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Nursing Salary in India in 2025 [For Freshers & Experienced]

Nursing Salary in India in 2025 [For Freshers & Experienced]

Updated on 05 December, 2024

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Table of Contents

Nursing Salary in India in 2025
Nurse Salary in India according to location and sector
What are the steps to become a nurse in India?
Future Trends in Nursing in India
Conclusion

The healthcare sector in India is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Indian economy. This has been brought about majorly due to an increase in demand for medical services, expanding healthcare knowledge and awareness.

According to Statista, India’s healthcare sector was valued at around 372 billion USD.

Amidst this, the nursing sector in India is a vital part of the healthcare system, significantly contributing to the provision of quality care and enhancing patient outcomes. The nursing profession in India has progressed over time, influenced by various challenges and opportunities that have shaped its development.

Nursing Salary in India in 2025

According to the latest reports, 2 million nurses have been registered in the Indian Medical Council. Although a huge number, it still falls short of catering to the 1.4 billion population of India.

Nursing salary in India varies according to factors like experience level, but this field is nevertheless regarded as a respectable and fulfilling professional path.

We shall now explore nursing salary in India according to different experience levels:

Also Read: Scope and Salary of Nurses in India

Nurse Salary in India for Freshers

Fresher nursing graduates enter the industry in entry-level roles to acquire experience. Moreover, nurse salary in India for fresher candidates also differs due to variables of location, industry, and particular profile.

Below is a list of average annual nursing salary in India for freshers:

NURSE PROFILE	AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Staff Nurse	2.9 lakhs
Registered Nurse	3.3 lakhs
Research Nurse	3 lakhs
Psychiatric Nurse	3.23 lakhs
Geriatric Nurse	6.88 lakhs
Community Health Nurse	2.5 lakhs
Home Health Nurse	2.1 lakhs
Pediatric Nurse	1.6 lakhs
Critical Care Nurse	2.6 lakhs

Nurse Salary in India for Experienced Professionals

As nursing professionals continue to advance in their careers, they develop specialized skills. This further reflects the growing need for high-quality nursing care in healthcare settings in India.

Below is a table of some experienced nursing profiles and their average salary in India:

NURSE PROFILE	AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Nursing Administrator	5.5 lakhs
Staff Nurse	3 lakhs
Military Nurse ( Indian Army)	6.2 lakhs
Nurse Educator	4.9 lakhs
Research Nurse	3.2 lakhs
Clinical Nurse Specialist	3.3 lakhs
Oncology Nurse	3.9 lakhs
Cardiac Care Nurse	3 lakhs
Nurse Midwife	2.8 lakhs

Nurse Salary in India according to location and sector

1. LOCATION

CITY	AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Delhi	3.1 lakhs
Pune	3 lakhs
Mumbai	3.2 lakhs
Kolkata	3 lakhs
Bengaluru	3 lakhs
Chennai	2.9 lakhs
Hyderabad	3 lakhs

2. INDUSTRY

SECTOR	AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY
Education & Training	2.7 lakhs
Clinical Research	3.2 lakhs
Healthcare	2.9 lakhs
Manufacturing	3.2 lakhs
Metals & Mining	3.2 lakhs
Biotech & Life Sciences	3.6 lakhs

What are the steps to become a nurse in India?

The process of becoming a nurse in India is regulated by pre-established guidelines by medical associations, to make sure you meet all the prerequisites to become a nurse.

Let’s further break down the process of becoming a nurse in India:

STEP 1: Complete senior secondary education

The first step to becoming a nurse in India is to complete your senior secondary education.
You need to have completed your 12th grade in the science stream with biology as a mandatory requirement.

STEP 2: Enroll in a Nursing Degree Program

After meeting the eligibility to enroll in a nursing program, you shall be required to clear the nursing entrance exam of the university/college you are applying to.
Following your success in the entrance exam, you will be able to secure yourself a seat in the institute’s nursing program eg. B.Sc Nursing. Or General Nursing and Midwifery Program

STEP 3: Get yourself registered at the Indian Nursing Council (INC)

Post the completion of your nursing program, you need to get registered at the Indian Nursing Council.
To obtain a nursing council, you must clear the nursing council exam conducted by the INC. Your success in this exam will ensure you obtain the status of licensed registered nurse in India.

STEP 4: Pursue the mandatory internship or clinical training tenure

The next step is to complete the mandatory internship tenure for your nursing program
Here, you gain practical experience and set the path for future work in patient care.

STEP 5: Get Started with Applications!

After receiving your nursing license, you can begin your application journey as a nurse practitioner in your organization and industry of choice.

STEP 6: Go for higher education and specialization

You can opt to pursue a PG course, specializing in a certain field.
This will allow you to pave a solid path to career advancement.

