The SSC CGL salary 2026 ranges between ₹25,500 and ₹1,51,100 as basic pay, depending on the post and the pay level.
For higher posts like Assistant Enforcement Officer (AEO) (Pay Level 7), the monthly salary is usually above ₹60,000-₹75,000 and for lower posts, it is between ₹33,000 to ₹68,000, depending on the city of posting.
The in-hand salary includes basic pay and allowances like DA, HRA, and TA. This makes SSC CGL a well-paying and stable option for a government job.
Candidates can check the official SSC website for all the details to get an idea about the SSC CGL pay scale. The table below represents the complete SSC CGL post list and salary structure with allowances and the salary range.
Salary Component | Pay Level 4 | Pay Level 5 | Pay Level 6 | Pay Level 7 | Pay Level 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pay Scale | ₹25,500 – ₹81,100 | ₹29,200 – ₹92,300 | ₹35,400 – ₹1,12,400 | ₹44,900 – ₹1,42,400 | ₹47,600 – ₹1,51,100 |
Basic Pay (Starting) | ₹25,500 | ₹29,200 | ₹35,400 | ₹44,900 | ₹47,600 |
| Grade Pay (Old Ref.) | 2400 | 2800 | 4200 | 4600 | 4800 |
DA (Current – 17%) | ₹4,335 | ₹4,964 | ₹6,018 | ₹7,633 | ₹8,092 |
Travel Allowance | Cities: ₹3,600 / Other: ₹1,800 | Cities: ₹3,600 / Other: ₹1,800 | Cities: ₹3,600 / Other: ₹1,800 | Cities: ₹3,600 / Other: ₹1,800 | Cities: ₹3,600 / Other: ₹1,800 |
| City Category | HRA % | Pay Level 4 | Pay Level 5 | Pay Level 6 | Pay Level 7 | Pay Level 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X Cities | 24% | ₹6,120 | ₹7,008 | ₹8,496 | ₹10,776 | ₹11,424 |
| Y Cities | 16% | ₹4,080 | ₹4,672 | ₹5,664 | ₹7,184 | ₹7,616 |
| Z Cities | 8% | ₹2,040 | ₹2,336 | ₹2,832 | ₹3,592 | ₹3,808 |
| City Category | Pay Level 4 | Pay Level 5 | Pay Level 6 | Pay Level 7 | Pay Level 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X Cities | ₹39,555 | ₹44,772 | ₹53,514 | ₹66,909 | ₹70,716 |
| Y Cities | ₹37,515 | ₹42,436 | ₹50,682 | ₹63,317 | ₹66,908 |
| Z Cities | ₹33,675 | ₹38,300 | ₹46,050 | ₹57,925 | ₹63,100 |
| S.No | SSC CGL Posts | Ministry / Department | Group | Grade Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Assistant Audit Officer | Indian Audit & Accounts Department under C&AG | Group 'B' Gazetted (Non-Ministerial) | 4800 |
| 2 | Assistant Accounts Officer | Indian Audit & Accounts Department under C&AG | Group 'B' Gazetted (Non-Ministerial) | 4800 |
| S.No | Name of Post | Ministry / Department | Group | Grade Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Assistant Section Officer | Central Secretariat Service | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 4 | Assistant Section Officer | Intelligence Bureau | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 5 | Assistant Section Officer | Ministry of Railways | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 6 | Assistant Section Officer | Ministry of External Affairs | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 7 | Assistant Section Officer | AFHQ | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 8 | Assistant | Other Ministries / Departments / Organisations | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 9 | Assistant | Other Ministries / Departments / Organisations | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 10 | Assistant Section Officer | Other Ministries / Departments / Organisations | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 11 | Inspector of Income Tax | CBDT | Group 'C' | 4600 |
