Career Options After 12th Science - Eligibility & Expected Salary
Career options after 12th Science: For a long time, PCM has been the most sought-after stream among students and it offers different career options after 12th science PCM to choose from. It's not true that students only have engineering as one of the best career options after 12th science as some people claim, but they do have other possibilities too. Both conventional and non-conventional PCM career options after class 12th science can help the student build a promising career in a field they are interested in. In the article below students will understand all the details of some of the best career options after class 12th Science.
Read more: Career Options after 12th

Career options after class 12th Science
Career Option | Career pathway |
Class 12th with Science PCM Pursue B.tech available in various streams Entrances: IIT-JEE Mains, IIT-JEE Advanced, BITSAT, | |
Class 12th with Science PCM Pursue B. arch Entrances: NATA, JEE-mains, HITSEEE, CEED, AMU B.arch, and other state exams. | |
Defense Service Officer | Class 12th with Science for Navy and Air-force Class 12th any stream for Army NDA exam for the age range is 16.5 years to 19.5 years and CDS exam for final-year graduation students. |
Class 12th with Science Pursue Nautical Science Take IMU-CET, AIMNET entrance to become Deck Officer Pursue Marine engineering to become a marine engineer |
(Note: Data has been collated by team Careers360)
Let us, deep-dive, into the details of career opportunities after 12th science
Career options after 12th Science: Engineer
The field of Engineering gives multiple job opportunities. Gone are those days when there were only a few major engineering branches offering career options in the science stream. Today the number of career options after 12th science PCM in engineering degrees is large. The average salary of an Engineer is Rs 4 to 5 lakhs annually. Students can do after 12th science courses such as BE or B. Tech in any of the branches given below and choose from a pool of career options after 12th science PCM:
Mechanical and Automobile Engineering
CS, IT And Software Engineering
Biomedical and Biotechnology Engineering
Eligibility criteria: Students must pass class 12th in PCM with a minimum of 50% marks.
Read more:
Scope: Such career options after class 12th science give you a lot of varied opportunities. As a unique and ever-evolving discipline, engineering is one of the best career options after 12th science and has ample opportunities for students. A successful career in this sector may be achieved by anybody ready to acquire new skills, innovate, go above and beyond their comfort zone, and establish solid foundations for their future careers. Students after opting for such career options in the science stream can work in many industries like:
Research and development
Automotive industry
Construction and building
Aerospace
Transport and Communications Infrastructure
Coastal and Marine
Energy and Power
Geotechnical
Telecommunications and IT
Product or Software development
Cybersecurity
Operating systems and networks
Robotics and many more
Average starting salary: 4 to 5 Lakhs annually
Read more: What is Career Counselling
Career options after 12th Science- Architect
Architecture is no longer just about the construction and design of houses and buildings but also about any other field of designing too. It is one of the best career options after 12th science and for it, students would require both technical and design skills. It's a wonderful career option after 12th science PCM students who like addressing a wide variety of problems, utilizing creative and systematic problem-solving to get a creative and practical answer. The average salary of an Engineer is Rs 3 to 5 lakhs annually. Students can do B.arch in architecture, landscape architecture, or urban planning. Specializations available in architecture are:
Residential
Commercial
Landscaping
Interior Architecture
Urban Design
Green Building Design
Industrial Architecture
Eligibility criteria: Students must have cleared class 12 PCM with a minimum of 50% marks.
Scope: Because of India's rapid urbanization in the previous few decades, infrastructure development has become more important than ever before. Due to the rapid growth of the infrastructure industry, such career options in science stream have become significant and a large number of highly qualified architects are needed to keep up. Also, because of the fast growth of current technology and their integration into the profession, these career options after 12th science PCM have a bright future. A few areas wherein an architect can work are:
Private architecture firms
Large construction companies
Consultancies
Public work sector
Average starting salary: 3 to 5 lakhs annually
Read more: Career Planning Process
Career options after 12th Science: Defence Officer
Such career options after 12th Science PCM offer a noble mission profession where service comes before self. Our defense services which include the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Indian Coast Guard are examples of some of the best career options after 12th science. There is no better place if you aspire to have challenges, thrill, and adventure rides in your future. Moreover, with the love for the nation, such career options in Science stream become more exciting. The average salary of an Engineer is Rs 10 to 30 lakhs annually.
