Salary Academy
Understand your salary. Make better decisions.
Free, plain-English guides built for Indian salaried professionals — from your first offer letter to your next negotiation. No jargon. No filler. Every guide ends with a tool to act on what you learned.
Start here
Essential guides — from CTC basics to negotiation — before you accept any offer.
What is CTC?
CTC (Cost to Company) is the total annual amount your employer spends on you — not what lands in your bank account. Here is exactly what it includes, what it does not, and why the number on your offer letter is always bigger than your salary.
What is In-Hand Salary?
In-hand salary (take-home pay) is the amount that actually gets credited to your bank account each month — after PF, tax, and professional tax. Here is how it differs from CTC and gross, with real Indian examples.
CTC vs In-Hand Salary
CTC and in-hand salary are not the same thing — and the gap between them can be ₹2–4 lakh per year. Here is a clear side-by-side comparison with real numbers so you never confuse the two again.
How to Calculate In-Hand Salary
A step-by-step guide to calculating your monthly in-hand salary from CTC — including PF, professional tax, and income tax — with worked examples at ₹6L, ₹10L, and ₹15L.
How to Compare Two Job Offers
Comparing job offers is not about picking the higher CTC. Here is a structured, step-by-step approach to compare two offers in-hand to in-hand — with the salary factors that actually matter.
Basic Salary Explained
Basic salary is the foundation of every Indian payslip — PF, gratuity, and HRA are often calculated on it. Here is what Basic actually is, why companies keep it low, and how it affects your in-hand pay.
Gross Salary vs Net Salary
Gross salary is what you earn before deductions; net salary is what lands in your bank account. Here is a clear comparison with real Indian numbers so you never confuse the two again.
Salary Structure Explained
Your salary structure is how your CTC is split into Basic, HRA, allowances, and variable pay. Here is how to read an offer breakup, what each component means, and why structure matters as much as the headline number.
Variable Pay Explained
Variable pay is the part of your CTC that is not guaranteed every month — bonuses, incentives, and performance-linked amounts. Here is how companies structure it, when you actually receive it, and how to evaluate it in an offer.
How to Negotiate Salary
Salary negotiation in India is not about demanding a higher number — it is about understanding your offer, knowing what to ask for, and communicating clearly. Here is a practical, respectful approach that works for most professionals.
Browse by topic
Salary Basics
What CTC, gross, and in-hand salary actually mean.
2 guides
Salary Components
Basic, HRA, special allowance, variable pay, and every line on your payslip.
3 guides
Salary Calculations
Step-by-step guides for computing in-hand salary, tax, PF, and deductions.
1 guide
Salary Negotiation
How to discuss, improve, and evaluate a compensation package.
1 guide
Offer Intelligence
Decode offer letters, compare packages, and spot hidden trade-offs.
1 guide
Tax
Old vs new regime, slabs, exemptions, and what actually reduces your tax.
Salary Questions
Direct answers to the most common salary confusions Indian professionals have.
Salary Comparisons
Side-by-side breakdowns of concepts that are often confused.
2 guides
Salary by LPA
What a specific CTC (e.g. 10 LPA) typically means in-hand, with real numbers.
Career
Career decisions beyond the payslip — growth, switching, and long-term planning.
Recently added
Basic Salary Explained
Basic salary is the foundation of every Indian payslip — PF, gratuity, and HRA are often calculated on it. Here is what Basic actually is, why companies keep it low, and how it affects your in-hand pay.
Gross Salary vs Net Salary
Gross salary is what you earn before deductions; net salary is what lands in your bank account. Here is a clear comparison with real Indian numbers so you never confuse the two again.
Salary Structure Explained
Your salary structure is how your CTC is split into Basic, HRA, allowances, and variable pay. Here is how to read an offer breakup, what each component means, and why structure matters as much as the headline number.
Variable Pay Explained
Variable pay is the part of your CTC that is not guaranteed every month — bonuses, incentives, and performance-linked amounts. Here is how companies structure it, when you actually receive it, and how to evaluate it in an offer.
How to Negotiate Salary
Salary negotiation in India is not about demanding a higher number — it is about understanding your offer, knowing what to ask for, and communicating clearly. Here is a practical, respectful approach that works for most professionals.
What is CTC?
CTC (Cost to Company) is the total annual amount your employer spends on you — not what lands in your bank account. Here is exactly what it includes, what it does not, and why the number on your offer letter is always bigger than your salary.
What is In-Hand Salary?
In-hand salary (take-home pay) is the amount that actually gets credited to your bank account each month — after PF, tax, and professional tax. Here is how it differs from CTC and gross, with real Indian examples.
CTC vs In-Hand Salary
CTC and in-hand salary are not the same thing — and the gap between them can be ₹2–4 lakh per year. Here is a clear side-by-side comparison with real numbers so you never confuse the two again.
How to Calculate In-Hand Salary
A step-by-step guide to calculating your monthly in-hand salary from CTC — including PF, professional tax, and income tax — with worked examples at ₹6L, ₹10L, and ₹15L.
How to Compare Two Job Offers
Comparing job offers is not about picking the higher CTC. Here is a structured, step-by-step approach to compare two offers in-hand to in-hand — with the salary factors that actually matter.
Why Salary Academy
Written for India
Every example uses rupees, LPA, PF, and Indian tax rules — not generic international advice.
Honest, not inflated
We explain what companies do not — like why CTC is never your bank balance.
Learn, then act
Every guide links to a Salryd tool so you can calculate with your own numbers.
Ready to see your real salary?
Enter your CTC and get your exact in-hand salary — with every deduction explained in plain English.