| 12 | Inspector (Central Excise) | CBIC | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 13 | Inspector (Preventive Officer) | CBIC | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 14 | Inspector (Examiner) | CBIC | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 15 | Assistant Enforcement Officer | Directorate of Enforcement, Department of Revenue | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 16 | Sub Inspector | Central Bureau of Investigation | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 17 | Inspector Posts | Department of Post | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| 18 | Inspector | Central Bureau of Narcotics | Group 'B' | 4600 |
| S.No | Name of Post | Ministry / Department | Group | Grade Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Assistant | Other Ministries / Departments / Organisations | Group 'B' | 4200 |
| 20 | Assistant / Superintendent | Other Ministries / Departments / Organisations | Group 'B' | 4200 |
| 21 | Divisional Accountant | Offices under C&AG | Group 'B' | 4200 |
| 22 | Sub Inspector | National Investigation Agency (NIA) | Group 'B' | 4200 |
| 23 | Junior Statistical Officer | M/o Statistics & Programme Implementation | Group 'B' | 4200 |
| 24 | Statistical Investigator Grade-I | Registrar General of India | Group 'B' | 4200 |
| S.No | Name of Post | Ministry / Department | Group | Grade Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Auditor | Offices under C&AG | Group 'C' | 2800 |
| 26 | Auditor | Other Ministry / Departments | Group 'C' | 2800 |
| 27 | Auditor | Offices under CGDA | Group 'C' | 2800 |
| 28 | Accountant | Offices under C&AG | Group 'C' | 2800 |
| 29 | Accountant / Junior Accountant | Other Ministry / Departments | Group 'C' | 2800 |
| S.No | Name of Post | Ministry / Department | Group | Grade Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Senior Secretariat Assistant / Upper Division Clerks | Central Govt. Offices / Ministries other than CSCS cadres | Group 'C' | 2400 |
| 31 | Tax Assistant | CBDT | Group 'C' | 2400 |
| 32 | Tax Assistant | CBIC | Group 'C' | 2400 |
| 33 | Sub Inspector | Central Bureau of Narcotics | Group 'C' | 2400 |
| 34 | Upper Division Clerks | Data Gen Border Road Organisation (MoD) | Group 'C' | 2400 |
Many aspirants still find the term SSC CGL grade pay quite confusing. The term refers to the pre-2016 pay scale of the 6th Pay Commission.
In this pay scale, your salary is calculated on the basis of Basic Pay + Grade Pay + Allowances. But this has all changed completely under the 7th Pay Commission. In this pay scale, your grade pay is your Pay Level only.
| Old Grade Pay | New Pay Level | Starting Basic Pay |
|---|---|---|
| ₹2,400 | Level 4 | ₹25,500 |
| ₹2,800 | Level 5 | ₹29,200 |
| ₹4,200 | Level 6 | ₹35,400 |
| ₹4,600 | Level 7 | ₹44,900 |
| ₹4,800 | Level 8 | ₹47,600 |
So when someone is asking about SSC CGL grade pay, they are actually referring to their Pay Level in the present system. There is no separate salary element called grade pay.
Many candidates are mixing up actual salary and gross salary with basic salary. Your actual SSC CGL salary will be less than what you expect after deducting the necessary deductions such as NPS, CGHS, and Income Tax. Below is a more realistic city-wise salary breakdown.
