Blue-collar wages outpace entry-level white-collar growth
IT sector retains highest base salaries| Gender pay gap remains
Average minimum salaries for blue-collar roles in India rose 8.60 per cent year-on-year, outpacing several entry-level white-collar jobs and signalling a structural shift in the labour market, according to a report by WorkIndia.
Blue-collar roles saw salaries increase to Rs 15,265 in 2025 from Rs 14,056 in 2024, while entry-level white-collar jobs recorded slower growth of 6.75 per cent, reaching Rs 15,756 from Rs 14,760 over the same period. Operational roles such as delivery, drivers and automobile jobs posted the highest increases of up to 16 per cent, while manufacturing roles grew around 11 per cent, reflecting strong demand for skilled labour. In contrast, administrative and support roles have seen slower salary corrections due to higher candidate supply.
Despite rising wages, gender-based pay disparities remain significant. Male salaries increased 8.24 per cent to Rs 16,456 in 2025, while women’s wages rose 5.67 per cent to Rs 13,863, indicating a persistent gap across sectors.
The report, based on data from around 18 lakh employers across 2024 and 2025, also highlighted that the IT sector continues to offer the highest baseline salaries, rising 15 per cent to Rs 21,858.
Geographical differences remain stark, with metro cities offering average minimum salaries of Rs 17,618 in 2025, significantly higher than smaller cities.
WorkIndia Co-founder and CEO Nilesh Dungarwal said India’s job market is undergoing a “silent reset”, with demand-driven wage growth in blue-collar roles reshaping traditional salary hierarchies, even as gender and skill gaps continue to limit overall parity.
