Short answer: AmbitionBox's typical ranges, read on 22 October 2026, put a finance manager at Rs 13.2 to 22.4 lakh a year across nine Indian cities, a financial controller at Rs 17.6 to 33.7 lakh and a CFO at Rs 32.4 to 93.8 lakh. Gurugram has the highest range for every role. Ahmedabad pays financial controllers more than Mumbai, Pune or Bengaluru.
A senior accountant earns about Rs 5.3 to 7.6 lakh a year, a qualified CA Rs 8.3 to 13.9 lakh and a finance manager Rs 13.2 to 22.4 lakh, depending on the city.
The table shows AmbitionBox's "typical salary range" for each role and city, in lakh rupees a year. AmbitionBox builds these ranges from salaries that employees report. "Not published" means AmbitionBox showed no figure for that city.
| City | Senior accountant | Finance manager | Chartered accountant | Financial controller | CFO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | 5.3 to 5.8 | 14.3 to 15.9 | 9.2 to 10.1 | 27.7 to 32.2 | 37.8 to 56.6 (38 salaries) |
| Vadodara | 5.7 to 6.3 | 13.2 to 15.6 | 8.3 to 9.6 | 24.1 to 29.4 | 32.4 to 46.7 (only 8 salaries) |
| Mumbai | 5.8 to 6.5 | 17.8 to 19.6 | 11.6 to 12.8 | 25.6 to 28.3 | 73.9 to 85.8 |
| Pune | 6.0 to 6.6 | 16.7 to 18.5 | 11.6 to 12.9 | 21.0 to 23.2 | 58.8 to 81.5 |
| Bengaluru | 6.4 to 7.1 | 19.1 to 21.1 | 12.0 to 13.3 | 23.4 to 25.8 | 60.6 to 83.9 |
| Gurugram | 6.9 to 7.6 | 20.3 to 22.4 | 12.6 to 13.9 | 30.5 to 33.7 | 74.9 to 93.8 |
| Noida | 6.0 to 6.6 | 17.5 to 19.3 | 11.1 to 12.3 | 17.6 to 21.9 | Not published |
| Hyderabad | 6.0 to 6.6 | 18.3 to 20.2 | 11.6 to 12.9 | 19.2 to 21.7 | 56.1 to 79.6 |
| Chennai | 5.5 to 6.1 | 16.9 to 18.7 | 10.8 to 12.1 | 18.7 to 21.1 | 58.8 to 82.7 |
Source: AmbitionBox role and city pages, read 22 October 2026: senior accountant, finance manager, chartered accountant, financial controller, chief financial officer. Where a city has no page of its own, the figure comes from the city table on the role page. The Ahmedabad CFO range rests on 38 reported salaries and the Vadodara CFO range on only 8, so treat the Vadodara figure as a rough guide.
Accounting Baba's fee is one month's CTC of the person you hire, which is the annual CTC divided by 12 (8.33%). The table applies that to each range above, rounded to the nearest hundred rupees, before GST. Rs 5,000 per opening is paid upfront and adjusted against the fee.
| City | Senior accountant | Finance manager | Chartered accountant | Financial controller | CFO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | Rs 44,200 to 48,300 | Rs 1,19,200 to 1,32,500 | Rs 76,700 to 84,200 | Rs 2,30,800 to 2,68,300 | Rs 3,15,000 to 4,71,700 |
| Vadodara | Rs 47,500 to 52,500 | Rs 1,10,000 to 1,30,000 | Rs 69,200 to 80,000 | Rs 2,00,800 to 2,45,000 | Rs 2,70,000 to 3,89,200 |
| Mumbai | Rs 48,300 to 54,200 | Rs 1,48,300 to 1,63,300 | Rs 96,700 to 1,06,700 | Rs 2,13,300 to 2,35,800 | Rs 6,15,800 to 7,15,000 |
| Pune | Rs 50,000 to 55,000 | Rs 1,39,200 to 1,54,200 | Rs 96,700 to 1,07,500 | Rs 1,75,000 to 1,93,300 | Rs 4,90,000 to 6,79,200 |
| Bengaluru | Rs 53,300 to 59,200 | Rs 1,59,200 to 1,75,800 | Rs 1,00,000 to 1,10,800 | Rs 1,95,000 to 2,15,000 | Rs 5,05,000 to 6,99,200 |
| Gurugram | Rs 57,500 to 63,300 | Rs 1,69,200 to 1,86,700 | Rs 1,05,000 to 1,15,800 | Rs 2,54,200 to 2,80,800 | Rs 6,24,200 to 7,81,700 |
| Noida | Rs 50,000 to 55,000 | Rs 1,45,800 to 1,60,800 | Rs 92,500 to 1,02,500 | Rs 1,46,700 to 1,82,500 | n/a |
| Hyderabad | Rs 50,000 to 55,000 | Rs 1,52,500 to 1,68,300 | Rs 96,700 to 1,07,500 | Rs 1,60,000 to 1,80,800 | Rs 4,67,500 to 6,63,300 |
| Chennai | Rs 45,800 to 50,800 | Rs 1,40,800 to 1,55,800 | Rs 90,000 to 1,00,800 | Rs 1,55,800 to 1,75,800 | Rs 4,90,000 to 6,89,200 |
Most agencies charge 12% to 16.67% of annual CTC for senior roles, and executive search firms charge 20% to 33% for a CFO. Sources: VelivoHR, recruitment agency fees in India 2026 gives up to 16.67% for senior roles and 20% to 25% for retained C-suite search; the 12% lower end is the senior-role band cited in other Indian fee guides; Athena Executive Search gives 20% to 33% for executive search.