| Component | X City (Metro) | Y City | Z City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹47,600 | ₹47,600 | ₹47,600 |
| DA (17%) | ₹8,092 | ₹8,092 | ₹8,092 |
| HRA | ₹11,424 | ₹7,616 | ₹3,808 |
| TA + DA on TA | ₹3,600 + ₹612 | ₹3,600 + ₹612 | ₹1,800 + ₹306 |
| Gross Salary | ~₹71,328 | ~₹67,520 | ~₹61,606 |
| NPS (10%) | ₹5,569 | ₹5,569 | ₹5,569 |
| CGHS + Insurance | ~₹560 | ~₹560 | ~₹560 |
| Income Tax (approx.) | ~₹4,500 | ~₹3,500 | ~₹2,500 |
| In-Hand Salary | ~₹60,700 | ~₹57,900 | ~₹52,977 |
| Component | X City (Metro) | Y City | Z City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹44,900 | ₹44,900 | ₹44,900 |
| DA (17%) | ₹7,633 | ₹7,633 | ₹7,633 |
| HRA | ₹10,776 | ₹7,184 | ₹3,592 |
| TA + DA on TA | ₹3,600 + ₹612 | ₹3,600 + ₹612 | ₹1,800 + ₹306 |
| Gross Salary | ~₹67,521 | ~₹63,929 | ~₹58,231 |
| NPS (10%) | ₹5,253 | ₹5,253 | ₹5,253 |
CGHS + Insurance | ~₹560 | ~₹560 | ~₹560 |
Income Tax (approx.) | ~₹4,000 | ~₹3,000 | ~₹2,000 |
| In-Hand Salary | ~₹57,708 | ~₹55,116 | ~₹50,418 |
| Component | X City (Metro) | Y City | Z City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹29,200 | ₹29,200 | ₹29,200 |
| DA (17%) | ₹4,964 | ₹4,964 | ₹4,964 |
| HRA | ₹7,008 | ₹4,672 | ₹2,336 |
| TA + DA on TA | ₹3,600 + ₹612 | ₹3,600 + ₹612 | ₹1,800 + ₹306 |
| Gross Salary | ~₹45,384 | ~₹43,048 | ~₹38,606 |
| NPS + Deductions | ~₹4,200 | ~₹4,200 | ~₹4,200 |
In-Hand Salary | ~₹41,184 | ~₹38,848 | ~₹34,406 |
| Component | X City (Metro) | Y City | Z City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹25,500 | ₹25,500 | ₹25,500 |
| DA (17%) | ₹4,335 | ₹4,335 | ₹4,335 |
| HRA | ₹6,120 | ₹4,080 | ₹2,040 |
| TA + DA on TA | ₹3,600 + ₹612 | ₹3,600 + ₹612 | ₹1,800 + ₹306 |
| Gross Salary | ~₹40,167 | ~₹38,127 | ~₹33,981 |
| NPS + Deductions | ~₹3,800 | ~₹3,800 | ~₹3,800 |
| In-Hand Salary | ~₹36,367 | ~₹34,327 | ~₹30,181 |
The DA is reviewed every January and July. As DA increases, your in-hand salary also automatically goes up without any promotion. The figures in the above table are calculated on the basis of the existing DA percentage of 17%
So, as you can see, your total CGL salary is not just the basic salary; there are several allowances added on top of it, then there is a deduction, and after that, you get your final in-hand salary.
| Component | Rate |
|---|---|
Dearness Allowance (DA) | 17% of Basic Pay (revised bi-annually) |
House Rent Allowance (HRA) | 24% – X Cities, 16% – Y Cities, 8% – Z Cities |
| Transport Allowance (TA) | ₹3,600 (Cities) / ₹1,800 (Other Places) |
Medical Allowance | As per departmental rules / CGHS coverage |
Deductions Made:
| Deduction | Amount |
|---|---|
| National Pension System (NPS) | 10% of Basic Pay |
| CGHS Contribution | ₹250 – ₹1,000/month |
Income Tax | As per applicable slab |
| Group Insurance | ₹30 – ₹60/month |
| Year | Basic Pay | DA @17% | Approx. Gross (X City) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ₹44,900 | ₹7,633 | ~₹67,521 |
| Year 3 | ₹47,600 | ₹8,092 | ~₹71,600 |
| Year 5 | ₹50,500 | ₹8,585 | ~₹75,900 |
| Year 10 | ₹58,600 | ₹9,962 | ~₹88,000+ |
| Designation | Pay Level | Approx. Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Inspector of Income Tax | Level 7 | At Joining |
| Income Tax Officer (ITO) | Level 8 | 4-6 Years |
| Assistant Commissioner of IT | Level 10 | 10-12 Years |
| Deputy Commissioner of IT | Level 11 | Further Progression |
| Component | X City (Metro) | Y City | Z City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay Level | Level 5 | Level 5 | Level 5 |
| Basic Pay | ₹29,200 | ₹29,200 | ₹29,200 |
| DA (17%) | ₹4,964 | ₹4,964 | ₹4,964 |
| HRA | ₹7,008 | ₹4,672 | ₹2,336 |
| TA | ₹3,600 | ₹3,600 | ₹1,800 |
| Gross Salary | ~₹45,384 | ~₹43,048 | ~₹38,606 |
| NPS + Deductions | ~₹4,200 | ~₹4,200 | ~₹4,200 |
| In-Hand Salary | ~₹41,184 | ~₹38,848 | ~₹34,406 |
| Component | Delhi (X City) |
|---|---|
| Pay Level | Level 7 |
| Basic Pay | ₹44,900 |
| DA (17%) | ₹7,633 |
| HRA (24%) | ₹10,776 |
| Transport Allowance | ₹3,600 |
| DA on TA | ₹612 |
| Gross Salary | ~₹67,521 |
| NPS (10%) | ₹5,253 |
| CGHS + Insurance | ~₹560 |
| Income Tax | ~₹4,000 |
| In-Hand Salary | ~₹57,708 |
Like the Auditor and Accountant posts, the CGL postal assistant post is also in Pay Level 5, but the nature of work and place of posting can be different.
