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India Labour ObservatoryData & MethodsPLFS 2025Earnings

Earnings

What work pays: wages and salaries, self-employment and casual labour, by education, occupation, industry, age and group.

9 tables, from the records of the Periodic Labour Force Survey, January to December 2025, each cell with its standard error. 4 of the 6 figures of this section that MoSPI's press note prints are reproduced at the printed decimal; the others, and why.

Table 7.1Average earnings, by kind of work

Workers in current weekly status with earnings. rupees. Men are sex code 1 in the earnings tables, as the press note's earnings reproduce.

0 10,000 20,000 Regular wage or salaried: a month 22,699 Self-employed: the last 30 days 14,861 Casual labour other than public works: a day 453
0 10,000 20,000 Regular wage or sala… 22,699 Self-employed: the l… 14,861 Casual labour other … 453
MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.
every table, unrounded
All IndiaRuralUrban
MenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryone
Regular wage or salaried: a month 24,21722018,35325022,69920419,30018113,20828017,84117227,97335721,65336126,247325
Self-employed: the last 30 days 17,914966,3747514,8618514,972755,5405312,2666426,09427410,23733423,012264
Casual labour other than public works: a day 489232424532468231924332581436475484

Table 7.2Average monthly earnings of regular wage employees, by level of education

Regular wage or salaried employees (CWS) with earnings, 15+. rupees a month.

0 20,000 40,000 Not literate 9,754 Literate, without formal schooling 9,720 Below primary 11,658 Primary 12,607 Middle 13,991 Secondary 16,340 Higher secondary 18,539 Diploma or certificate 25,722 Graduate 32,683 Postgraduate and above 45,430
0 20,000 40,000 Not literate 9,754 Literate, without fo… 9,720 Below primary 11,658 Primary 12,607 Middle 13,991 Secondary 16,340 Higher secondary 18,539 Diploma or certifica… 25,722 Graduate 32,683 Postgraduate and abo… 45,430
MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.
every table, unrounded
All IndiaRuralUrban
MenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryone
Not literate 12,5741776,9101199,75413011,9102376,2241839,30419313,1812537,38215210,111172
Literate, without formal schooling 13,5891,3506,1021,2839,7201,35410,5319144,9327577,1451,17514,3691,6816,5821,85410,5721,777
Below primary 13,7782728,44622511,65820713,4964587,43629411,28334314,0243149,14031111,958251
Primary 14,2511418,40719012,60712913,4221997,40730011,88218814,9601959,08724213,188175
Middle 15,2381568,89114313,99113514,6562717,97821013,41623615,8231529,69218214,554135
Secondary 17,56513510,85420516,34012315,9431949,80230014,74117118,91418111,88428417,708172
Higher secondary 19,82519513,03526318,53917017,63428110,75328516,34224121,92026215,16941520,630235
Diploma or certificate 26,43146022,7241,01425,72243422,63953920,4831,73422,23154329,71769524,6251,13728,735639
Graduate 34,45047827,68750732,68341826,36140420,38562724,91036738,78567231,06565236,694578
Postgraduate and above 49,23588438,51174145,43071037,6371,07128,8141,41134,84490054,8581,16942,18887250,147916

Table 7.3Average monthly earnings of regular wage employees, by occupation

Regular wage or salaried employees (CWS) with earnings. rupees a month.

0 20,000 40,000 Managers 50,408 Professionals 38,466 Technicians and associate professionals 26,175 Clerical support workers 24,289 Service and sales workers 15,541 Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery … 13,377 Craft and related trades workers 16,773 Plant and machine operators and assemblers 17,301 Elementary occupations 12,270
0 20,000 40,000 Managers 50,408 Professionals 38,466 Technicians and asso… 26,175 Clerical support wor… 24,289 Service and sales wo… 15,541 Skilled agricultural… 13,377 Craft and related tr… 16,773 Plant and machine op… 17,301 Elementary occupatio… 12,270
MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.
every table, unrounded
All IndiaRuralUrban
MenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryone
Managers 50,2331,47851,3792,20250,4081,41333,3131,52719,7742,75031,7011,41354,9391,78657,5522,40955,3601,684
Professionals 42,93762831,35447238,46648334,38971923,66968230,42456847,64085735,16459842,717644
Technicians and associate professionals 30,42944217,87556026,17538224,19654712,60668418,96643834,05360325,45890931,909553
Clerical support workers 25,17732121,48462424,28930021,82739416,84471820,90135527,64946023,54680826,514424
Service and sales workers 17,3631679,95716915,54114315,5672017,82722513,63217718,64524311,53222916,914207
Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers 14,7136409,28957913,37753613,8368368,14867412,25265016,79071014,8881,61416,491665
Craft and related trades workers 17,29319411,02152716,77318615,85727211,1101,19415,53226718,53827310,96743517,819259
Plant and machine operators and assemblers 17,51617612,16551817,30117316,43326811,90276416,25726318,88922412,47168218,618219
Elementary occupations 14,8111258,41611512,27010913,4591587,91518311,57115116,0431818,71314612,809149

