Updated on May 5, 2025 06:25 IST
Diya Nihalani

Diya NihalaniContent Author

Career options for LLMs can include legal advisors and corporate counsels playing important roles in managing contracts, ensuring regulatory compliance, safeguarding intellectual property and mitigating legal risks for different companies. It can also include litigators, arbitrators, and mediators, particularly in the growing fields of commercial and international dispute resolution. LLM degree serves as an important catalyst for career advancement in Law allowing the law students to gain expertise in specialised legal domains.LLM salaries after completing the course can vary on the basis of experience levels, position and skills. For example legal advisors can earn from INR 5 to INR 8 LPA while corporate counsels may see salary that is ranging from INR 6 to INR 12 LPA. Academic and research positions generally offers salaries in the range of INR 4 to INR 9 LPA. Associates in top tier law firms may demand higher salaries between INR 10 to INR 18 LPA. The income of independent litigators and arbitrators is more variable increasing substantially with experience and a growing client base.

Top recruiters for LLM students such as Amarchand & Mangaldas, AZB & Partners, Trilegal and Khaitan & Co. Major corporations like Infosys, Reliance and Tata Group along with leading banks such as ICICI and HDFC to hire legal experts within their in house legal teams. In the public sector opportunities exist with bodies like the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Ministry of Law and Justice and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) such as ONGC and SAIL.

LLM Career: Quick Facts

Below are some interesting facts related to LLM careers in India: 

  •  As per UGC guidelines, an LLM is the minimum qualification required to become an Assistant Professor in law colleges and universities across India.
  • Leading law firms like AZB & Partners, Trilegal, and Khaitan & Co frequently prefer LLM graduates for specialized roles in areas such as M&A, arbitration, and IPR.
  • The most favored LLM specialisations include Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Corporate & Business Law, Intellectual Property Rights, and International Law.

LLM Salary in India

LLM is a two-year postgraduate course in law, also known as Master of Laws. It is designed to master over a particular specialisation of law. It helps in enhancing knowledge on a particular area of law so that candidates are able to conduct research on their particular area of specialisation. This course is pursued after completing three-year or five-year LLB.

Professionals and recent graduates who are interested in pursuing a particular area under law seek admission to this course. It is an undeniable fact that a candidate studies more than 30 different law papers across a span of three years or five years of law school. LLM offers expertise in one particular field of law, which provides the platform to make a mark in a niche area of law. Some of the top fields popular amongst candidates are Civil Law, Criminal Law, Intellectual Property Law, Corporate Law, Company Law, Cyber Law, Environment Law, etc.

Average Annual LLM Salary in India 

Entry-level positions in both sectors may start at the lower end of these ranges. Moreover, salary increases with experience in both government and private sectors. Senior roles can command significantly higher packages.

Below is the salary idea in both sectors for LLM graduates:

Sector

Average Annual Salary

Government

INR 4 LPA - INR 15 LPA

Private

INR 6 LPA - INR 18 LPA

Specialisation-Wise LLM Salary in India

Some fields like Corporate Law, Banking & Finance Law and Intellectual Property Law tend to offer higher salary package due to their commercial relevance and growing global demand. Below Mentioned is a detailed breakdown of the average annual salary ranges for popular LLM specialisations:

Specialisation

Average Annual Salary

Corporate Law

INR 6 LPA - INR 20 LPA+

Intellectual Property (IP) Law

INR 5 LPA - INR 15 LPA+

International Law

INR 5 LPA - INR 15 LPA+

Tax Law

INR 4.5 LPA - INR 12 LPA+

Litigation (Civil/Criminal)

INR 3 LPA - INR 10 LPA+

Constitutional Law

INR 4 LPA - INR 9 LPA+

Criminal Law

INR 3.5 LPA - INR 10 LPA+

Cyber Law

INR 4 LPA - INR 10 LPA+

Banking and Finance Law

INR 6 LPA - INR 15 LPA+

Environmental Law

INR 3.5 LPA - INR 8 LPA+

Human Rights Law

INR 4 LPA - INR 9 LPA+

Labour and Employment Law

INR 3.5 LPA - INR 8 LPA+

Real Estate and Infrastructure Law

INR 4 LPA - INR 10 LPA+

Experience Wise LLM Salary in India

While entry level roles offer decent salaries, professionals with specialised legal expertise and a strong track record can achieve a good financial growth over the time. Whether working in law firms, corporate legal departments, academics or as independent practitioners, LLM graduates often see their value rise with exposure to complex legal matters, leadership roles and client management.

