LPA at the fresher stage, and some placed in investment banking, Big 4 deals teams or PSUs receive ₹20-26 LPA from day one.

What is the CA salary abroad?

Indian CAs are in strong demand abroad, especially in the UAE, UK, Singapore and Qatar. Through ICAI's overseas placements and direct hiring, international packages often exceed ₹40-50 LPA, varying by country, role and experience.

How can I increase my CA salary?

Clear CA in fewer attempts (ideally with a rank), do your articleship at a Big 4 or reputed firm, specialise in high-demand areas like deals, investment banking, transfer pricing or FP&A, build strong Excel/data and communication skills, consider an MBA or CFA for leadership roles, and target high-paying metros.

2026 Salary Guide · Updated June 2026

Chartered Accountant (CA) Salary in India (2026 Guide)

How much does a CA earn in India? A complete, up-to-date breakdown of Chartered Accountant salaries - by experience, role, employer and city, plus the latest ICAI campus-placement figures.

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Avg. fresher salary

₹7-9 LPA

ICAI campus average (2026)

₹12-13 LPA

Highest domestic package

₹26-27 LPA

Quick answer

A newly qualified CA in India earns about ₹7-9 LPA on average (broadly ₹6-13 LPA), while ICAI's campus placements average around ₹12-13 LPA. Pay rises sharply with experience and specialisation - mid-level CAs earn ₹18-30 LPA, and senior finance leaders, Big 4 partners and investment bankers can earn ₹40 LPA to ₹1 crore+. The recent highest domestic campus package was about ₹26-27 LPA.

Written by the ClearLevel CA Faculty Team

Last updated: June 2026 · ~9 min read

Career stage

CA salary by experience

Experience is the single biggest driver of a CA's salary. Here is how pay typically grows over a career (indicative annual figures):

Fresher · 0-2 yrs₹7-9 LPA

Early career · 2-5 yrs₹10-16 LPA

Mid-level · 5-10 yrs₹18-30 LPA

Senior · 10-15 yrs₹30-50 LPA

Leadership (CFO / Partner) · 15+ yrs₹50 LPA - ₹1 cr+

Profile & domain

CA salary by role

The domain you choose makes a big difference. Investment banking, deals and finance-leadership roles pay well above traditional audit and accounting roles.

Role / profile	Salary range (per year)
Statutory / Internal Audit	₹7-12 LPA
Direct & Indirect Taxation	₹8-14 LPA
Financial Reporting & Accounting	₹7-12 LPA
FP&A / Corporate Finance	₹10-18 LPA
Consulting / Deals (Big 4)	₹12-20 LPA
Risk & Forensic Audit	₹9-15 LPA
Investment Banking	₹15-30+ LPA
CFO / Finance Leadership	₹40 LPA - ₹1 cr+

Where you work

CA salary by employer (Big 4 & beyond)

Big 4 firms and MNCs typically pay more than mid-size CA firms, especially at the start. Indicative fresher-to-early-career ranges:

Employer type	Salary range (per year)
Big 4 (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG)	₹9-14 LPA (fresher)
MNCs & large corporates	₹8-13 LPA
Banks / NBFCs / financial services	₹9-15 LPA
Industry / manufacturing	₹8-12 LPA
Mid-size CA firms	₹6-9 LPA
Government / PSU	₹8-12 LPA + allowances

Location

CA salary by city

Metros pay more than tier-2 cities. Mumbai is generally the highest-paying city for Chartered Accountants.

City	Salary range (per year)
Mumbai	₹16.5 LPA
Delhi NCR / Gurgaon	₹12-15 LPA
Bengaluru	₹11-14 LPA
Pune	₹9-12 LPA
Hyderabad	₹9-12 LPA
Chennai / Kolkata	₹8-11 LPA
Tier-2 cities	₹6-9 LPA

Official data

ICAI campus placement salary (2026)

₹12-13 LPA

Average package

₹26-27 LPA

Highest domestic

₹40-50+ LPA

International offers

Based on ICAI campus-placement reports and public salary data, last updated June 2026. ICAI's 64th campus placement reportedly had more vacancies than candidates. Figures are indicative and vary by year, role and recruiter.

What moves the number

Factors that affect CA salary

Experience & seniority

Specialisation (IB & deals pay more than audit)

Employer type (Big 4 / MNC vs mid-size firm)

City / location

CA Final rank & number of attempts

Communication & soft skills

Extra qualifications (MBA, CFA)

Industry demand & company size

Earn more

How to increase your CA salary

1Clear CA in fewer attempts - ideally with an All India Rank.

2Do your articleship at a Big 4 or a reputed firm for a stronger CV.

3Specialise in high-demand domains - deals, investment banking, transfer pricing or FP&A.

4Build strong Excel, data-analytics and communication skills.

5Add an MBA or CFA if you want finance-leadership or strategy roles.

6Target high-paying metros such as Mumbai and Gurgaon.

7Switch jobs strategically every 2-3 years in your early career.

CA salary FAQs

Frequently asked questions

A newly qualified Chartered Accountant in India earns around ₹7-9 LPA on average (with a broader range of about ₹6-13 LPA), while ICAI's own campus placements report an average package of roughly ₹12-13 LPA. Salaries rise steeply with experience, specialisation and employer - senior CAs and finance leaders can earn ₹40 LPA to ₹1 crore or more.

Keep reading

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Syllabus, eligibility and exam pattern.

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Latest CA Foundation, Inter & Final results.

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ClearLevel is an independent learning platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ICAI. Salary figures on this page are indicative ranges compiled from publicly available data and ICAI campus-placement reports (2025-26); actual pay varies by individual, role, employer, city and year. They were last updated in June 2026. For official campus-placement data, see the official ICAI website.