Nearly 6 in 10 professionals say job title does not match pay: Survey

An Indeed survey found that nearly 80 per cent of professionals believe title inflation has become common, with employees increasingly receiving senior-sounding designations without a comparable pay

Nearly six in 10 professionals in India say their job title does not match their compensation, according to a survey by hiring platform Indeed.

 

The survey was conducted by Valuvox for Indeed in May and June 2026. It covered 2,533 employees and 1,211 employers across India, spanning industries, organisation sizes, career stages and locations from Tier 1 to Tier 3 cities and rural areas.

 

The survey found that nearly 80 per cent of professionals believe title inflation has become common, with employees increasingly receiving senior-sounding designations without a comparable rise in pay.

 

The disconnect is particularly visible after promotions. Nearly one in three professionals who received a title change in the past two years said it came with no salary increase or an increment of less than 5 per cent.

 

 

For employees weighing a new opportunity, money appears to matter more than the designation. About 52 per cent said they would choose a higher salary over a better job title, suggesting that compensation remains the stronger measure of career progress even as titles continue to carry value.

 

Titles still matter, but they need backing

 

Employees have not stopped valuing designations. Nearly 70 per cent employees said their title plays an important role in shaping future career opportunities, while almost 73 per cent said a stronger designation improves how potential employers perceive them.

 

Another 57 per cent said their designation has a significant impact on overall job satisfaction. The findings point to a more nuanced picture: professionals value titles, but increasingly expect them to reflect higher responsibility, pay and genuine career progression.

 

Sashi Kumar, managing director at Indeed India, said job titles remain important because they signal professional identity, opportunity and capability, but become less meaningful when used as a substitute for career progression.

 

“Building that alignment will be increasingly important for organisations looking to attract and retain talent in a competitive market,” Kumar said.

 

Employers are using titles to retain talent

 

About 57 per cent of employers said their organisations use senior-sounding or enhanced job titles to some or a great extent to attract or retain talent.

 

For companies operating under salary constraints, a more senior designation can offer a way to recognise employees, attract candidates and retain high performers without an equivalent increase in compensation, the survey noted.

 

That creates an expectation gap. Employers may see a title as one of several tools for recognising performance, while employees continue to associate meaningful career advancement more closely with financial gains, the survey said.