The table below shows the average salaries based on years of experience:

Experience Level

Average Annual Salary

Entry-Level (0-3 years)

INR 4 Lakhs - INR 8 Lakhs

Mid-Level (3-7 years)

INR 8 Lakhs - INR 15 Lakhs

Senior-Level (7-15 years)

INR 15 Lakhs - INR 30 Lakhs+

15+ Years

INR 30 Lakhs - INR 1 Crore+

LLM Careers

After pursuing an LLM course, students can opt for further studies wherein they pursue either MPhil or PhD in Law. But, if candidates want to pursue a career in the field of law then he/ she can go through the below-mentioned job profiles. Aspirants are informed that in order to practice law in India, they need to clear the All India Bar Exam (AIBE)

LLM Jobs and Salary

LLM Job Profile

Job Description

LLM Salary Range

Legal Profession

Specialized Lawyer

Practices law in a specific area of expertise, such as corporate, tax, intellectual property, or international law

INR 15 - 60+ LPA

Senior Associate

Provides advanced legal services and mentorship to junior lawyers in a law firm

INR 20 - 50+ LPA

Partner/Equity Partner

Owns and manages a law firm, leads high-profile cases, and shares in the firm's profits

INR 30 - 100+ LPA

Legal Consultant

Provides specialized legal expertise and advisory services to clients in complex matters

INR 20 - 70+ LPA

 

Government

 

Judicial Officer (Higher Judiciary)

Serves as a judge or magistrate in higher courts, such as High Courts or the Supreme Court

INR 20 - 40+ LPA

Senior Legal Advisor

Provides high-level legal counsel and support to government agencies and policymakers

INR 15 - 40+ LPA

Legislative Drafter

Drafts and reviews legislation, policies, and regulations for the government

INR 15 - 30+ LPA

 

Corporate Sector

 

General Counsel

Leads the legal department and provides strategic legal guidance to an organization

INR 25 - 80+ LPA

Chief Compliance Officer

Oversees an organization's compliance with laws, regulations, and industry standards

INR 20 - 50+ LPA

Mergers and Acquisitions Lawyer

Specialises in complex corporate transactions, such as mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures

INR 20 - 60+ LPA

 

Academics

 

Law Professor (Senior)

Teaches advanced law courses, conducts research, and supervises doctoral students in academic institutions

INR 20 - 50+ LPA

Legal Researcher (Senior)

Leads in-depth legal research and analysis for academic, policy, or advisory purposes

INR 15 - 40+ LPA

Dean/Director of Law School

Manages and provides strategic leadership for a law school or department

INR 25 - 60+ LPA

 

International Organisations

 

International Law Specialist

Advises and represents international organizations, such as the UN, World Bank, or IMF, on legal matters

INR 25 - 80+ LPA

Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs Lawyer

Provides legal support and counsel in the field of international diplomacy and foreign relations

INR 20 - 50+ LPA

Multinational Legal Advisor

Advises and assists multinational corporations on cross-border legal issues

INR 20 - 60 LPA

Note- The above salary has been taken from external sources, and hence may vary.

Top Recruiters for LLM Professionals

The ever-increasing scope of law across global platform has increased the need of trained legal professionals dealing with a wide range of legal areas such as civil laws, corporate laws and intellectual property laws.

Some of the top recruiters for LLM course are as follows:

  • Trilegal
  • Manupatra
  • LexisNexis
  • Quislex
  • Mindcrest
  • Juris Corp
  • Linklaters LLP
  • Majumdar and Co
  • AZB & Partners
  • L&L Partners
  • Khaitan and Co
  • Law Commission of India

Top LLM Colleges For Placement

The below-mentioned table provides information on the average annual package offered in placements in the respective colleges.

College

Average Annual Package in INR

National Law School of India University, Bangalore

INR 15 LPA

National Academy of Legal Study & Research (NALSAR) University of Law, Hyderabad

INR 16.50 LPA

National Law Institute University, Bhopal

INR 14 LPA

National Law University, Jodhpur

INR 14.50 LPA

National Law University, Delhi

INR 15 LPA

Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow

INR 10 lakh

Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala

INR 6.5 LPA

The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata

INR 15 LPA

Symbiosis Law School, Pune

INR 8 LPA

KIIT School of Law, Bhubaneswar

INR 7 LPA

 

Table of contents
  • Popular LL.M. Colleges in India
  • Popular Private LL.M. Colleges in India
  • Popular LL.M. Specializations
  • Most Popular Courses