| Component | X City | Y City |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹29,200 | ₹29,200 |
| DA (17%) | ₹4,964 | ₹4,964 |
| HRA | ₹7,008 | ₹4,672 |
| TA | ₹3,600 | ₹3,600 |
| Gross Salary | ~₹45,384 | ~₹43,048 |
| NPS + Deductions | ~₹4,200 | ~₹4,200 |
| In-Hand Salary | ~₹41,184 | ~₹38,848 |
| Post | Pay Level | Basic Pay | In-Hand (X City) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Audit Officer | Level 8 | ₹47,600 | ~₹60,700 |
| Assistant Accounts Officer | Level 8 | ₹47,600 | ~₹60,700 |
| Inspector (IT / CE / PO) | Level 7 | ₹44,900 | ~₹57,708 |
| Assistant Section Officer (CSS) | Level 7 | ₹44,900 | ~₹57,708 |
| Sub Inspector (CBI) | Level 6 | ₹35,400 | ~₹46,000 |
| Auditor (CAG) | Level 5 | ₹29,200 | ~₹41,184 |
| Tax Assistant | Level 4 | ₹25,500 | ~₹36,367 |
| Post | In-Hand Salary (X City) | Work-Life Balance | Authority | Field Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inspector IT | ~₹57,700 | Moderate | High | Yes |
| Inspector Central Excise | ~₹57,700 | Moderate | High | Yes |
| ASO (CSS) | ~₹57,700 | Excellent | Moderate | No |
| Assistant Audit Officer | ~₹60,700 | Good | Moderate | No |
| Sub Inspector (CBI) | ~₹46,000 | Low | Very High | Yes |
| Auditor (CAG) | ~₹41,184 | Excellent | Low | No |
| Tax Assistant | ~₹36,367 | Good | Low | No |
| Postal Assistant | ~₹41,184 | Good | Low | Partial |
| Exam | Starting In-Hand Salary | Pay Level | Growth Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC CGL (Level 8) | ~₹60,700 | Level 8 | Very High |
| SSC CGL (Level 7) | ~₹57,700 | Level 7 | High |
| SSC CGL (Level 5) | ~₹41,184 | Level 5 | Moderate |
| SSC CHSL | ~₹32,000-₹42,000 | Level 4-5 | Moderate |
| SSC CPO (SI) | ~₹46,000-₹52,000 | Level 6 | Moderate |
| UPSC Civil Services | ₹56,000-₹1,00,000+ | Level 10+ | Very High |
| Particulars | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹44,900 |
| Dearness Allowance (17%) | ₹7,633 |
| HRA (24% - Delhi) | ₹10,776 |
| Transport Allowance | ₹3,600 |
| DA on Transport Allowance | ₹612 |
| Gross Earnings | ₹67,521 |
| NPS Contribution (10%) | ₹5,253 |
| CGHS Contribution | ₹500 |
| Group Insurance | ₹60 |
| Income Tax (approx.) | ₹4,000 |
| Total Deductions | ~₹9,813 |
| Net In-Hand Salary | ~₹57,708 |