There are different segments of defense services:
Indian Coast Guard
There are other services available after these career options after 12th science PCM such as CRPF, NSG, and many more. We have the ministry of defense and many other backend career options after 12th science which work for a coordinated working of these systems together.
Read more: Career Guidance After 12th
Eligibility Criteria and Exam:
Best career options after 12th Science: NDA (National Defence Academy Exam): Students should pass class 12th with any stream to join the army wing. They should be 16.5 years to 19.5 years old and must fulfill the physical and medical criteria.
Best career options after 12th Science: Indian Army Technical Entry Scheme: Students should pass class 12th with PCM and should age between 16.5 years to 19.5 years. They must have passed the class 12th Examination or its equivalent with a minimum aggregate of 70% marks in PCM.
Best career options after 12th Science: CDS (Combined Defence Services Exam): Students should pass class 12th with any stream to join the army wing and should be between 19 to 24 years of age. They must fulfill the physical and medical criteria.
Average Salary: 10-30 LPA
Career options after 12th Science- Merchant Navy
If you want to choose from career options after 12th science PCM which gives you a chance to travel to places and earn big, then merchant navy is one of the best career options after 12th science. The merchant navy helps to transport goods from one country to another. It is one of the most lucrative career options in science stream for students. There are different courses to join the merchant navy and 3 modes of entry. The average salary of an Engineer is Rs 5 to 10 lakhs annually. There are several merchant navy courses:
B.E. Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering
B.E. Petroleum Engineering
B.E. Electrical & Electronics Engineering
Electro-Technical Officer Course
B.E. Ocean Engineering
Eligibility criteria: Students must have completed Class 12th in PCM with a minimum of 50% marks.
Scope: The merchant navy segment has container ships, cargo ships, tankers, bulk carriers, carrying vessels, passenger ships, refrigerators ships, and others. After choosing such career options after 12th science PCM, you can work as
Navigation officer
GP Rating
Captain
Electro-technical officer (ETO)
Ratings
Catering & hospitality crew
Average starting salary: 5 – 10 LPA
Read more: Careers Beyond MBBS For PCB Students
Career options after 12th Science- Aviation
If you've always wanted a profession that will allow you to fly higher into the sky, then aviation is the area for you! It is one of the best career options after 12th science as there are numerous job openings in several sub-sectors, as well as numerous advantages. Whatever your plans, an aviation career is both financially and personally rewarding.
Eligibility Criteria: Students must have completed class 12th in PCM with a minimum of 45% marks.
Scope:
Commercial airlines
Government’s aviation department
Military Pilot
Average starting salary: 15-20 LPA
Following PCM, students can choose from a variety of career options after 12th science and a variety of professional training programs. Each student must evaluate their needs and long-term objectives for the professional paths they are considering.
Author: The article has been written by Barkha, who is a Psychologist, with extensive experience in Career Counselling of high school students.
Also read:
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) - Career Options After 12th Science - Eligibility & Expected Salary
Question: Which entrance exams should be cleared to join the defense services?
Answer:
The entrance exams which should be cleared are NDA, CDS, etc.
Question: What is the average salary after an aviation course?
Answer:
The average salary after an aviation course is around 15-20 LPA.
Question: What are some of the new options of branches in engineering?
Answer:
Aerospace Engineering, CS, IT And Software Engineering, Biomedical and Biotechnology Engineering, Mining Engineering, Power Engineering, Sound Engineering, Marine Engineering, Robotics, etc.
Question: What are some of the best career options after 12th science?
Answer:
Engineering, defense services, aviation, merchant navy, architect, etc.