A newly qualified CA averages about Rs 8.3 lakh a year in Ahmedabad and Rs 10 to 11 lakh in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Gurugram, on AmbitionBox.
| Profile | City | Rs lakh a year | Type of figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newly qualified CA (0 to 1 year) | Ahmedabad | 8.3 | Average |
| Newly qualified CA (0 to 1 year) | Mumbai | 10.0 | Average |
| Newly qualified CA (0 to 1 year) | Bengaluru | 10.9 | Average |
| Newly qualified CA (0 to 1 year) | Gurugram | 11.0 | Average |
| Newly qualified CA (0 to 1 year) | Pune | 9.6 to 11.5 | Range |
| Semi-qualified CA | All India | 4.4 to 4.9 | Typical range |
| Semi-qualified CA | Mumbai | 3.8 to 4.2 | Typical range |
| Semi-qualified CA | New Delhi | 4.1 to 4.5 | Typical range |
| Semi-qualified CA | Hyderabad | 5.0 to 5.7 | Typical range |
| Semi-qualified CA | Bengaluru | 4.7 to 5.6 | Typical range |
Sources: the AmbitionBox chartered accountant city pages (read 22 October 2026) and the semi-qualified chartered accountant page (updated 18 September 2026). AmbitionBox showed no semi-qualified CA figure for Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Pune or Chennai.
Michael Page's India Salary Guide 2026 shows higher figures than AmbitionBox, because it reflects Michael Page's own clients, which are mostly larger companies.
| Role (Michael Page India 2026, basic salary) | Experience or company size | Rs lakh a year |
|---|---|---|
| Finance manager | 3 to 5 years | 18 to 30 |
| Finance manager | 5 to 10 years | 20 to 60 |
| Finance manager | 10 to 15 years | 35 to 65 |
| Plant controller | 3 to 5 years | 12 to 20 |
| Plant controller | 5 to 10 years | 15 to 30 |
| GM Finance or financial controller | 10 to 15 years, companies of Rs 1,000 to 10,000 crore | 40 to 80 |
| CFO | 10 to 15 years, companies of Rs 200 to 1,000 crore | 75 to 120 |
| CFO | 15 years and more, companies of Rs 200 to 1,000 crore | 85 to 200 |
The guide's figures are basic salary and are not split by city. The official guide needs a sign-up, so these figures were read from an unofficial copy of it (Scribd; official page: michaelpage.co.in/salary-guide). For plant controllers the guide also has higher bands, up to Rs 35 to 85 lakh. Michael Page's salary comparison tool gives an average of Rs 40 lakh for a financial controller at AVP level and Rs 150 lakh for a CFO at director level.
Randstad's Salary Trends Report 2025-26 gives an average senior management salary of Rs 40.04 lakh in Mumbai and Rs 28.38 lakh in tier-2 cities. The full report is behind a form; these two figures are from its landing page.
They measure different things. AmbitionBox ranges come from salaries reported by employees across companies of every size. Michael Page reports the basic salary its clients pay, and its clients are mostly large companies. Randstad gives an average across all senior management roles, not only finance. For a mid-size company in Ahmedabad or Pune, the AmbitionBox range is likely to be the closer guide; a large group hiring a CFO is likely to be nearer the Michael Page bands.
Sample size matters too. AmbitionBox's CFO ranges rest on far fewer salaries than its accountant ranges: 38 for Ahmedabad and 8 for Vadodara.
Use the city range as the starting point, then move up for what your role needs that the average role does not: a qualified CA instead of a graduate, group reporting or consolidation, a plant or multi-entity setup, an audit you need signed off soon, or a candidate you want from a named competitor. Check the range again before you open a senior role and whenever candidates keep turning down your offer.
These are published ranges, not Accounting Baba's own placement data. They tell you what the market reports; the right offer for your role still depends on the points above.
Accounting Baba (2026). Finance Salaries by City in India 2026: Accountant to CFO. https://accountingbaba.com/blog/india-finance-salaries-by-city-2026/. Sources checked 22 October 2026.
All sources were read on 22 October 2026, and every AmbitionBox figure was checked again against the live pages later the same day. Figures are annual, in lakh rupees.
Paid service: one month's CTC per hire, plus applicable taxes, with Rs 5,000 per opening paid upfront and adjusted against the fee. 3 to 5 profiles within 7 working days of receiving the service charge, each reviewed by CA Ketul Patel.
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