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Every year, thousands of students dream of cracking IIT JEE-not just to get into an IIT, but to land a job that pays more than most graduates earn in a decade. The question isn’t just which IIT has the highest package? It’s: Is the highest package worth the sacrifice? And more importantly, does it even reflect what you’ll actually earn?
In 2024, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) recorded the highest domestic package at ₹2.1 crore per annum for a software engineering role at a top-tier tech firm. That’s not a typo. Two crores. But here’s the catch: only 3 out of 1,200 graduating engineers received that offer. The median package? ₹18.5 lakh. That’s still excellent-but it’s not the headline number you see on Instagram reels.
Top IITs by Average and Highest Packages in 2024
When people ask which IIT has the highest package, they’re usually comparing headlines. But the real story is in the numbers behind the headlines. Here’s how the top five IITs stacked up in 2024 placement reports:
| IIT | Highest Package (Domestic) | Highest Package (International) | Median Package | Top Recruiters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIT Bombay | ₹2.1 crore | ₹3.8 crore | ₹18.5 lakh | Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Adobe |
| IIT Delhi | ₹1.95 crore | ₹3.5 crore | ₹17.2 lakh | Amazon, Meta, Morgan Stanley, Qualcomm |
| IIT Madras | ₹1.8 crore | ₹3.2 crore | ₹16.8 lakh | Intel, NVIDIA, Flipkart, Bajaj Finserv |
| IIT Kanpur | ₹1.75 crore | ₹3.1 crore | ₹15.9 lakh | Apple, Salesforce, Goldman Sachs, Siemens |
| IIT Kharagpur | ₹1.65 crore | ₹2.9 crore | ₹15.1 lakh | Oracle, Cognizant, Tata Consultancy Services, DE Shaw |
Notice something? The gap between the highest and median package is massive. At IIT Bombay, the highest offer was over 11 times the median. That’s not a typical outcome-it’s an outlier. And it’s not even the norm for the top 1% of students. Most of those record-breaking offers go to students in Computer Science and Engineering, with prior internships at FAANG companies or research papers published in top conferences.
Why IIT Bombay Leads in Highest Packages
IIT Bombay doesn’t win because it’s the hardest to get into. It wins because of location, alumni network, and industry trust. Mumbai is India’s financial capital. That means hedge funds, private equity firms, and global tech giants have offices nearby. Recruiters don’t fly in from Silicon Valley for IIT Kharagpur-they walk in next door for IIT Bombay.
Also, IIT Bombay’s placement cell has been running for over 40 years. They don’t just send out resumes-they build relationships. A recruiter who hired a student from IIT Bombay in 2012 is still calling the same placement officer in 2025. That kind of trust matters.
And then there’s the culture. Students at IIT Bombay are more likely to start side projects, join coding competitions, or intern abroad during summer. One 2024 graduate landed a ₹3.8 crore international offer because he built an open-source AI tool that got adopted by a team at DeepMind. He wasn’t the top ranker in JEE-he was the guy who coded for 12 hours a day during his first year.
What the Highest Package Doesn’t Tell You
Here’s what no one says: the highest package often comes with strings attached. Some offers require you to relocate overseas for 2-3 years. Others are for roles in quant trading-where you work 80-hour weeks, face extreme pressure, and burn out by age 30. Others are in startups that could vanish in a year.
At IIT Delhi, a student received a ₹1.95 crore offer from a crypto hedge fund. He took it. Six months later, the fund shut down. He spent a year reapplying for jobs. He ended up at a mid-tier IT firm for ₹12 lakh.
And let’s not forget taxes. A ₹2 crore package in India means you pay over ₹70 lakh in taxes and deductions. Your take-home? Around ₹1.3 crore. That’s still life-changing-but it’s not ₹2 crore in your bank account.
Is the Highest Package Worth It?
If your goal is to become a software engineer at Google, then yes-targeting IIT Bombay or IIT Delhi makes sense. The ecosystem there is built for that path. You’ll have access to coding clubs, mock interviews, alumni mentors, and companies that come looking for you.
