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A company secretary in India typically earns about Rs 11.1 to 12.3 lakh a year in a large self-reported salary survey that covers people with 1 to 12 years of experience. Pay rises from Rs 5.5 to 6.1 lakh at one to three years to Rs 17.4 to 19.2 lakh at twelve years and above. We found no average or highest-offer statistic published by ICSI, the professional body, so there is no official placement figure to set beside the survey.
That makes this a page about one dataset and its limits, and we say so plainly. All figures were read on 20 October 2026 and are annual cost-to-company (CTC) in rupees unless stated. For the qualification itself, see the company secretary course guide, and for what it costs, company secretary course fees.
What is the salary of a company secretary in India?
The survey puts the typical company secretary at Rs 11.1 to 12.3 lakh a year across 1 to 12 years of experience, based on about 25,000 self-reported salaries, read 20 October 2026 (AmbitionBox). The platform hides its exact average and top-earner figures behind a login in its salary panel, so we quote only the ranges it shows openly.
| Group | Figure (lakh rupees a year) | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| All company secretaries, 1 to 12 years, typical range | 11.1 to 12.3 | AmbitionBox, about 25k salaries, read 20 Oct 2026 |
| 1 to 3 years | 5.5 to 6.1 | AmbitionBox, 5k salaries |
| 3 to 6 years | 7 to 7.7 | AmbitionBox, 9.2k salaries |
| 6 to 9 years | 9.7 to 10.7 | AmbitionBox, 6.7k salaries |
| 9 to 12 years | 13.3 to 14.8 | AmbitionBox, 3.6k salaries |
| 12+ years | 17.4 to 19.2 | AmbitionBox, 660 salaries |
| Newly qualified, official placement average | No reliable published data | None found from ICSI |
| Practising company secretaries, own practice | No reliable published data | None found |
The survey’s experience table starts at one year, so it gives no fresher band. The overall range looks high next to the first row because it reflects the whole 1 to 12 year spread, not the starting point.
How does a company secretary’s pay grow with experience?
In the survey, pay roughly triples over twelve years and the climb steepens with time: about Rs 1.5 lakh between the first two bands, but over Rs 3.5 lakh between the 6 to 9 and 9 to 12 year bands. The survey does not say what drives the later jumps, such as a move to a listed company or a head of compliance post, so we do not guess.
The 12+ band has 660 salaries and no published top-end figure we trust. Pages that quote Rs 50 lakh or Rs 1 crore for group company secretaries give no source, so we have not repeated them.
What do different CS job titles pay?
Titles split the picture. “Executive Company Secretary” shows Rs 5 to 5.6 lakh at 1 to 3 years and Rs 5.2 to 5.8 lakh at 3 to 6 years. “Assistant Company Secretary” shows Rs 4.7 to 5.2 lakh, Rs 5.8 to 6.4 lakh and Rs 8.4 to 9.3 lakh at 1 to 3, 3 to 6 and 6 to 9 years. The plain “Company Secretary” title earlier on this page shows Rs 5.5 to 6.1, 7 to 7.7 and 9.7 to 10.7 lakh at the same stages.
| Title | 1 to 3 years | 3 to 6 years | 6 to 9 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Company Secretary | 5 to 5.6 (325) | 5.2 to 5.8 (246) | Not quoted (19) |
| Assistant Company Secretary | 4.7 to 5.2 (1.5k) | 5.8 to 6.4 (1.7k) | 8.4 to 9.3 (715) |
| Company Secretary | 5.5 to 6.1 (5k) | 7 to 7.7 (9.2k) | 9.7 to 10.7 (6.7k) |
| Compliance Manager (related job) | Not shown | 8 to 8.8 (679) | 10.9 to 12 (869) |
Source: AmbitionBox designation pages, read 20 October 2026. We quote a band only when it rests on at least 100 salaries. Compliance Manager is a related job that many CS members move into, but the survey does not say how many of those salaries come from CS-qualified people, so it shows where compliance pay sits and not what a CS earns. “Deputy Company Secretary” (187 salaries in all) and “Group Company Secretary” (302) have too few salaries in each experience band to quote, and we have not repeated the high senior figures that circulate for them.
