Who This Scenario Is For
A 15 LPA package is typical for senior professionals in India — senior software engineers with 5-8 years of experience, engineering managers, senior product managers, data scientists, senior consultants, or technical leads in IT services, product companies, fintech, and consulting firms.
This salary level represents a significant career milestone and is considered upper-middle-class income in India, allowing for comfortable living with substantial savings and investment potential even in expensive metros.
The actual in-hand salary from a 15 LPA CTC is approximately ₹98,000 to ₹1,02,000 per month, depending on your company's salary structure, your chosen tax regime, and available deductions.
Detailed Salary Breakdown (15 LPA CTC)
| Component | Annual (₹) | Monthly (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual CTC | 15,00,000 | 1,25,000 |
| Salary Components (What makes up CTC) | ||
| Basic Pay (40% of CTC) | 6,00,000 | 50,000 |
| HRA (50% of Basic) | 3,00,000 | 25,000 |
| Special Allowance | 4,61,200 | 38,433 |
| Employer PF (Capped at ₹1,800/month) | 21,600 | 1,800 |
| Gratuity (Annual Component) | 1,17,200 | 9,767 |
| Deductions (What gets subtracted) | ||
| Employee PF (Capped at ₹1,800/month) | -21,600 | -1,800 |
| Professional Tax (varies by state) | -2,400 | -200 |
| Income Tax (New Regime, no deductions) | -1,51,200 | -12,600 |
| Monthly In-Hand Salary | ₹98,833 | |
| Annual Take-Home | ₹11,86,000 | |
Note: With old tax regime and full 80C investment (₹1.5 lakh), HRA exemption, and other deductions, your tax could reduce to around ₹1,10,000/year, increasing monthly in-hand to approximately ₹1,02,267.
Understanding This Breakdown
The PF Cap Still Applies at 15 LPA
At 15 LPA with 40% basic (₹6,00,000 annually or ₹50,000/month), your basic far exceeds the PF ceiling of ₹15,000. PF contribution remains capped at ₹1,800/month (12% of ₹15,000), not ₹6,000/month (12% of ₹50,000).
This cap becomes increasingly beneficial at higher salaries — the savings you would have made in PF get added to your take-home instead. However, you should consider voluntary contributions to NPS or other retirement instruments to maintain adequate retirement savings.
Tax Impact at 15 LPA
New Tax Regime: Taxable income is ₹14,50,000 (after ₹50,000 standard deduction). Tax calculation:
- Up to ₹3 lakh: Nil
- ₹3-7 lakh: 5% = ₹20,000
- ₹7-10 lakh: 10% = ₹30,000
- ₹10-12 lakh: 15% = ₹30,000
- ₹12-15 lakh: 20% = ₹60,000
- Total tax: ₹1,40,000 + 4% cess = ₹1,45,600 ≈ ₹1,51,200 (rounded)
Old Tax Regime: With ₹1.5 lakh in 80C (including PF), HRA exemption of ₹1.5 lakh, 80D (₹25,000), and standard deduction, your taxable income can drop to ₹10.5-11 lakh, reducing tax to approximately ₹1,10,000 annually. This saves you ₹40,000+ per year compared to new regime.
Career Context at 15 LPA
At this salary level, you're likely 5-8 years into your career with specialized skills or leadership responsibilities. Your compensation may also include:
- Variable pay (10-20% of CTC based on performance)
- Stock options (ESOPs/RSUs) worth 10-30% additional CTC
- Retention bonuses or annual bonuses
- Learning and development allowances
Why Results May Vary
- Some companies have 50% basic, reducing special allowance but increasing PF-eligible salary (though still capped)
- Variable pay of 10-20% is common at this level, reducing fixed monthly take-home
- Stock options (ESOPs) may constitute 15-30% of total CTC but vest over 3-4 years
- Professional tax varies: ₹200 in Maharashtra, Karnataka; ₹0 in many other states
- Tax varies significantly with deductions — old regime becomes more beneficial at this level
Want Your Exact Numbers Based on Your Details?
Every company structures salary differently. Use our calculator to get precise in-hand salary based on your specific CTC breakdown and tax situation.
Use Salary CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
Why is my in-hand only ₹98K-1L when CTC is 15 lakh?
CTC includes employer contributions (PF, gratuity) that aren't received monthly. At 15 LPA, income tax becomes substantial (₹1.5 lakh annually). After all deductions, you receive about 66% of your CTC annually as take-home. The remaining goes to taxes, retirement savings, and employer costs.
Should I choose old or new tax regime at 15 LPA?
At 15 LPA, old regime is almost always better if you have HRA, can invest in 80C, and use other deductions like 80D, NPS. You can easily save ₹40,000-50,000 annually. Calculate both using our tax calculator with your specific deductions.
How much can I save monthly at 15 LPA?
In metros, after ₹25,000-35,000 rent and ₹35,000-40,000 expenses, you can save ₹30,000-40,000 monthly (30-40% of take-home). In tier-2 cities or if living with family, savings potential increases to ₹50,000-60,000 monthly.
Is 15 LPA considered a good salary in India in 2026?
Yes, 15 LPA is in the top 5-10% of Indian salaried professionals and considered upper-middle-class. It allows for comfortable living in any metro, significant savings, home loan eligibility (₹50-60 lakh), and good investment potential for wealth building.
How can I maximize my take-home at 15 LPA?
Use old tax regime with: 80C investments (₹1.5L), HRA exemption, NPS 80CCD(1B) (₹50K), health insurance 80D (₹25-50K), home loan interest 24(b) (₹2L). These can reduce taxable income to ₹10-11 lakh, saving ₹40,000+ annually in taxes.
What about ESOPs/stock options at this level?
Many companies at 15 LPA include ESOPs worth 10-30% of CTC. These vest over 3-4 years and are taxed as salary when vested. Don't count unvested ESOPs in your monthly planning — consider them as future bonuses when they actually vest.
Should I negotiate higher basic or higher CTC?
At this level, focus on total CTC since PF is already capped. Higher basic only increases gratuity slightly. Instead, negotiate total CTC, fixed vs variable ratio, joining bonus, and stock options. A 50:50 fixed-variable split is common for senior roles.