Most manual jobs pay less than Rs 20,000 a month, report says

Most manual workers jobs In India, wages are hovering within the salary range of Rs 20,000 or less per month, suggesting that a substantial portion of the workforce is grappling with financial hardship and struggling to meet essential needs such as housing, healthcare and education, according to a report.

Over 57.63 per cent of blue-collar jobs fall within the salary range of Rs 20,000 or less per month, indicating that many workers earn close to the minimum wage, tech-based blue-collar recruitment platform WorkIndia said in a report.

The report further revealed that around 29.34 per cent of manual jobs are in the moderate income bracket, with salaries ranging between Rs 20,000 and Rs 40,000 per month.

Workers who fall into this category experience marginally improved financial security, but are far from achieving a comfortable standard of living, he said.

Incomes in this range may cover necessities but leave little room for savings or investments, highlighting the economic vulnerability of a large segment of the blue-collar workforce, he added.

“The data reveals a significant concentration of low-wage jobs and limited opportunities for higher incomes within the blue-collar sector. This disparity not only reflects the economic challenges faced by a large section of the workforce, but also has broader implications for social stability and economic growth,” WorkIndia CEO and Co-Founder Nilesh Dungarwal told PTI.

Addressing these issues may require targeted interventions, such as skills development, wage reforms and the creation of more well-paid employment opportunities, he added.

The report further revealed that a very small segment of the workforce, constituting only 10.71 per cent, receives salaries above Rs 40,000-60,000 per month.

This higher level of earnings among blue-collar workers reflects the presence of specialized skills or experience among these workers, although the restricted availability of such positions suggests that upward mobility within the segment remains a challenge, he said.

Only 2.31 per cent of manual jobs offer salaries above Rs 60,000, which is an extremely small percentage signifying the scarcity of well-paid opportunities in this sector, he said.

Positions at this top level are often highly specialized or involve significant responsibility, making them accessible only to a select few, the report added.

The report is based on an analysis of job data collected from the WorkIndia platform over the past two years, which includes over 24 lakh job postings across various industries.

According to the report, field sales positions top the list of highest-paying blue-collar jobs, with 33.84 per cent of positions offering salaries above Rs 40,000 per month. This is closely followed by back office positions, with 33.10 per cent earning more than Rs 40,000, and telesales positions, with 26.57 per cent earning more than Rs 40,000, it said.

Meanwhile, in the field of accounting, 24.71 per cent of jobs offer salaries above Rs 40,000 per month, driven by the need for accurate financial management.

Business development roles, which are crucial to expanding a company’s operations, offer competitive remuneration: 21.73 per cent of the positions are worth over Rs 40,000 per month, the report said.

Interestingly, it was found that qualified cooks and receptionists also fall into the highest salary bracket – 21.22 per cent and 17.60 per cent of these positions respectively earn more than Rs 40,000 per month.

Delivery jobs, while essential, have the lowest percentage in this category, with only 16.23 percent of positions offering a higher salary, he added.