Popular LL.M. Colleges in India

Following are the most popular LL.M. Colleges in India. Learn more about these LL.M. colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.
2 Courses
2.69 L
8.4 LPA
2 Courses
1.49 L - 1.56 L
12 LPA
65 K
7 LPA
2 Courses
34 K
10 LPA
4 Courses
1.2 L
6 LPA
10 Courses
2.5 L
4.3

Popular Private LL.M. Colleges in India

1.68 L

LL.M. Applications open till Jan 31, 2026. Apply Now

1.25 L
6 LPA

LL.M. Applications open. Apply Now

2.58 L - 2.79 L

LL.M. Applications open. Apply Now

2 L
1.76 L
3.0
1.2 L

Popular LL.M. Specializations

Following are the most popular LL.M. Specializations . You can explore the top Colleges offering these Specializations by clicking the links below.
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First Time

Beginner-Level 3

Answered 8 hours ago

The GNLU Silvassa CLAT Cutoff 2026 was released for round 2 for B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) and Master of Law (LL.M.) programme. The cutoff was released for various categories under both the All India and Home State quotas. 

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Neerja Rohatgi

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Answered 10 hours ago

The NLU Shimla CLAT Cutoff 2026 has been released for round 2 for multiple categories under both the All India and Home State quota. The cutoff was out in the form of opening and closing ranks. 

For the General HS category, the cutoff was 11211 for the B.A LL.B (Hons.) course, and 16167 for B.B.A.LL.

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Neerja Rohatgi

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Answered 10 hours ago

The NLU Jabalpur CLAT Cutoff 2026 was released for round 2 for admission to BA LLB (Hons) and LLM courses. The cutoff was released for all categories under the All India and Home State quota. 

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Neerja Rohatgi

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The NLU Assam CLAT Cutoff 2026 has been released for admission to the LL.M. LL.B. (Hons.) and LLM courses for round 2. The cutoff was released for various categories under both the All India and Home State quotas. 

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Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered Yesterday

NLU Assam CLAT Cutoff 2026 has been released till round 2 for admission to BA LLB (Hons) and LLM courses for various categories under both the All India and Home State quota. 

For the SC AI category, the round closing ranks ranged between 4884 and 11777, for the LLM and BA LLB (Hons) courses, respect

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Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered Yesterday

NLU Assam CLAT Cutoff 2026 has been released till round 2 for admission to BA LLB (Hons) and LLM courses for various categories under both the All India and Home State quota. 

For the SC AI category, the round closing ranks ranged between 4884 and 11777, for the LLM and BA LLB (Hons) courses, respect

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Neerja Rohatgi

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Answered Yesterday

The NLU Assam CLAT Cutoff 2026 was released for admission to BA LLB (Hons) and LLM courses. The cutoff was released in the form of opening and closing ranks for both the All India and Home State quota till round 2. 

For the SC AI category, the round cutoff ranged between 11777 and 4884 for the BA LLB

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Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered Yesterday

The  MNLU Nagpur LLM Cutoff 2026 was released for various categories under the All India quota till round 2 as of now. Further rounds are expected to be released soon. 

In the meantime, according to the General AI category cutoff in round 2, the LLM course and its various specialisations had a cutoff

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Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

The NLU Mumbai CLAT cutoff 2026 has been released till round 2 for admission to the BA LLB (Hons) and LLM courses for various categories under both the All India and Home State quota. 

Students can refer to the table below to know the round 1 and round 2 cutoff ranks for the BA LLB (Hons) course for

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Neerja Rohatgi

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Answered 2 days ago

 The NLU Ranchi CLAT cutoff 2026 was released for all categories till round 2 for the All India quota. 

For the OBC AI category, the cutoff for round 2 ranged from 2456 to 2761 for admission to BA LLB (Hons), LLM and BBA LLB (Hons) course. Among all three, LLM course and its various specialisations w

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Neerja Rohatgi

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Answered 2 days ago

NLU Odisha accepts the CLAT cutoff ranks for admission to the LLM and the BA LLB (Hon) course. The NLU Odisha CLAT cutoff 2026 was released for all categories under the All India quota till round 2. 

Students can refer to the table below to know the round 1 and round 2 cutoff for the General AI categ

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Neerja Rohatgi

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Answered 2 days ago

IILM University Greater Noida usually keeps the LLM scholarship applications open along with the admission cycle, so you still have a good chance to apply if you act early.

 

To stay on the safer side, it's best to apply as soon as possible after receiving your admission offer, as scholarships are oft

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Bandhan Sharma

Beginner-Level 3

Answered 2 days ago

The NLU Patiala CLAT Cutoff 2026 was released till round 2 for admission to UG and PG level law courses for various categories under the All India quota. 

