From ₹3 LPA to ₹5 lakh per month in 4 years: Techie from lower middle class background shares tips about rapid salary growth

A software engineer has shared how his annual salary rose from ₹3.5 lakh to ₹65 lakh in under five years, describing the journey from campus placement at Cognizant to landing offers from multiple global product firms. Posting on Reddit, the techie said his rapid career progression was driven by financial pressures at home, a focused upskilling plan and strategic job switches.

From campus hiring to financial urgency

The engineer, a 2021 graduate from a small private college, said he initially joined Cognizant through bulk campus recruitment without much preparation. He admitted to spending his early months disengaged from work, but a “wake-up call” came as mounting family debts and low monthly income made financial stability seem out of reach.

Career moves and steady salary growth

In 2022, he switched to IBM at ₹8 lakh per annum, choosing to prioritise long-term experience over short-term salary hikes. Over the next two years, he received successive raises of 45% and 28%. By mid-2024, he moved to another firm at ₹19 lakh per annum, marking his first monthly pay of over ₹1 lakh.


After completing three years in the industry, he began intensive preparation for system design and coding interviews, tracking progress through a new LeetCode account. Despite initial interview setbacks, he later secured offers from companies including ServiceNow, PayPal and Cisco.

Breakthrough role at top product firm

The turning point came with an offer from a top product company at ₹65 lakh per annum, translating to a monthly salary exceeding ₹4 lakh. The engineer said the achievement marked an unprecedented financial milestone for his family.

Personal motivation and reflections

In his post, he credited consistent effort, disciplined planning and community support for the transformation, saying his primary goal had been to clear family debts and ensure financial security.