Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in India
India: Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) was 26.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in India, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in India stood at 26.7%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 23.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in India peaked at 26.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 15.0%, in 1991.
India ranks 170th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 15.0% | — |
| 1992 | 15.2% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 15.4% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 15.7% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 16.0% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 16.4% | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 16.7% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 17.0% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 17.3% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 17.6% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 17.6% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 17.6% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 17.7% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 17.8% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 17.9% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 18.0% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 18.1% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 18.1% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 18.2% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 18.2% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 19.3% | +5.8% |
| 2012 | 20.3% | +5.3% |
| 2013 | 20.7% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 21.1% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 21.6% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 22.1% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 22.6% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 23.1% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 23.5% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 23.3% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 23.9% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 23.7% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 25.4% | +6.9% |
| 2024 | 26.2% | +3.2% |
| 2025 | 26.7% | +1.8% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 26.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 41.5%, 64% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 26.7% is below the median for South Asia, which is 40.1%, 66% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.1% | 15.0% | 17.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 17.9% | 17.6% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.2% | 18.2% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.9% | 23.3% | 26.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More work & labour data for India
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5078 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.12 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.47 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 876,613 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 782,365 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 743,542 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 761,710 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1.51 million 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in India?
- Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) in India was 26.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 26.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.0% in 1991.
- How does India rank for wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment)?
- India ranks 170th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Wage and salaried workers (employees) are those workers who hold the type of jobs defined as "paid employment jobs," where the incumbents hold explicit (written or oral) or implicit employment contracts that give them a basic remuneration that is not directly dependent upon the revenue of the unit for which they work.