What is CTC (Cost to Company)?

CTC or Cost to Company is the total expense a company incurs on an employee in a year. It includes basic salary, HRA, special allowances, employer provident fund (PF) contributions, gratuity, bonuses, and health insurance premiums. It is the gross headline number offered during hiring, not the amount deposited into your bank account.

What is the difference between CTC and in-hand salary?

CTC is the total cost to the employer, while in-hand salary (take-home pay) is the actual amount credited to your bank account every month. In-hand salary is calculated by subtracting employer contributions (like Employer PF and Gratuity) and employee deductions (like Employee PF, Professional Tax, and Income Tax) from the CTC.

How is basic salary calculated from CTC?

Companies typically fix the basic salary at 40% to 50% of the CTC. For metro cities, it is usually 50%, and for non-metro cities, it is often 40%. Basic salary is the core component on which other benefits like PF, Gratuity, and HRA are calculated.

What is Employer PF and Employee PF?

Employee PF is the 12% deduction from your basic salary that goes into your EPF account. Employer PF is a matching 12% contribution made by the company. While the employer's contribution is part of your CTC, it is not part of your gross or in-hand salary. Both contributions earn interest and form your retirement corpus.

What is Professional Tax (PT)?

Professional Tax is a direct tax levied by state governments in India on earning individuals. It is deducted monthly by the employer. The maximum amount is capped at Rs 2,500 per year, which translates to roughly Rs 200 to Rs 208 per month depending on the state.

How does Gratuity affect my CTC?

Gratuity is a statutory benefit paid to employees who complete 5 years of continuous service. Companies often include it in the CTC, calculated at 4.81% of the basic salary (15 days of basic salary for every year of service). This amount is retained by the company and reduces your immediate monthly take-home pay.

What are Special Allowances in a salary structure?

Special allowance is the balancing component of a salary structure. After allocating amounts to basic pay, HRA, PF, and other fixed allowances, the remaining portion of the CTC is bundled into a special allowance. It is fully taxable.

How is HRA (House Rent Allowance) calculated?

HRA is typically set at 50% of basic salary for metro cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata) and 40% for non-metro cities. You can claim tax exemption on HRA if you live in a rented house and pay rent, subject to income tax rules.

Is Variable Pay included in CTC?

Yes, most companies include variable pay, performance bonuses, or retention bonuses in the total CTC. However, this amount is not guaranteed. It is paid out monthly, quarterly, or annually based on individual and company performance. Your fixed monthly in-hand salary is calculated excluding the variable portion.

Why is my in-hand salary lower than my CTC?

Your in-hand salary is lower because the CTC includes non-cash benefits (insurance), employer contributions (PF, gratuity), and variable pay. From the remaining gross salary, statutory deductions like employee PF, professional tax, and income tax (TDS) are subtracted to arrive at the final take-home amount.

Can I opt out of EPF to increase my take-home salary?

If your basic salary is below Rs 15,000 per month, EPF contribution is mandatory. If your basic salary is above Rs 15,000 at the start of your employment, you can opt out of EPF to increase your take-home pay, but only if you have never been an EPF member before. Most medium to large companies enforce EPF for all employees regardless of the basic salary.

How is Income Tax (TDS) deducted from salary?

Employers estimate your annual tax liability based on your declared investments, choice of tax regime (Old vs New), and salary bracket. They divide this total tax by 12 and deduct it monthly as Tax Deducted at Source (TDS).

What is a good CTC for a software engineer in India?

CTC varies widely by experience and company tier. Freshers typically see Rs 3-8 Lakhs. Mid-level engineers (3-5 years) see Rs 12-25 Lakhs. Senior engineers (5-8 years) often see Rs 25-50+ Lakhs at top product companies. Always evaluate the fixed vs variable component rather than just the headline CTC.

How can I negotiate a better in-hand salary?

