In India, why are software engineers considered rich by default, when they are not? Why are doctors, lawyers, CAs, landlords, and police considered poor by default when they aren’t?

By using the term “by default”, you’ve sorta answered your own question.

Software was the first industry in India that, in its early days, generated overseas travel opportunities for the rank and file, including software engineers with only months’ experience. I remember, my batchmate at IIT Bombay graduated in August, joined an IT company, and was already in New York City by November.

At a time when going abroad was the sole preserve of the rich, foreign travel by software engineers automatically got them perceived as rich by the common man in India. The belief was reinforced by a few more factors:

  1. Industry’s branding
  2. Tens of billionaires, and tens of thousands of millionaires minted by the software industry
  3. Progression of millions of people from lower and lower middle class to upper middle class in a matter of years.

With entry pay of software engineers stagnating for the last 8–10 years, software engineers are now struggling to progress to upper middle class, let alone become rich. Today, there are many other jobs that pay more than software engineer in India viz.

  1. Driver partner of rideshare companies like Uber and Ola: INR 35–45K / month
  2. Delivery agent of food delivery companies like Swiggy, Zomato: INR 35–50K / month
  3. Fulltime caregiver for aged: INR 75–125K / month.

However, the common man continues to believe that software engineers are rich because, as the term “default” suggests, most people tend to adopt the most commonly prevailing option without thinking too much about the altered circumstances of IT in relation to the other professions / industries mentioned above.

Like old habits, old beliefs die hard. It takes a generation or two for them to change.

But it’s not only software engineers or India. Misconceptions exist about many things in many parts of the world:

  1. USA: Silicon Valley software engineers are better paid than California public officials
  2. Europe: English comes from England, so Brits are best in English
  3. India / Asia: If Founder is rich, Company must be making Profit.

There’s ample evidence to the contrary e.g.

1.

But people will always believe what they believe.

Beliefs and opinions don’t change, at least not in the short-to-medium term. Ditto attitudes and behaviors.

While the question has nothing to do with consumer behavior, my answer could equally well serve as guidance for people in sales and marketing.