How EV Salaries Compare to IT and Traditional Auto

Is EV pay actually higher than IT or ICE auto? We compared bands across 12 roles. The answer is more nuanced than the headlines suggest.

If you're weighing a career switch into EV from IT or traditional automotive, the salary question matters. Headlines suggest EV pays 30-50% more — the reality is more textured. Here's the comparison across 12 roles.

Software roles — EV vs IT

Embedded engineers earn 10-25% above generic IT backend at the mid level, but 5-15% below at very senior levels because top-end IT (Google, Microsoft, FAANG-India) outpays everyone. Cloud engineers in EV earn at parity with IT at mid level, fall 10-20% behind at senior.

Hardware roles — EV vs auto

Battery, BMS, power electronics roles pay 20-35% above their ICE counterparts. Vehicle integration and chassis are at parity. NVH and manufacturing engineers earn at parity, with EV-side premium only for senior managers in scarce sub-specialisms.

Where EV pays best

Battery cell, BMS firmware, power electronics — 20-30% above market
Functional safety (ISO 26262) — 15-25% above market
Charging hardware + OCPP firmware — at parity with EV software market
Senior CXO roles at venture-funded EV — variable comp + ESOPs add 50-100%

Where IT or auto still wins

Generic web / mobile development — IT premium
Senior management at established auto OEMs — comparable base + stability
FAANG-India software roles — out-pay even premium EV software

Where to go from here

Switch to EV if you want long-term skill compounding in a sector that's still expanding. Don't switch just for a salary bump — the headline-grabbing premiums show up only in specific sub-specialisms.

Make this real: create a free emobility.careers account to match with EV jobs, see live salary medians and unlock 200+ JD templates. Want hands-on training? Check out the AICTE-approved EV programs at DIYguru — the largest EV academy in India with placement support across OEMs, charging operators and Tier-1 suppliers.