Results of the salary survey conducted by STC India in 2013

1. 2013
Salary Survey
of Indian Technical Communicators

2. Date of publication: 2nd December 2013
Data collected in: October 2013
www.stc-india.org
STC India 2013 Salary Survey
Data collection, analysis, and report by: Paresh Naik
Your feedback and suggestions are welcome. Please write to pareshnaik@rediffmail.com

3. Contents
1.
Overview .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 About the survey..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 About statistical measures used in this report ....................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.3 Key results.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
2.
Experience ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 2
3.
Location ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
4.
Age .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
5.
Comparison with 2012 STC India survey results ................................................................................................................................................... 8
6.
Trend .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
7.
Comparison with the salaries of Technical Communicators in the U.S. ........................................................................................................... 10

4. 1. Overview
1.1 About the survey
STC India chapter conducted a survey of salaries of Technical
Communicators working in India. This anonymous survey was open to
all Technical Communicators working in India including those who are
not the members of STC. The survey was conducted through a web
based questionnaire open from 10th to 25th October 2013.
A total of 165 respondents completed the survey. One invalid
response was excluded from the analysis.
1.2 About statistical measures used in this report
Base: The total responses in a given category.
Mean: The value computed by averaging the tabulated responses.
10%: Ten percent of the responses were below this value; ninety
percent were above this value.
25%: Twenty-five percent of the responses were below this value;
seventy-five percent were above this value.
Salary/year of experience: Most of the tables also indicate the
measures for salary/year of experience. This parameter is included to
compare influence of various factors on the salary on level grounds,
i.e. to exclude the effect of experience. If all or most of the survey
participants from a specific category have a higher number of years of
experience, the average salary in that particular category may be
reflected as very high. In such cases, the salary/year of experience
parameter will give a more realistic comparison of salaries in related
categories.
All the salary figures mentioned in this report are in Indian Rupees
unless specifically mentioned otherwise.
1.3 Key results
50%: Fifty percent of the responses were below this value; fifty
percent were above this value. This is also called the median.
 The survey shows the average salary level of Indian Technical
Communicators in 2013 has increased by 16.8% compared to the
same in 2012.
75%: Seventy-five percent of the responses were below this value;
twenty-five percent were above this value.
 For the same experience level, Pune is the highest paying city in
India closely followed by Bangalore.
90%: Ninety percent of the responses were below this value; ten
percent were above this value.
 Comparison of median salaries in India and the U.S. shows that
the Indian salary levels are about 27.7% of the U.S. salary levels.
TrimMean: This value is the mean taken by excluding 10% of data
points from the top and bottom tails of a data set. In other words, this
is an average of values excluding the extreme cases.
STC India 2013 Salary Survey
1

