JEE vs NEET: Which Exam is Tougher? Salary, Pattern & Career Scope

Explore the key differences between JEE vs NEET – exam pattern, difficulty level, salary, and career scope for engineering & medical aspirants.

Aug 6, 2025 - 18:25
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JEE vs NEET: Which Exam is Tougher? Salary, Pattern & Career Scope
JEE vs NEET

JEE VS NEET: In the case of competitive careers in India, two examinations keep the science stream students in their minds, is JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) tough or NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) tough? These entrance tests are gateways to the finest tertiary institutions, such as IITs and AIIMS, respectively, and determine the future of engineers and doctors in the land.

In the following article, we shall divide the main differences, exam patterns, and career results to shed more light on which is the harder exam and which exam is going to fetch better salaries in the long run. Being a student and simply not knowing which career path to take, or a parent who wants the best out of their child, there must be a specific choice to make, and this categorical comparison will allow you to make it.

Read More: What Is The Difference Between JEE And IIT?

What is JEE?

The Joint Entrance Examination or JEE is the national-level engineering entrance examination of India, which has become a national obsession. It has two phases:

JEE Main - to get into NIT, IIIT, and various other engineering establishments.

JEE Advanced- admission to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

JEE mostly examines the knowledge of the candidate in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM).

What is NEET?

National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical aspirants is the way that leads to getting admission in MBBS, BDS, and other paramedical courses in India. NEET is a one-level test which is organised by NTA, and it has the  PCB subject.

Complete difference between JEE vs NEET:

Here is the complete difference between JEE vs NEET that helps students to be clear about the goal.

Features 

JEE 

NEET 

Purpose 

Admission to engineering, architecture, and technical courses.  

Admission to Medical, Dental, and Ayush courses.

Conducting Body 

NTA (National Test Agency)

NTA (National Test Agency)

Exam Mode 

Online (Computer-Based-Test)

Online (Computer-Based-Test)

Subjects

Physics, Chemistry & Maths 

Physics, Chemistry & Biology 

Course Offer 

B.Tech, M.Tech, B.E, B.Arch 

MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, etc.

Eligibility 

12th Pass with PCM 

12th Pass with PCB

Paper Type 

JEE Main: OBJECTIVE MCQ

JEE Advanced: Multiple Format 

Single paper with objective-type MCQs

Exam Difficulty Level

High (Especially in JEE Advanced)

Moderate to High 

Top Institute 

IITs, Nits, Gfits, and IIITs.

AIIMS, AFMC, Government & Private Medical Colleges

Exam Duration 

3 Hours 

3 Hours 20 Minutes

Total Marks 

320 Marks 

720 Marks 

Number of Attempts 

JEE Main: 3 times per year (6 attempts in 3 years)

JEE Advanced: 2 Attempts 

Once a Year 

Expected Salary 

₹6–18 LPA (IITs/NITs) – Depends on branch and college

₹8–25 LPA (AIIMS/Top Colleges) – Private Practice may go higher.

Summery: 

JEE is your passageway to the best engineering schools in India, such as NITs and IITs. You would require powerful analytical and mathematical skills.

NEET is the only Indian exam for the medical UG course, and it requires advanced knowledge in the field of biology and very high accuracy in the exam.

Going by technology and problem solving, go for JEE. Sometimes you enjoy life sciences and the medical field of treating people, and then NEET is your direction.

Read More: 

Comparison of exam pattern JEE vs NEET

So here goes the breakdown of the JEE exam patteren, neet exam patteren and the difficulty of the subject matter in both tests:

Features 

JEE 

NEET

Subjects 

Physics, Chemistry & Maths 

Physics, Chemistry & Biology 

Exam Mode

Online (Computer-Based-Test)

Online (Pen & Paper)

Exam Duration 

3 Hours 

3 Hours 20 Minutes 

No. of Questions

90 questions (MCQ + numerical)

200 questions (180 to be attempted)

Negative Marketing 

Yes

Yes

Exam Level 

High 

Moderate to High 

Verdict:

JEE is math-oriented and more conceptually demanding and requiring problem solving.