Table 7.4Average monthly earnings of regular wage employees, by industry

Regular wage or salaried employees (CWS) with earnings. rupees a month.

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 Agriculture 12,465 Mining and quarrying 29,756 Manufacturing 18,735 Electricity, water and the like 27,478 Construction 23,089 Trade, hotels and restaurants 14,953 Transport, storage and communication 31,961 Other services 25,451
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 Agriculture 12,465 Mining and quarrying 29,756 Manufacturing 18,735 Electricity, water a… 27,478 Construction 23,089 Trade, hotels and re… 14,953 Transport, storage a… 31,961 Other services 25,451
MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.
every table, unrounded
All IndiaRuralUrban
MenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryone
Agriculture 14,2805538,22046212,46549612,7085107,21138710,93945021,1301,74817,6052,06120,4891,503
Mining and quarrying 29,9011,57126,1745,31729,7561,56521,6021,62923,9788,29721,6941,68039,6222,47328,7246,32939,1972,450
Manufacturing 19,68022612,84732018,73521016,17820810,78225415,45319022,31036114,31551721,183338
Electricity, water and the like 27,7551,06124,7152,33327,4781,04823,1791,49322,4994,90523,1391,56133,1461,50325,8492,51132,2231,412
Construction 22,84647528,0983,74123,08951918,37849917,5472,45118,35649026,92874232,1065,43827,254846
Trade, hotels and restaurants 15,48913511,83137414,95313513,2061579,85755812,77516517,05919512,89948716,401191
Transport, storage and communication 30,88364538,7481,45531,96166519,99943621,6232,36220,09844338,81797342,3111,39239,463929
Other services 30,68441718,55325425,45130225,78339514,11334520,89630734,15764721,43836028,559461

Table 7.5Average monthly earnings of regular wage employees, by age

Regular wage or salaried employees (CWS) with earnings, 15+. rupees a month.

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 15-19 9,526 20-24 14,779 25-29 20,860 30-34 23,339 35-39 23,917 40-44 25,058 45-49 25,265 50-54 29,099 55-59 31,445 60+ 15,275
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 15-19 9,526 20-24 14,779 25-29 20,860 30-34 23,339 35-39 23,917 40-44 25,058 45-49 25,265 50-54 29,099 55-59 31,445 60+ 15,275
MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.
every table, unrounded
All IndiaRuralUrban
MenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryone
15-19 9,8211847,8732619,5261649,4422627,4063499,17623410,2232528,2293759,878226
20-24 14,74016214,90936314,77915113,36315411,99756013,11516216,11927316,60846316,254238
25-29 21,06234620,16653420,86032016,94124513,74955216,35625524,53058123,67770724,310509
30-34 23,93430921,36663823,33932318,92728915,39165718,21629627,88147624,86789527,115488
35-39 26,39847417,83350023,91742420,43441413,32362218,38736230,66973621,01870927,862660
40-44 27,89346218,30555225,05841121,92149912,24650319,20441032,22468422,19482429,154619
45-49 28,82847017,06950125,26538123,23058612,65658719,88946032,60267620,36773529,005557
50-54 31,96166321,48485629,09957725,87470415,7191,44322,93166535,57995425,4041,14332,904838
55-59 35,36777921,07194931,44566330,7721,44514,0211,43726,0181,16538,37987726,0761,26935,083793
60+ 17,6406638,83952715,27552014,3018466,40453512,11765919,40290310,20576216,969712

Table 7.6Average monthly earnings of regular wage employees, by social group

Regular wage or salaried employees (CWS) with earnings. rupees a month.