Which sectors pay a company secretary the most?
In the survey, IT services and consulting pay the most, followed by engineering and construction, financial services, management consulting and real estate. The group figures are ranges around each group’s average, not guarantees.
| Sector | Typical range (lakh rupees) | Salaries in sample |
|---|---|---|
| IT services and consulting | 14.2 to 15.7 | 801 |
| Engineering and construction | 13.2 to 14.6 | 780 |
| Financial services | 11.9 to 13.1 | 1.2k |
| Management consulting | 10.9 to 12.1 | 2.7k |
| Real estate | 10.9 to 12 | 845 |
Source: AmbitionBox, read 20 October 2026. The survey also lists individual employers, but each has only 11 to 22 salaries, too few to say anything reliable about what a company secretary there is paid, so we quote none of them, including government bodies. Posts in government organisations follow published pay scales that differ by post, and we did not find a single company secretary figure to quote for them.
Which cities pay a company secretary the most?
Mumbai and Bengaluru lead, at roughly Rs 12.6 to 14.2 lakh, about Rs 3 lakh above Delhi and Kolkata. This is a larger city gap than the survey shows for accountants, so for company secretaries the choice of city, or a move to a listed company in a financial centre, appears to matter.
| City | Typical range (lakh rupees) | Salaries in sample |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | 12.9 to 14.2 | 3.8k |
| Bengaluru | 12.6 to 13.9 | 1.9k |
| Gurugram | 10.4 to 11.5 | 1.6k |
| New Delhi | 9.7 to 10.7 | 5.3k |
| Kolkata | 9.7 to 10.7 | 1.6k |
Source: AmbitionBox, read 20 October 2026. We found no reliable published data for smaller cities.
What do CS trainees earn during practical training?
ICSI’s training guidelines require every company or practising company secretary engaging a trainee to pay a monthly stipend of at least Rs 5,000, “or as determined by the Council from time to time”, including during the probation period, for the 21 months of practical training (ICSI training guidelines). The guidelines tell trainers to try to pay more than the minimum and require payment through banking channels. We found no ICSI statistic on what trainees actually receive. Stipends in employers’ own advertisements vary widely, so check each notice. For the comparison, ICAI’s minimum for CA articled assistants is Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,000 (Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 is proposed for the two-year articleship but was still a draft on 20 October 2026. ICMAI’s minimum for corporate trainees starts at Rs 15,000 (see chartered accountant salary in India and CMA salary in India).
What does a company secretary do, and where does the pay come from?
ICSI’s course brochure lists the roles open to a CS: adviser to the board of directors, key managerial personnel, compliance officer, chief governance officer, corporate planner and strategic adviser, arbitrator and mediator, corporate risk manager, internal auditor, secretarial and compliance auditor, social impact assessor, insolvency professional, registered valuer, GST professional, MSME and start-up catalyst, representation and certification services, and ESG and sustainability officer (ICSI course brochure). The same brochure says campus recruitment drives have placed students with reputed companies and regulatory bodies “at attractive remunerations”, and prints no figure.
That is the whole of the official pay evidence. Survey pay for a CS therefore reflects a mix of these roles. The survey does not separate a listed-company CS from an unlisted one or an ACS from an FCS, and we found no source that does, so we cannot say which role earns most.
When must a company have a whole-time company secretary?
Rule 8A of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, as substituted by Ministry of Corporate Affairs notification G.S.R. 13(E) of 3 January 2020, says that every private company with a paid-up share capital of ten crore rupees or more shall have a whole-time company secretary. The notification was made under section 203(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 and applies to financial years starting on or after 1 April 2020 (MCA notification in the Gazette of India, 6 January 2020, archived copy). Listed companies and other classes fall under separate provisions of the same Rules, which we have not read at source, so we do not describe them. The rule shows where demand for the post comes from. It sets no salary, and it does not tell us how many companies cross the threshold.
How can a company secretary raise their salary?
The data points to these levers, with the strongest evidence first:
- Experience. The survey’s biggest steps come after six years: the typical band rises from Rs 9.7 to 10.7 lakh at 6 to 9 years to Rs 13.3 to 14.8 lakh at 9 to 12.