Future Trends in Nursing in India

The nursing industry in India is predicted to witness some major transformations in India. India already faces a shortage of nurses, with a ratio of 1.96 nurses per 1000 people in India.

The need for nurses in need continues to be on the rise with the development of an aging population that demands healthcare services as well as due to an increase in health-related issues in India.

We can draw some of these predictions for future trends in nursing in India:

There will be a rise in opportunities for international practices for nursing professionals, allowing them to migrate abroad for work.
More integration of mental health care practices, surging the demand for mental health care nurses and practitioners.
Technological advancement in medical care will give way to more use of digital healthcare tools that will optimize patient care and increase efficiency.
An increase in specializations for nurses will be brought about as a direct result of diversified healthcare practices, paving the way for the need for specialized nurses.

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Conclusion

The Indian healthcare landscape, especially in terms of nursing professionals, is set to witness growth and challenges. Navigating healthcare services for an increasingly growing and aging population poses a systemic challenge as well. This can only be tackled with organizational and policy changes.

The importance of nurses in India needs to be reiterated to ensure smoother provisions of healthcare services. Ensuring greater security and improvement in existing conditions will tackle professional challenges. This, in turn, shall set the stage for greater scope and advancement in nursing professions in India.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the top nursing colleges in India?

According to NIRF ranking 2024, the top-ranked nursing colleges in India are AIIMS Delhi, VMMC Safdarjung, Christian Medical College Vellore, Lady Hardinge Medical College, and Holy Family College of Nursing, Delhi.

2. How many types of nurses can one find in India?

The Indian medical system classifies nurses into different categories and types. Some of them are ER nurse, Maternity nurse, Oncology nurse, Psychiatric nurse, Nurse midwives, Critical care nurse, OR nurse, ICU nurse, and Orthopedic nurse.

3. What is the scope of nursing in India?

The nursing field has an extensive scope in India owing to factors like the possibility of job opportunities, higher education, specialization, and an ever-growing healthcare market in India. All of these contribute to the demand for skilled nurses in the healthcare sector.

4. Do I need to clear NEET to apply for a nursing program?

The requirement of NEET qualification for nursing courses largely depends on the specific institutional requirements. Although some institutes ask for NEET scores, some nursing colleges conduct separate entrance examinations for nursing courses.

5. What is the most senior position a nursing professional can reach in India?

As a nursing professional in India, you are looking at reaching the position of Chief Nursing Officer, which is the apex nursing post in a medical college or hospital.

6. What are some major challenges in the nursing profession?

Nurses in India often face major challenges in their profession. Some of these are low pay and benefits, heavy workload due to staff shortages, Rise in distress, and mental health concerns due to dealing with serious illness and patients daily.

7. Can the B.Sc Nursing course be completed in 3 years?

You cannot complete a B.Sc Nursing course in 3 years, as its mandated course of study is 4 years. However, you can opt for nursing programs or diplomas that are of a shorter duration if that aligns with your needs.

8. What are the domains of work in the nursing profession in India?

In India, nurses work across roles in direct patient care and dealing, research, administration, nursing education, and specialized areas according to specific medical departments.

9. Which nursing course is better: BSc Nursing of General Nursing and Midwifery?

If you are looking to fast-track your nursing education journey, then you may find a GNM better than B.Sc. However, if you want to have better chances at higher positions and salary, you will find that a B.Sc nursing course works better for you. The difference between the two courses is one year, so you can accordingly assess your interests and needs, and then decide to undertake either of the two courses.

10. Can I become a nurse after the paramedical training program?

You are not eligible for direct roles in the nursing profession after paramedical training. However, you can go on to enroll in a formal educational program and complete the requirements to become a nurse in India.

11. How to become an army nurse in India?

Joining the Indian Army as an Army nurse requires you to appear for multi-tier processes of an exam and an interview, followed by a medical examination. You can apply for this role in the Short Service Commission in the Armed Forces Medical Services, as and when vacancy notifications are out. Clearing all the tests will make you eligible to become an army nurse in India, who is initially deployed for a 5-year duration.

References:

https://www.statista.com/topics/6625/healthcare-in-india/#topicOverview

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1405627/india-registered-nurses-by-type/

https://www.ambitionbox.com/profile/staff-nurse-salary

https://www.ambitionbox.com/profile/registered-nurse-salary?experience=1

https://www.ambitionbox.com/profile/research-nurse-salary?experience=1

https://in.indeed.com/career/psychiatric-nurse/salaries

https://www.salaryexpert.com/salary/job/gerontology-nurse/india

https://www.ambitionbox.com/salaries/community-health-center-salaries/staff-nurse?experience=0

https://www.ambitionbox.com/profile/home-care-nurse-salary?experience=0

https://www.ambitionbox.com/profile/pediatric-nurse-salary?experience=0

https://www.ambitionbox.com/profile/critical-care-nurse-salary?experience=1