Highest-paying festive jobs in India 2026: Sector-wise monthly CTC
Every festive season brings thousands of temporary jobs across India’s retail and logistics network. But while opportunities are available across sectors, the pay varies considerably. The latest TeamLease Festive Season Workforce Report 2026 shows that workers joining e-commerce and logistics companies are likely to earn more than those taking up festive roles in organised retail or FMCG.
The report comes at a time when businesses are preparing for another busy festive shopping period, with online sales, quick commerce and retail chains expected to drive seasonal hiring across the country.
E-COMMERCE LEADS THE PAY TABLE
According to the report, e-commerce, quick commerce and logistics offer the highest average monthly CTC among major festive hiring sectors at Rs 24,266.
Beauty and personal care follows with an average monthly CTC of Rs 22,937, while fashion and apparel offers 22,853. Consumer durables and FMCD companies are not far behind at Rs 22,664.
Organised retail records an average monthly CTC of Rs 19,944, while FMCG offers the lowest average salary among the sectors analysed at Rs 16,811, the report says.
The salary gap highlights how the rapid growth of online shopping and quick deliveries is influencing workforce demand. The report notes that e-commerce, quick commerce and logistics continue to require large frontline workforces during the festive season, helping keep compensation levels above several traditional retail categories.
|
Rank |
Industry/Sector |
Average monthly CTC |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
E-commerce, Quick Commerce & Logistics |
Rs 24,266 |
|
2 |
Beauty & Personal Care |
Rs 22,937 |
|
3 |
Fashion & Apparel |
Rs 22,853 |
|
4 |
Consumer Durables & FMCD |
Rs 22,664 |
|
5 |
Organised Retail |
Rs 19,944 |
|
6 |
FMCG |
Rs 16,811 |
PAY PACKETS MAY RISE, BUT THERE’S A CATCH
TeamLease expects overall CTC to grow by 8 to 10 per cent during H2 2026 as festive hiring gathers pace. However, employees may not see the full increase reflected in their monthly take-home salary.
According to the report, recent labour law reforms are likely to limit the effective rise in net take-home pay to around 5 to 8 per cent, even if employers increase salary packages.
FESTIVE WORKFORCE IS GETTING YOUNGER
The report also points to a noticeable shift in the profile of India’s festive workforce. The median age of frontline employees has declined from 28.2 years in H2 2024 to 26.7 years in H2 2025, suggesting that companies are hiring more young workers for seasonal roles.
Over the same period, the median monthly CTC rose modestly from Rs 20,282 to Rs 20,525.
WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE
While salary remains an important factor, the report suggests that festive recruitment is increasingly concentrated in sectors supporting India’s fast-growing online shopping ecosystem.
From warehouses and fulfilment centres to quick commerce operations, these businesses continue to offer both the highest volume of seasonal jobs and the strongest pay packages among the sectors analysed.
For students, fresh graduates and jobseekers looking to maximise their festive earnings, the latest salary rankings indicate that e-commerce, quick commerce and logistics remain the sectors to watch in 2026.
– Ends