5. 2. Experience
Experience
(Years)
0-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9 - 10
10 -11
11-13
13-15
15 and
above
Base
Salary (Rs. per annum)
3
2
12
9
10
14
14
18
11
14
12
14
16
Average
1,82,000
2,16,000
5,10,375
5,12,222
6,40,770
8,57,357
10,15,857
10,87,664
13,64,709
12,05,714
13,43,655
18,01,682
23,67,219
TrimMea
n
1,82,000
2,16,000
5,10,375
5,12,222
6,40,770
8,57,357
10,15,857
10,87,664
13,64,709
12,05,714
13,43,655
18,01,682
23,67,219
15
25,33,333
25,33,333
10%
1,56,000
2,16,000
2,58,600
4,00,000
4,98,000
6,15,000
7,79,900
7,58,000
10,00,000
9,17,000
9,05,000
12,42,000
18,50,000
25%
1,65,000
2,16,000
3,84,000
4,67,000
5,62,500
8,00,000
8,35,000
9,00,000
11,75,000
11,05,000
10,12,891
14,00,000
20,00,000
50%
1,80,000
2,16,000
5,10,000
5,00,000
6,25,000
8,68,000
9,60,000
11,00,000
13,51,800
12,00,000
12,75,000
16,80,500
21,52,500
75%
1,98,000
2,16,000
6,00,000
6,00,000
6,82,500
9,45,000
11,87,500
13,12,500
15,96,000
13,15,000
15,50,000
19,16,907
27,75,000
90%
2,08,800
2,16,000
7,12,500
6,25,200
8,07,930
10,28,000
13,40,000
14,00,000
17,00,000
14,70,000
17,45,000
25,35,000
33,12,750
Average
1,82,000
1,54,611
2,15,181
1,56,427
1,49,488
1,60,894
1,60,261
1,48,771
1,65,489
1,29,190
1,33,565
1,54,086
1,70,967
14,20,000
21,00,000
24,00,000
30,00,000
30,60,000
1,50,611
Salary/year of experience (Rs. per annum)
TrimMea
n
10%
25%
50%
75%
1,82,000
1,56,000
1,65,000
1,80,000
1,98,000
1,54,611
1,40,059
1,45,516
1,54,611
1,63,705
2,15,181
1,06,800
1,81,355
1,97,500
2,45,909
1,56,427
1,27,154
1,33,333
1,42,857
1,77,429
1,49,488
1,24,020
1,31,509
1,40,288
1,54,167
1,60,894
1,15,455
1,45,673
1,64,104
1,77,000
1,60,261
1,19,515
1,27,249
1,54,522
1,84,031
1,48,771
1,01,906
1,24,499
1,46,830
1,72,112
1,65,489
1,25,000
1,41,697
1,68,975
1,96,295
1,29,190
1,00,673
1,18,161
1,24,696
1,44,513
1,33,565
89,172
1,01,289
1,27,500
1,54,070
1,54,086
1,07,767
1,22,415
1,42,559
1,62,196
1,70,967
1,37,282
1,44,594
1,55,175
2,08,710
1,50,611
90,401
1,26,941
1,45,856
1,75,267
* The ranges exclude the upper most limits. If you are looking for a boundary case, you should read the range where the case is lower limit of the range. For example, if you
are looking for the salary level of a Technical Communicator with exactly 2 years of experience, you should refer to the 2-3 range and not the 1-2 range.
2
STC India 2013 Salary Survey
90%
2,08,800
1,69,162
2,66,364
1,93,222
1,99,860
1,95,449
2,13,512
1,93,636
2,09,434
1,57,905
1,74,500
2,20,000
2,37,190
2,01,304

6. Experience
15 and above 0 - 1
2%
9%
1-2
1%
2-3
3-4
7%
5% 4 - 5
6%
11-13
9%
9 - 10
9%
10 -11
7%
8-9
7%
7-8
11%
x 100000
13-15
10%
5-6
8%
6-7
9%
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8 - 9 9 - 10 10 -11 11-13 13-15
15
and
above
Average salary (TrimMean) per annum (Rs./year)
Thousands
Profile of respondents
250
200
150
100
50
0
0-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8 - 9 9 - 10 10 -11 11-13 13-15 15 and
above
Average salary (TrimMean) per annum per year of experience
(Rs./year/year of experience)
STC India 2013Salary Survey
3

7. 3. Location
Location
Bangalore
Chennai
Hyderabad
Mumbai
NCR*
Pune
Other
locations
Base
58
8
17
5
16
54
6
Average TrimMean
15,13,241 14,56,353
9,81,875
9,81,875
11,84,647 11,84,647
12,94,000 12,94,000
13,52,031 13,52,031
11,87,081 11,54,127
8,45,167
8,45,167
Salary (Rs. per annum)
10%
25%
50%
6,00,000 9,08,750 13,00,000
6,06,000 8,02,500 10,32,500
6,75,000 8,50,000 11,00,000
5,48,000 7,70,000 8,00,000
5,85,000 8,79,250 13,00,000
3,55,200 6,23,250 10,18,750
3,15,000
5,10,000
75%
19,16,907
12,00,000
13,00,000
15,00,000
16,62,500
16,50,000
90%
Average
27,30,000 1,61,099
12,60,000 1,18,123
16,90,000 1,51,803
24,00,000 1,41,101
21,50,000 1,57,427
23,77,500 1,66,786
7,30,000 12,05,000 14,90,500
1,32,942
Salary/year of experience (Rs. per annum)
TrimMean
10%
25%
50%
75%
1,60,418 1,14,390 1,26,578 1,53,665 1,93,977
1,18,123
82,600 1,03,818 1,18,435 1,26,026
1,51,803
94,827 1,24,138 1,44,000 1,72,340
1,41,101 1,24,410 1,33,333 1,45,455 1,47,541
1,57,427 1,16,491 1,35,268 1,44,703 1,81,933
1,61,305 1,15,000 1,33,333 1,57,011 1,84,114
1,32,942
1,04,052
1,18,934
1,39,773
1,49,167
*NCR: National capital region, includes Delhi, Faridabad, Gurgaon, and Noida
4
STC India 2013 Salary Survey
90%
2,21,500
1,47,280
2,40,552
1,55,445
2,16,717
2,10,735
1,55,000