- Sector. IT services and consulting sit about Rs 3 to 4 lakh above real estate (Rs 14.2 to 15.7 lakh against Rs 10.9 to 12 lakh).
- City. Mumbai and Bengaluru lead Delhi and Kolkata by about Rs 3 lakh.
- Skills. The skills listed most often are company law, the Companies Act, regulatory compliance, SEBI, corporate governance, FEMA and secretarial activities (AmbitionBox). That shows what employers ask for, not a measured premium. We found no data that links a course or an extra certificate to higher CS pay.
How does company secretary pay compare with CA pay?
On the same platform and date, company secretaries earn less than chartered accountants at every experience band we can compare. This is one survey, one method and self-reported data, so it is a like-for-like comparison of two lists and not proof about the qualifications.
| Experience | Company secretary (lakh rupees) | Chartered accountant (lakh rupees) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 years | 5.5 to 6.1 | 8.8 to 9.7 |
| 3 to 6 years | 7 to 7.7 | 9 to 10 |
| 6 to 9 years | 9.7 to 10.7 | 10.5 to 11.6 |
| 9 to 12 years | 13.3 to 14.8 | 14 to 15.4 |
Source: AmbitionBox, read 20 October 2026. The gap is widest early and nearly closes by nine to twelve years. For the CA side and the ICAI campus placement data, see chartered accountant salary in India. For the choice between the qualifications, see CA vs CS vs CMA vs ACCA, and for the third route, CMA salary in India.
What do CS-qualified candidates earn in government jobs?
There is no CS-specific government pay scale. In the Staff Selection Commission’s Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026, the Assistant Audit Officer and Assistant Accounts Officer posts sit at pay level 8, a basic pay scale of Rs 47,600 to 1,51,100 a month. A bachelor’s degree is essential and a CA, CMA or CS qualification is listed as desirable (SSC notice, 21 May 2026). It is basic pay, with allowances and deductions added under government rules, and the post is filled by exam. For other government and PSU secretarial posts, read the pay level in each recruitment notice.
What is the monthly salary of a company secretary?
Divide the annual CTC by twelve for a rough monthly figure, though that is not take-home pay. On that arithmetic, Rs 5.5 to 6.1 lakh is about Rs 45,800 to Rs 50,800 a month and Rs 11.1 to 12.3 lakh is about Rs 92,500 to Rs 1.03 lakh, both before tax and deductions. CTC often includes employer provident fund, insurance and variable pay that do not arrive monthly. Ask for the fixed, variable and benefits split, and check the tax position on the Income Tax Department’s website or with a tax professional. We give no tax advice here.
Where is there no reliable data?
ICSI, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), is the professional body, but we found no published average, highest or minimum CTC for any recent placement drive that we could open and verify. So we have no official figure for newly qualified company secretaries, no data that separates ACS from FCS members, and none for practising company secretaries. The survey lists Deputy and Group Company Secretary as separate designations with too few salaries per experience band to quote, and we have not repeated the high figures that circulate for them.
Is company secretary right for you?
It suits people who want compliance, company law and governance work, and who accept that pay starts lower than CA and rises with seniority. It is a poor choice if the reason is a headline number. Questions to ask first:
- Do you want to work in company law, board and regulatory compliance?
- Can you cover the fees and the study time? See company secretary course fees.
- Do you need a quicker start? Compare which accounting course to take and accountant salary in India.
- Are you still choosing after 12th or graduation? See courses after 12th commerce.
Sources and method
- AmbitionBox, Company Secretary salaries in India, about 25k salaries, read 20 October 2026 (self-reported; ranges shown openly; exact average and top-earner figures locked behind login).
- AmbitionBox, Chartered Accountant salaries in India, read 20 October 2026 (for the comparison table).
- ICSI, icsi.edu, checked for published placement statistics on 20 October 2026; none found that we could verify.
- ICSI, long-term practical training guidelines (stipend section) and ICSI course brochure (roles, placement statement), read 20 October 2026.