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Neerja Rohatgi

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Answered 2 days ago

The NLU Lucknow CLAT Cutoff 2026 was released till round 2 for all categories under the All India quota. For the PWD AI category, the round 2 for the BA LLB (Hons) course was 16485. On the other hand, for the LLM course, the cutoff was 5286. Students can click here to know the round 1 and round NLU

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Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 days ago

The minimum eligibility requirement for LLM at Department of Law, Panjab University passing LLB/ BA LLB/ BCom LL.B or equivalent from Panjab University with a minimum of 55% aggregate or any equivalent examination of another University recognised by the Syndicate. The selection criteria is entrance

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heau mishr

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 days ago

The minimum eligibility for LLM at SOL, Presidency University, Bangalore is passing a three or five-year LLB degree from any Indian or Foreign University recognised by the UGC with a minimum of 50% aggregate or equivalent grade [45% for SC/ ST Candidates]. Candidates who have passed/ appeared for th

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heau mishr

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 days ago

The minimum eligibility for PhD at Department of Law, MDU is having a Master's degree with a minimum of 55% aggregate or its equivalent B grade in UGC seven-point scale in the subject concerned or an allied subject. Yes, you are eligible for PhD at the university.

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heau mishr

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 days ago

Students who want to join the LLM programme at the Queen Mary University of London should submit tuition between INR 29L and INR 51L. They should also pay for hostel and other costs. The Queen Mary University of London tuition fee and other fee component for LLM is given below:

Fee components

Amount (for 1 year)

Tuition

INR 27.07 L - 48.05 L

Hostel

INR 10.52 L - 11.65 L

Total fee

INR 37.59 L - 59.7 L

N

Nishtha Bhatnagar

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

The Queen Mary University of London allows admission to the LLM programme in the Jan and Sept intakes. They insist students to apply early to avoid any delay in the process. The entry-wise months on which students should apply is given below

Sept entry: Jun/ July

Jan entry: Nov/ Dec

E

Esha Tiwari

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

The Queen Mary University of London provide 1 year LLM programme to international students. The university offer premium LLM programs for those who have completed their Law degree and want to join Legal studies should join this program. The university programs like Commercial and Corporate Law, Publ

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Nishtha Gupta

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

As per some unofficial data, the Queen Mary University of London LLM acceptance rate is 18%. This shows that the university is tough to enter and follows tough procedure during admission. Students should fulfill the basic qualification and submit the documents like transcript, resume, essay, English

...Read more

A

Akansha katariya

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 days ago

With 18% acceptance rate, the Queen Mary University of London is quite hard to enter in case of LLM admission. They select students based on their score in the UG degree, English language score, participation in activities, work profile, and more. Students should aim to score high to get selected.

G

Gunjan Aggrawal

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

GMAT scores are one of the factors during admission and are submitted by students to improve their selection chances. There is no ideal score provided by students to get into the Columbia LLM. According to the university student profile 2026, students should have transcripts, personal statement, a r

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J

Jasleen Shukla

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

Columbia University LLM tuition fee is between INR 77L and INR 78L for programs like Global Business Law and more. Students can check the total cost for LLM programs at Columbia below:

Fee components

Amount (for 6 months - 1 year)

Tuition

INR 75.12 L - 76.46 L

Hostel

INR 15.55 L

Insurance

INR 4.36 L - 4.72 L

Others

INR 2.54 L - 6.72 L

Total fee

INR 97.57 L - 1.03 Cr

M

Mukul Thapa

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

As per a renowned ranking body, Columbia is popular for various courses. Global Business Law, and Law and Legal Studies are some popular program. Students can check the ranking of popular programs:

Ranked by

2024

2025

THE- Law

4

5

QS – Law and Legal studies

8

8

P

Piyush Pandey

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

Students who have scored high in their UG degree and have some job experience or done some internship in the similar subjects should think of taking admission at Columbia for LLM. They should submit the documents like university/ college transcripts, personal statement, a resume, merit response, Eng

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R

Rashmi Singh

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

Indian students who want to join the LLM programme at Columbia University should have a UG degree to fulfill the qualification. A job experience and personal statement can add a positive impression. They should submit LOR, SOP, transcripts, resume, and English language requirements.

N

Nishtha Bhatnagar

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 4 days ago

Yes, Columbia University offers 6 months-1 year LLM programme to international students. Some popular programs are Global Business Law, and more. Students must fulfill the basic eligibility by having a UG degree from a university or and submit the documents like university/ college transcripts, pers

...Read more

E

Esha Tiwari

Contributor-Level 9

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