But if you want to build a startup? Join a social impact project? Work in rural tech education? Then the highest package doesn’t matter. IIT Madras has one of the strongest entrepreneurship cells. IIT Kanpur has deep ties with research labs. IIT Roorkee has strong civil engineering placements that pay well and offer stability.
One student from IIT Roorkee took a ₹12 lakh package to work with a nonprofit building solar microgrids in Bihar. Five years later, he’s running his own company with 150 employees. He didn’t need a ₹2 crore offer to build a meaningful career.
What Matters More Than the Highest Package
Here’s what actually predicts long-term success after IIT:
- Branch choice-Computer Science and Electrical Engineering dominate top packages. Mechanical or Civil? You’ll still earn well, but the ceiling is lower.
- Internships-Students who do 2+ internships during college get 3x more offers than those who don’t.
- Projects-A GitHub profile with 3 real apps beats a 9.8 CGPA with no code.
- Networking-Talking to seniors, attending industry talks, and joining alumni groups opens doors no placement cell can.
- Location-IITs in metros (Bombay, Delhi, Madras) have more recruiters. Smaller IITs still offer great opportunities-but you’ll need to hustle harder.
Many students think the highest package is a measure of their worth. It’s not. It’s a snapshot of a single job offer on a single day. Your career is a marathon, not a sprint.
What You Should Do If You’re Preparing for JEE
If you’re aiming for IIT right now, here’s what to focus on:
- Don’t pick an IIT just because it had the highest package last year. Trends change. Companies shift.
- Focus on getting into a branch you enjoy. You’ll spend 4 years in it-don’t choose CS just because it pays more.
- Start coding early. Even if you’re in Mechanical, learn Python. Build something. Even a simple app.
- Use free resources: NPTEL, YouTube channels like Unacademy JEE, and GeeksforGeeks. You don’t need a ₹5 lakh coaching fee to crack JEE.
- Connect with IIT students on LinkedIn. Ask them what their daily routine looked like. Most will tell you: consistency beats genius.
The truth? The highest package isn’t the goal. The goal is to build skills so strong that companies fight to hire you-and you get to choose what kind of work you want to do.
Which IIT has the highest package in 2025?
As of 2024, IIT Bombay recorded the highest domestic package at ₹2.1 crore. While 2025 data isn’t fully out yet, early trends suggest IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi are still leading. The highest packages typically go to Computer Science students with strong internships and coding profiles. However, these are outliers-most students earn between ₹15-20 lakh per year.
Is the highest package the same as the average package?
No. The highest package is an outlier-often earned by less than 0.5% of students. The average (median) package is what most graduates actually earn. For example, IIT Bombay’s highest package was ₹2.1 crore, but the median was ₹18.5 lakh. That’s the number you should use to judge your expected earnings.
Do all IITs have similar placement opportunities?
No. IIT Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur, and Kharagpur have the strongest placement records due to location, alumni networks, and industry presence. Newer IITs like IIT Jammu or IIT Dharwad are improving, but they don’t yet attract the same volume of top recruiters. Still, many students from smaller IITs land great jobs through internships and personal initiative.
Should I choose IIT over other colleges just for the package?
Not if you’re not interested in the field. Many students who force themselves into Computer Science at IIT because of the salary end up burnt out or switch careers after graduation. If you love physics or biology, consider NITs, IIITs, or even non-IIT engineering colleges with strong programs in your interest area. A happy engineer earns more over time than a stressed one.
How can I increase my chances of getting a high package?
Focus on three things: build real projects (not just college assignments), get internships during summer breaks, and network with seniors and alumni. Many top offers go to students who had 2-3 internships before their final year. Also, learn to code in Python, C++, or Java-even if you’re in a non-CS branch. Companies don’t just look at your college-they look at your GitHub, your resume, and how you solve problems.
Final Thought: Your Career Isn’t a Number
The highest package at IIT Bombay is impressive. But it’s not the measure of your success. It’s not even the measure of your intelligence. It’s a result of timing, skill, and opportunity. And those things can be built anywhere.
If you’re preparing for JEE, focus on learning-not just cracking the exam. Build habits that last. Read code. Solve real problems. Talk to people who’ve been there. The package will follow.