8. Location
x 100000
Other locations
4%
Bangalore
35%
Pune
33%
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
Hyderabad
10%
2
Other locations
Pune
NCR*
Average salary (TrimMean) per annum (Rs./year)
Average salary (TrimMean) per annum neutralized for experience
(Rs./year/year of experience)
STC India 2013Salary Survey
Other locations
Pune
NCR*
Mumbai
Chennai
Hyderabad
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Bangalore
Thousands
Profile of respondents
Mumbai
Bangalore
Mumbai
3%
Hyderabad
0
Chennai
5%
Chennai
NCR*
10%
5

9. 4. Age
Age
(Years)
22-24
25-26
27-28
29-30
31-33
34-37
38
and
above
6
Base
1
10
11
22
46
35
Average TrimMean
2,16,000
2,16,000
5,37,670
5,37,670
6,48,364
6,48,364
8,08,364
8,06,700
11,20,709 11,03,325
16,89,771 16,30,485
39 18,41,911
18,31,204
Salary (Rs. per annum)
10%
25%
50%
2,16,000 2,16,000
2,16,000
2,04,000 4,90,000
6,00,000
4,67,000 4,80,000
6,20,000
2,65,000 6,23,250
8,40,000
5,00,000 7,77,500 11,75,000
8,76,000 10,33,750 13,40,000
8,48,000 12,00,000 18,00,000
75%
2,16,000
6,37,500
7,82,500
9,37,500
14,00,000
20,52,500
24,00,000
90%
2,16,000
7,99,630
9,00,000
12,11,200
16,25,000
30,87,300
30,00,000
Average
1,36,421
1,76,007
1,60,655
1,45,622
1,54,784
1,77,179
Salary/year of experience (Rs. per annum)
TrimMean
10%
25%
50%
75%
1,36,421 1,36,421 1,36,421 1,36,421 1,36,421
1,76,007 1,10,630 1,47,246 1,90,403 2,11,856
1,60,655 1,24,138 1,31,182 1,43,077 1,80,000
1,45,245 1,14,286 1,25,705 1,44,652 1,65,932
1,54,307 1,01,207 1,21,111 1,46,061 1,82,163
1,70,706 1,20,000 1,37,753 1,55,056 2,07,954
1,46,388 1,45,860
90%
1,36,421
2,42,667
2,01,290
1,76,966
2,24,500
2,38,028
1,03,038 1,22,650 1,45,856 1,61,924 2,01,429
STC India 2013 Salary Survey

10. 22-24
38
and above 1%
24%
25-26 27-28
6%
7% 29-30
13%
x 100000
Age
20
15
10
34-37
21%
31-33
28%
5
0
22-24
Thousands
Profile of respondents
25-26
27-28
29-30
31-33
34-37
38…
Average salary (TrimMean) per annum (Rs./year)
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
22-24
25-26
27-28
29-30
31-33
Average salary (TrimMean) per annum neutralized for experience
(Rs./year/year of experience)
STC India 2013Salary Survey
34-37
38
and above
7