- Ministry of Corporate Affairs, notification G.S.R. 13(E), 3 January 2020 (Gazette of India Extraordinary, 6 January 2020), amending Rule 8A of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014; read in an archived copy of the mca.gov.in file on 20 October 2026, because the live mca.gov.in file path no longer opens.
- AmbitionBox designation pages for Executive Company Secretary, Assistant Company Secretary and Compliance Manager, read 20 October 2026 (self-reported).
- Staff Selection Commission, notice of the Combined Graduate Level Examination 2026, 21 May 2026, read 20 October 2026.
Method: we quote the survey’s own ranges with their sample sizes, do not average sources, and leave a band blank where we found no reliable data. Claims we dropped because we could not trace them to ICSI or a named dataset, or because the sample was too small (single-employer rows of 12 to 21 salaries). They are fresher bands of Rs 3 to 6 lakh from a test-series blog, a Rs 4 to 25 lakh overall range, and Rs 35 to 60 lakh and Rs 1 crore for senior roles. We also dropped a highest campus package of Rs 7 lakh from a community answer about 2020, and old single-employer CTCs from drive circulars we could not reopen. Also left out on 20 October 2026: ACS and FCS pay bands, Rs 30 to 60 lakh and Rs 1 crore senior figures, and fresher bands of Rs 3 to 7 lakh from pages that name no dataset. We will update this page if ICSI publishes placement statistics.
Frequently asked questions
What is the starting salary of a company secretary in India?
We found no official fresher figure. The lowest band in the survey is Rs 5.5 to 6.1 lakh a year at 1 to 3 years of experience.
What is the salary of a company secretary per month?
Divide the annual CTC by twelve. Rs 5.5 to 6.1 lakh is about Rs 45,800 to Rs 50,800 a month before tax and deductions, so take-home is lower.
Which sector pays a company secretary the most?
In the survey, IT services and consulting, at Rs 14.2 to 15.7 lakh, followed by engineering and construction at Rs 13.2 to 14.6 lakh.
What is the highest salary of a company secretary?
We found no reliable published figure. The survey’s top-earner numbers are hidden from non-members, and ICSI publishes no highest-offer statistic that we could verify.
Do company secretaries earn less than CAs?
In the same survey, yes at every experience band we compared, by over Rs 3 lakh at 1 to 3 years and under Rs 1 lakh at 9 to 12 years. It is one self-reported dataset, not a rule.
Do government company secretary jobs pay well?
We found no reliable figure. The survey’s employer rows for government bodies rest on too few salaries to quote, and posts there follow published pay scales that differ by post, so check the pay level in each recruitment notice.
What is the salary of an Assistant Company Secretary?
The survey shows Rs 4.7 to 5.2 lakh a year at 1 to 3 years, Rs 5.8 to 6.4 lakh at 3 to 6 years and Rs 8.4 to 9.3 lakh at 6 to 9 years, from samples of 1.5k, 1.7k and 715 salaries.
What is the salary of a Deputy or Group Company Secretary?
We do not quote one. The survey has only 187 salaries for Deputy and 302 for Group Company Secretary, too few in each experience band to rely on, and the high figures on other sites have no source.
What is the stipend for a CS trainee?
ICSI’s training guidelines set a minimum of Rs 5,000 a month, or such amount as its Council determines, for the 21 months of practical training, and trainers are encouraged to pay more.
What does a company secretary do?
ICSI lists roles including adviser to the board, key managerial personnel, compliance officer, governance officer, internal auditor, insolvency professional and registered valuer. Pay for each role is not published.
Which skills raise a CS salary?
No source we found measures a pay premium. The skills listed most often are company law, the Companies Act, SEBI, FEMA, corporate governance and compliance.
Is CS better than CA or CMA for salary?
The survey shows CA ahead, but we cannot say what any one person will earn. See CA vs CS vs CMA vs ACCA.
Still deciding?
A salary figure is a poor reason on its own to commit years to a professional qualification. If you want to talk through whether company secretary fits you, or compare it with CA and CMA, see career counselling, or call 9212008787 or message us on WhatsApp. For the course itself, read the company secretary course guide.
