There are a plethora of high-salary jobs in commerce stream for students in India, providing great financial benefits and future growth opportunities. In the Indian education system, students typically pursue three main streams after class 10th: Science, Commerce, and Humanities. While these disciplines are overlapping in various ways, the common perception is that only certain traditional fields offer the most remunerative opportunities.
Both salary and job satisfaction are important elements that influence a career choice. With the right qualifications, guidance and preparation, students can explore plenty of commerce career options with high salary potential. This article is tailored to guide you through the best job for commerce students, to help you build a career that aligns with your personal interests and future goals. Let's begin.
Some of the best job for commerce students and their average annual salaries are listed in the table below. Read on to gain a better understanding of the most popular and desirable commerce career options with high salaries.
S.NO | Job | Salary |
1 | Rs. 5.5 Lakhs - 30 Lakhs | |
2 | Rs. 3 Lakhs - 62 Lakhs | |
3 | Rs. 3 Lakhs - 26 Lakhs | |
4 | Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) | Rs. 9 Lakhs - 11.5 Lakhs |
5 | Rs. 1.5 Lakh - 7.5 Lakhs | |
6 | Actuary Professional | Rs. 0.1 Lakh - 11.5 Lakhs |
7 | Certified Public Accountant (CPA) | Rs. 0.9 Lakh - 6.5 Lakhs |
8 | Business Accountant | Rs. 2 Lakhs - 5.5 Lakhs |
9 | Cost Accountant | Rs. 2 Lakhs - 14.4 Lakhs |
10 | Personal Financial Advisor | Rs. 1 Lakh - 8 Lakhs |
11 | Rs. 3 Lakhs - 17.4 Lakhs | |
12 | Research Analyst | Rs. 1.9 Lakh - 10.5 Lakhs |
13 | Rs. 3 Lakhs - 31.3 Lakhs | |
14 | Rs. 2.2 Lakhs - 14.5 Lakhs | |
15 | Corporate Lawyer | Rs 2 Lakhs - 22 Lakhs |
(Salary source: Ambitionbox)
Now let’s have a detailed look at the top career paths in commerce that students can choose from to build a successful and lucrative career.
Investment banking is one of the most elite and demanding professions that commerce students can pursue. As an investment banker, you will be responsible for recommending and providing financial advice to different companies and individuals. These professionals advise on mergers and acquisitions, manage IPOs and handle massive capital transactions. They also help them with the pricing of various financial instruments and to develop long-term and short-term financial strategies. There are various investment banking courses that students can take to become professionals in this field.
Skills Required:
To succeed as an investment banker, which is one of the best job for commerce students, developing some key skills is necessary. Such skills include:
Financial modeling
Strategic thinking and analytical acumen
Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills
Average salary range:
Rs 3 Lakhs - 62 Lakhs per year for 0-10 years of work experience
Also Read: The Complete Investment Banking - Courses
If you are a Commerce student seeking commerce career options with a high salary, then understanding the Chartered Accounting course can be highly beneficial. A CA certified by ICAI is one of the highly respected professionals in India’s financial industry. If you are keen towards auditing, taxation, compliance, and financial reporting, you can undoubtedly pursue a career as a chartered accountant.
Skills Required:
As this is a highly competitive industry, mastering some industry-specific skills is crucial. Key skills include:
Strong ethics and analytical abilities
Ability to excel in statistics and accounting.
Industry exposure through internships
Average salary range:
Rs 3.2 Lakhs - 18.2 Lakhs for 0-10 years of work experience
An actuary is an expert who assesses financial risk using mathematics and statistics. These professionals utilise their expertise in the insurance, pensions and finance sector to evaluate risk. An actuary is a profession that encompasses a difficult qualification process, making it accessible to only those skilled and deserving. The lucrative salary range these professionals enjoy is justified by the nature of the job and the specialised skills and knowledge they are required to have.
Skill Required:
Actuary is a demanding career that requires various skills to become a successful practitioner. Key skills include:
Good analytical skills, arithmetic abilities, and problem-solving skills.
Statistical modelling, probability, and financial risk analysis
Tools: Excel, R, Python
Strategic thinking and business insight
Average salary range:
Rs 0.1 Lakh - 11.5 Lakhs for 2-6 years of experience
Also Read: Actuarial Science Courses, Subjects, Colleges
Chartered Financial Analyst is one of the globally recognised high-salary jobs in commerce stream. A CFA is an experienced professional who primarily focuses on wealth management, equity research and portfolio analysis in AMCs, hedge funds and IB firms.
A CFA’s primary responsibility is to analyse financial data, evaluate risks and create strategic investment recommendations for clients to improve their financial positions. They also act as financial consultants who identify underperforming investments to maximise returns.