Focus on negotiating the fixed pay rather than the total CTC. Ask to reduce the variable component or joining bonuses in favor of a higher basic or special allowance. Also, review if optional allowances like food coupons or LTA can be restructured to optimize taxes.

What is LTA (Leave Travel Allowance)?

LTA is an allowance given by employers to cover travel expenses when you are on leave. It is part of the CTC. You can claim tax exemption on LTA for domestic travel twice in a block of four years. If unclaimed, the amount is paid out but taxed according to your slab rate.

How do EPF contributions affect my take-home pay?

EPF reduces your immediate take-home pay by 12% of your basic salary. However, it is a tax-free, high-interest retirement savings vehicle. Both the employee and employer contributions compound over time, building significant long-term wealth.

Can I use this CTC calculator for any state in India?

Yes. The calculator uses standard Indian salary structures. It includes a configurable input for Professional Tax, which varies by state (from Rs 0 to Rs 208 per month). The standard PF calculations apply pan-India.

Is the joining bonus part of CTC?

Yes, most companies add the joining bonus to the first year's CTC to inflate the headline offer. Note that this is a one-time payment. In your second year, your CTC will effectively drop by that amount unless you receive an equivalent appraisal.

How do I use the Offer Comparison mode?

In the CTC Calculator, switch to the Offer Comparison mode to enter details for two different job offers. It will break down the fixed, variable, and take-home pay for both offers side-by-side, helping you choose the offer with better cash flow.

Fermor is a financial platform built for India. The calculators are the distribution layer — free tools that give real answers to real financial questions, with no sign-up required. The product being built is an automated financial action system that uses the Account Aggregator framework to connect real financial accounts and close the gap between knowing what you should do with your money and actually doing it.

CTC Calculator – Calculate In-Hand Salary from Cost to Company | Fermor

Component	Monthly	Annually
Basic Pay	₹41,667	₹5,00,000
HRA	₹20,833	₹2,50,000
Special Allowance	₹15,833	₹1,90,000
Employer PF	₹5,000	₹60,000
Total CTC	₹83,333	₹10,00,000

Gross Salary	₹78,333	₹9,40,000
Employee PF	-₹5,000	-₹60,000
Professional Tax	-₹200	-₹2,400
Income Tax (TDS)	-₹0	-₹0
In-Hand Salary	₹73,133	₹8,77,600

What Is CTC?

CTC (Cost to Company) is the total annual expense a company incurs on an employee. It includes basic salary, allowances, employer PF contributions, gratuity, and bonuses.

When you receive an offer letter, the headline number is the CTC. However, this is not the amount that will hit your bank account. The CTC bundles together your direct salary components with the company's statutory contributions on your behalf (like Employer PF and Gratuity) and sometimes even variable pay that isn't guaranteed.

For a more detailed breakdown of net take-home after all taxes, you can also use our In-Hand Salary Calculator.

In-Hand Salary for Popular CTC Values

Here are indicative monthly in-hand salaries for common CTC brackets in India, assuming standard deductions (12% Employee PF, standard basic pay percentage, and no variable pay). These figures exclude Income Tax, as it varies based on individual tax regimes.

Annual CTC	Monthly Gross	Est. Monthly In-Hand
₹3.00 L	₹23,500	₹21,800
₹5.00 L	₹39,167	₹36,467
₹8.00 L	₹62,667	₹58,467
₹10.00 L	₹78,333	₹73,133
₹15.00 L	₹1,17,500	₹1,09,800
₹20.00 L	₹1,56,667	₹1,46,467
₹30.00 L	₹2,35,000	₹2,19,800

Frequently asked questions

CTC is the total amount a company spends on an employee in a year. It includes basic salary, allowances, employer provident fund (EPF) contributions, gratuity, and variable pay/bonuses. It is higher than the actual in-hand salary.

Salary Structure Breakdown

What Is CTC?

In-Hand Salary for Popular CTC Values

Frequently asked questions