0 10,000 20,000 ST 19,058 SC 17,347 OBC 22,008 Others 27,651
0 10,000 20,000 ST 19,058 SC 17,347 OBC 22,008 Others 27,651
MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.
every table, unrounded
All IndiaRuralUrban
MenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryone
ST 21,22143514,13259719,05843418,57848911,76457916,55647226,72282618,5081,17024,076809
SC 19,33424612,67726717,34721516,73425810,63332915,00922321,98042114,47141019,625364
OBC 23,40723117,85038022,00823219,61626013,59447318,24125826,44135720,58754424,863357
Others 28,59949024,57753427,65145321,16137816,80373220,30836432,31569327,35665331,056624

Table 7.7Average daily wage of casual labour other than public works, by industry

Days of casual labour other than public works (CWS). rupees a day.

0 200 400 Agriculture 361 Mining and quarrying 508 Manufacturing 482 Electricity, water and the like 475 Construction 513 Trade, hotels and restaurants 504 Transport, storage and communication 564 Other services 468
0 200 400 Agriculture 361 Mining and quarrying 508 Manufacturing 482 Electricity, water a… 475 Construction 513 Trade, hotels and re… 504 Transport, storage a… 564 Other services 468
MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.
every table, unrounded
All IndiaRuralUrban
MenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryone
Agriculture 40733042361240233042358251823312541014
Mining and quarrying 532153452150818533183462450921524253362550724
Manufacturing 509638074825498640184776533113131449410
Electricity, water and the like 4962635376475274432641713543935541472941150644
Construction 5182417751324962393749126064480135974
Trade, hotels and restaurants 5229363135048513143842250313530113521550410
Transport, storage and communication 56713319415641355919395525581958014260957415
Other services 520123321246810482123141544111575223501950418

Table 7.8The spread of regular wage earnings: monthly earnings at each point of the distribution

Regular wage or salaried employees (CWS) with earnings. rupees a month. Weighted quantiles; no standard error is given for them.

0 20,000 40,000 A tenth earn less than 7,000 A quarter earn less than 10,000 Half earn less than 15,000 Three quarters earn less than 25,800 Nine in ten earn less than 48,000
0 20,000 40,000 A tenth earn less th… 7,000 A quarter earn less … 10,000 Half earn less than 15,000 Three quarters earn … 25,800 Nine in ten earn les… 48,000
MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.
every table, unrounded
All IndiaRuralUrban
MenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryone
A tenth earn less than 9,0004,0007,0008,0003,0006,00010,0005,0008,000
A quarter earn less than 12,0007,00010,00010,0005,9289,00013,0008,00012,000
Half earn less than 16,50010,00015,00015,0008,75013,50019,00012,20018,000
Three quarters earn less than 28,00020,00025,80020,60013,50020,00035,00027,00032,000
Nine in ten earn less than 50,00045,00048,00038,00032,00036,00058,00050,00055,000

Table 7.9Average earnings from self-employment in the last 30 days, by industry

Self-employed (CWS 11, 12, 61, 62) with earnings. rupees in 30 days.

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 Agriculture 11,328 Mining and quarrying 31,621 Manufacturing 13,510 Electricity, water and the like 18,719 Construction 22,253 Trade, hotels and restaurants 20,319 Transport, storage and communication 18,825 Other services 22,673
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 Agriculture 11,328 Mining and quarrying 31,621 Manufacturing 13,510 Electricity, water a… 18,719 Construction 22,253 Trade, hotels and re… 20,319 Transport, storage a… 18,825 Other services 22,673
MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.
every table, unrounded
All IndiaRuralUrban
MenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryoneMenWomenEveryone
Agriculture 14,057915,4236011,3287513,851945,4176211,1747717,7693525,54520214,225296
Mining and quarrying 33,2023,1059,2062,59131,6213,07026,2643,1286,37319124,9053,10052,1775,47118,2479,68350,1715,332
Manufacturing 22,0733405,17511813,51021616,4902554,468809,76016828,0966106,44429518,722430
Electricity, water and the like 19,4101,55212,7714,13518,7191,46414,2001,5688,06667513,7801,44223,2082,28014,4845,66522,0892,178
Construction 22,25730321,0685,54922,25330518,7172609,1211,82118,68025928,63564242,15212,01328,688646
Trade, hotels and restaurants 21,81721810,42420020,31920017,0091679,12018915,83715626,68937612,22738225,049350
Transport, storage and communication 18,74720631,2016,87818,82521016,45016013,0383,13616,43516121,43939642,00810,20421,614405
Other services 24,47342715,28992522,67346416,7412677,39951515,25424931,54973219,9621,40128,917790

Computed by the India Labour Observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records of the Periodic Labour Force Survey, January to December 2025; Release 2026.10.

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