Skill Required:
To secure a future in the best commerce career options with a high salary, students must develop the following skills:
Strong statistical and analytical skills
Knowledge of financial markets and investment strategies
Be data-oriented and capable of making sound financial decisions
Average salary:
Rs 10 Lakhs for 11 years of experience
Also Read: Online Accountancy Courses & Certifications
A company secretary focuses on ensuring legal and regulatory compliance within an organisation. Certified by ICSI, the company secretary acts as a facilitator between the board and the public. He or she is also responsible for the filing of annual reports and other legal documents for the corporation.
As a consultant to the board of directors, the company secretary advises them on various topics such as financial management, business strategy, and conflict of interest issues. You can take up a formal company secretary course to learn all the aspects in depth.
Skills Required:
To have the highest paying jobs in India in commerce field, students must have the following skills:
Corporate law, governance
Regulatory filings, stakeholder management
Organizational skills
Rs 3 Lakhs - 17.4 Lakhs for 1-13 years of experience
A marketing manager plays a key role in the marketing of products for a company. These professionals focus on planning, organising, and executing marketing strategies to promote a brand and its products or services. Marketing managers collaborate with clients and other teams and also leverage various media platforms to create brand awareness and boost business growth.
Skills Required:
A successful marketing manager can expect a great deal from their job. To be successful and secure the best job for commerce students, you will need to develop and implement effective strategies, skills and techniques in your professional journey. Key skills include:
Leadership and communication skills.
Consumer behaviour analysis
Brand positioning, campaign execution
Average salary: Rs 3 Lakhs - 26 Lakhs for 2-15 years of experience
Also Read: Online Human Resource Management Courses & Certifications
A Human Resource Manager oversees the daily operations of the Human Resources (HR) department. They are responsible for hiring and conducting interviews, paying employees, handling leave requests and enforcing company policies and procedures. This is a great opportunity for girls with strong communication skills and organisational management. It is a stable career with extensive career growth opportunities, which makes it an ideal choice for young professionals in India.
Skills Required:
As a Human Resource Manager, you will need to complete a master's degree in Human Resource Management. To achieve a career in commerce career options with high salary, students must have the following skills:
Ability to manage conflicts and develop effective communication skills.
Strong leadership skills.
Knowledge of labour law
Average salary:
Rs 1.5 Lakh - 7.5 Lakhs for 1-7 years of experience
A certified public accountant is responsible for the accounting and reporting of financial transactions for corporations, government institutions, and individuals. This is a designation recognised by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants(CPA). Individuals who hold a license to practice as public accountants should have a good understanding of the accounting principles generally accepted by the industry.
CPAs are highly in demand at MNCs and consulting firms, hence proving that it is the best job for commerce students to pursue.
Skills Required:
A successful public accountant has the knowledge and skills necessary to perform various tasks, such as analysing and reporting on an organisation's financial position. To become a successful public accountant, candidates must have the necessary skills and procedures in place.
Impeccable reporting and accounting skills.
Knowledge of tax laws.
US GAAP, IFRS, taxation
Global reporting standards
International communication skills
Average salary: Rs 0.9 Lakh - 6.5 Lakhs for up to 9 years of experience
Also Read: Online Business And Management Courses & Certifications
A Cost accountant helps manage the company's financial activities to improve financial efficiency and accurate reporting. This job also involves preparing reports for various government and commercial organisations through analysis of cost production, performance evaluation and budgeting and strategic financial planning. For students seeking a high pay scale, becoming a cost accountant is a great career choice. These professionals are assigned responsibilities to enhance supply chain management and financial transparency, making it one of the top high-salary jobs in commerce stream.
Skills Required:
To excel as a cost accountant, candidates must have the following skills:
Analytical skills
Effective communication and teamwork abilities
A keen eye for detail
Interest in financial strategy
Average salary: Rs 2 Lakhs - 14.4 Lakhs for 1-11 years of experience
Also read: Cost accountancy course details
A retail manager handles the daily operations of retail outlets such as supermarkets, department stores and hypermarkets. From staff management to working on boosting sales and ensuring customer satisfaction, retail managers play a major role in store performance. Good customer service skills and a strong work ethic are essential elements this profession demands from its employees.
Skills Required:
As one of the ideal commerce career options with a high salary, students must possess the following skills:
Leadership and communication skills
Effective branding techniques to attract potential customers and improve the visibility of their store.
Knowledge of retail marketing
Average salary: Rs 2.2 Lakhs - 14.5 Lakhs for 2-15 years of experience
Also Read: Top Seven Skills That Retail Managers Should Have
The Commerce stream encompasses some of the highest-paying jobs in India, spoiling aspirants with choices. If you are keen towards commerce, developing the right skills and educational qualifications is beneficial to pursue your dream commerce career options with a high salary. Careers such as investment banking or financial analysis continue to top the list of high-salary jobs in commerce stream that students can pursue in 2025.