Career explorer
Browse careers by what they involve, the exams that lead to them and a typical Indian salary range.
Science
Agricultural scientist / agri-businessCrops, soil, food systems, agri-tech or rural banking. ICAR universities plus NABARD / agri-officer exams are common next steps.
Typical exams
CUET (ICAR-UG) · CUET UG
Indicative: campus agri roles ₹3–7 LPA; bank agri officers and NABARD ₹8–14 LPA; agri-tech and food companies ₹5–15 LPA with experience.
Design
ArchitectFive-year B.Arch (Council of Architecture) via NATA or JEE Main Paper 2 — studios, interiors, urban work.
Typical exams
NATA · JEE Main Paper 2
Indicative: junior architects ₹3–6 LPA; 5–8 years in good studios ₹8–18 LPA; independent practice varies with projects.
Commerce
Chartered AccountantAudit, tax, and advisory; ICAI pathway after 12th commerce or via graduation.
Typical exams
CA Foundation → Intermediate → Final
Indicative: articleship stipend ₹0.1–0.5 LPA during training; fresh CA average around ₹8–12 LPA, with ₹15–25+ LPA for rank-holders and Big-4 / industry roles. Independent practice scales with client base.
Public sector
Civil services / PolicyUPSC and state PSC routes; any graduate degree can be a base for several services.
Typical exams
UPSC CSE · State PSC
Indicative (7th Pay Commission): entry IAS/IPS basic ~₹56,100/month plus allowances (roughly ₹10–12 LPA total early on), rising with seniority; government housing, and other perks add significant value beyond cash pay.
Creative
Design (Product / UX)Blend aesthetics with user research; portfolios matter alongside degrees.
Typical exams
UCEED · NID DAT · NIFT · Institute-specific tests
Indicative: fresh designers ₹3.5–7 LPA; NID/IIT design graduates and strong portfolios ₹8–16 LPA; senior/UX lead roles ₹18–35+ LPA. Portfolio and specialisation matter more than the degree tag.
Healthcare
Doctor / SurgeonClinical care after MBBS; long training with NEET-UG as the national entry point.
Typical exams
NEET-UG · NEET-PG
Indicative: junior resident / MBBS ₹6–12 LPA; post-MD/MS specialists ₹12–25 LPA; established private-practice specialists and surgeons often ₹25 LPA and above. Government scales add allowances; rural postings carry incentives.
Creative
Filmmaker / CinematographerTell stories on screen — direction, camera, editing, or sound. Most people start with a media UG plus a reel, then specialised film school or assistant work.
Typical exams
CUET UG · UCEED
Indicative: assistants and editors often ₹2–6 LPA at the start; independent project pay is lumpy. Established DPs, editors and directors on ads/OTT commonly ₹8–25+ LPA. Budget for 2–3 lean years.
Media
Journalist / ContentReporting, editing, digital news, or branded content. Writing stamina and a clips file matter as much as the degree.
Typical exams
CUET UG · CUET PG
Indicative: newsroom and digital starters ₹2.5–6 LPA; specialist reporters and editors ₹6–12 LPA; communications / brand-content roles in corporates often ₹6–15 LPA.
Law
Law (Corporate / Litigation)BA LLB or LLB after graduation; national law schools via CLAT and similar exams.
Typical exams
CLAT · AILET · State law CETs
Indicative: tier-1 NLU graduates ₹12–18 LPA at top law firms; other campuses commonly ₹4–8 LPA. Litigation starts modestly (₹2–5 LPA) and grows with reputation; corporate counsel roles ₹10–25+ LPA with experience.
Business
Management / BusinessBBA or B.Com routes toward MBA; analytics and operations roles grow steadily.
Typical exams
CUET · IPMAT · CAT (for MBA)
Indicative: BBA/B.Com entry roles ₹3–6 LPA; IIM / top B-school MBA averages ₹18–30+ LPA; mid-tier MBAs ₹6–12 LPA. Analytics and finance roles trend higher than generalist ones.
Healthcare
NurseClinical care with a 4-year B.Sc Nursing, council registration, and strong demand in India and overseas.
Typical exams
NEET UG · AIIMS BSc Nursing
Indicative: staff nurses ₹2.5–6 LPA in India; Gulf / UK / Ireland packages are often higher after licensing exams. ICU, OT and overseas routes pay more than general wards.
Healthcare
PharmacistMedicines, hospitals, industry and regulation. B.Pharm is the main UG; GPAT opens M.Pharm and NIPER.
Typical exams
GPAT · NEET UG
Indicative: retail and hospital pharmacists ₹2.5–6 LPA; pharma industry and clinical research ₹4–12 LPA; M.Pharm / Pharm.D roles trend higher.
Science
Research & higher studiesM.Sc, integrated Ph.D., or IISc/IISER style programmes for lab and field science.
Typical exams
IAT · NEST · JAM · GATE
Indicative: PhD fellowships (JRF/SRF) around ₹4.2–5.2 LPA; assistant professors on UGC scales ~₹8–12 LPA early; industry R&D scientists ₹8–20+ LPA depending on domain (data, pharma, core science).
Technology
Software / Tech rolesBuild products, data systems, or security careers starting with strong maths and logical thinking.
Typical exams
JEE Main · BITSAT · State engineering CETs · B.Sc CS + GATE
Indicative: fresh graduates ₹3.5–8 LPA at typical IT firms; ₹12–30+ LPA from top product companies and tier-1 campuses. 5–8 years' experience commonly reaches ₹18–40 LPA. Verify on each college's placement report.
Education
Teacher / lecturerSchool teaching via B.Ed and CTET / state TET; college teaching via NET after a master’s.
Typical exams
CTET · UGC NET
Indicative: government school teachers follow pay commissions (often ₹5–10 LPA with allowances); private schools ₹2.5–8 LPA; assistant professors on UGC scales ~₹8–12 LPA early.
Healthcare
Veterinary doctorAnimal health via B.V.Sc & AH, then VCI registration — clinics, livestock departments, dairy, or wildlife.
Typical exams
NEET UG · CUET (ICAR-UG)
Indicative: government veterinary officers ₹6–12 LPA with allowances; private clinics ₹3–8 LPA early; dairy / poultry corporates ₹4–12 LPA.