NEET is heavily content-based, particularly in the field of Biology-forming 50 per cent of the paper.

This is relative to the strengths and interests of the student, but a general analysis could be as follows:

JEE vs NEET: Which Exam is Tougher?

JEE Advanced is usually considered one of the most difficult undergraduate examinations all over the world. It is an analytical, time management, and a very high-level test of mathematical problem-solving.

Although NEET is extremely competitive owing to the scarce MBBS seats, the nature of questions posed is more direct as compared to their AIPM counterparts.

Syllabus Breadth:

There is so much theory in Biology in NEET, and memorization is an important part of the strategy.

JEE lays more stress on logical thinking and application, as well as numerical skills.

Summary:

In case you are more advanced in math and logic, then JEE could be better. NEET is your path if you are not so great at remembering theory, but are focused on life sciences. Generally, the JEE Advanced is regarded by most people as being more demanding than NEET in terms of sheer intellectual suspense.

JEE vs NEET Salary: Which one is a better high-paying career?

So now we'll view the JEE vs NEET salary factor, so what can you earn once you are an engineer or a doctor?

Best Areas: Dermatology, Orthopedics, Surgery, Cardiology, Radiology.

1. Engineering Salary (Post JEE):

Insititute 

Average Package (CSE/Top Branch)

IITs

₹15–25 LPA (top branches)

NITs

₹8–15 LPA 

IIITs

₹9–12 LPA 

Private Colleges 

₹3–5 LPA 

2. Medical Salary (Post NEET):

Education Stage 

Expected Salary 

MBBS (Govt)

₹6–12 LPA (After PG/Specialization) 

MBBS (Private)

₹5–10 LPA  (Post PG)

MD/MS (Specialists)

₹15–30 LPA  

General Practice 

₹6–10 LPA

Summery:

Tech giants bring forth higher initial salaries of IITians (at least CSE).

A little more time may need to be spent by doctors (MBBS + PG), but in the long run, their pay capacity can be as high as or even more than it is in the case of engineers, based on specialization and experience.

Read More: IIT vs NIT: Key Differences ,Number of Institutes, Admission, Ranking & Cutoff

Final Thought: JEE vs NEET 

JEE and NEET are the gateways to the most prestigious careers in India, both having their challenges and ample payoff. Mathematical, analytical, and technology-oriented; follow JEE and become an engineer. NEET practices may open the door to a successful career in the medical field to those who are compassionate, biologically-minded, and patient enough to survive a lengthy academic experience.

In terms of salary, the JEE vs NEET salary trends have come out to be that engineers tend to have higher pay early on, whereas doctors tend to match up at a later stage in their careers, particularly after specialization.

FAQs – JEE vs NEET

Q1. Which is tougher: JEE or NEET?                                                                                      Ans. JEE is said to be more difficult in Physics and Maths, whereas NEET is more oriented towards Biology. It is the challenge that depends on the strengths of a student.

Q2. What is the difference between JEE and NEET exam patterns?                                      Ans. Physics, chemistry, and Mathematics are tested in JEE. Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are tested in NEET. Both are objective-type exams, but difference in the type and difficulty of the questions.

Q3. Can a student prepare for both JEE and NEET together?                                          Ans. Yes, but it is tough. With JEE only being Maths-focused and NEET Biology specific, it is a must that the candidate preparing for both exams has good time management and goal clarity.

Q4. What is the average salary after cracking JEE vs NEET?                                            Ans. The mean salary of JEE qualified students (Engineering graduates of IITs/NITs) is 10-25 LPA (Top branches)

NEET- Qualified doctors (MBBS) can earn 6-12 LPA on internship, but senior doctors can earn more than 25 LPA.

Q5. Which offers better long-term career growth: JEE or NEET?

Ans. It is a great opportunity provided by both. IIT engineers may climb up the career ladder and become tech leads, entrepreneurs, or Chief Executive Officers. Upon becoming specialized, Doctors receive a lot of respect and income.

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