11. 5. Comparison with 2012 STC India survey results
Grouping
Base
Mean
9,50,000
2013
11,35,000
%
Rise
19.5
-24.9
-56.3
25.4
-9.9
3.7
5.6
10.4
15.0
5.2
-0.4
-27.3
27.6
2,33,000
5,12,500
4,01,600
6,00,000
6,25,000
8,10,000
9,60,000
8,75,000
14,00,000
11,25,000
18,25,000
17,44,000
1,80,000
2,16,000
5,10,000
5,00,000
6,25,000
8,68,000
9,60,000
11,00,000
13,51,800
12,00,000
12,75,000
21,05,000
-22.7
-57.9
27.0
-16.7
0.0
7.2
0.0
25.7
-3.4
6.7
-30.1
20.7
15,13,241
9,81,875
11,84,647
12,94,000
13,52,031
11,87,081
8,45,167
22.7
44.4
4.2
28.5
14.5
14.8
-13.8
11,28,279
6,50,000
8,82,500
9,52,000
9,00,000
9,56,000
10,00,000
13,00,000
10,32,500
11,00,000
8,00,000
13,00,000
10,18,750
7,30,000
15.2
58.8
24.6
-16.0
44.4
6.6
-27.0
2,16,000
5,37,670
6,48,364
8,08,364
11,20,709
16,89,771
18,41,911
-31.4
-2.2
-5.8
-0.1
-0.7
17.1
18.7
2,64,000
5,05,756
7,41,410
8,22,000
10,00,000
13,62,500
15,50,000
2,16,000
6,00,000
6,20,000
8,40,000
11,75,000
13,40,000
18,00,000
-22.2
15.7
-19.6
2.1
14.9
-1.7
13.9
2012
156
2013
164
11,12,369
2013
12,99,011
Experience
0-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9 - 10
10 -11
> 11
4
6
12
5
11
22
15
13
9
10
12
37
3
2
12
9
10
14
14
18
11
14
12
45
2,42,500
4,94,000
4,07,059
5,68,600
6,17,909
8,11,787
9,19,837
9,45,923
12,97,778
12,10,600
18,48,863
17,60,667
1,82,000
2,16,000
5,10,375
5,12,222
6,40,770
8,57,357
10,15,857
10,87,664
13,64,709
12,05,714
13,43,655
22,46,645
City
Bangalore
Chennai
Hyderabad
Mumbai
NCR
Pune
Other
128
14
31
11
25
38
10
58
8
17
5
16
54
6
12,33,763
6,80,091
11,36,543
10,07,333
11,81,182
10,33,922
9,80,714
10
27
41
42
79
42
38
1
10
11
22
46
35
39
3,14,800
5,49,879
6,88,410
8,09,000
11,28,330
14,42,889
15,51,781
Total
Age
22-24
25-26
27-28
29-30
31-33
34-37
38 and above
8
2012
Median
%
Rise
16.8
2012
STC India 2013 Salary Survey

12. 6. Trend
Year
Median
Salary in
INR
Median
Salary in
USD
($1=Rs.62.5)
12,00,000
2,85,000
3,10,000
3,65,627
6,05,000
6,00,000
6,00,000
7,80,000
7,90,000
9,50,000
11,35,000
$4,560
$4,960
$0
$5,850
$0
$9,680
$9,600
$9,600
$12,480
$12,640
$15,200
$18,160
Median salary in INR
10,00,000
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
8,00,000
6,00,000
4,00,000
2,00,000
0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Year
STC India 2013Salary Survey
9

13. 7. Comparison with the salaries of Technical Communicators in the U.S.
2013
4,560
4,960
5,850
9,680
9,600
9,600
12,480
12,640
15,200
18,160
Median
salaries
in US as
reported
by US
Dept. of
Labor
(USD)
47,790
49,370
50,580
51,590
53,490
55,160
58,050
60,390
61,620
62,730
63,280
64,610
65,500
70,000
Median salaries in USD
Year
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Median
salaries
in India
(USD)
Median
salaries
in US as
reported
by STC
US
(USD)
52,000
57,500
58,000
60,240
63,000
65,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Year
Median salaries in India (USD)
Median salaries in US as reported by STC US (USD)
*1 USD=62.5 INR
While comparing salaries in different geographies, you may want to consider other related factors such as cost of living, purchasing power parity, and so on.
10
STC India 2013 Salary Survey