Pay is lower for entry-level, but good hikes for laterals - Software Engineer Cognizant Employee Review

5.0
May 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

for entry level it pays less but those who are lateral they get good hikes

Cons

sometimes you won't be able to work based on your skills it totally depends on project

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Cognizant Response
1w
Thank you for taking out your time to submit a review and share your experience. We appreciate you highlighting the balance in pay practices between entry level roles and lateral hires, as well as sharing how project exposure has shaped your journey. We also understand your concern about work not always aligning with your skills due to project requirements. We are consistently reviewing our pay structures to remain competitive and fair. We also want our employees to have the best experience at work, which is why we run regular surveys where associates can share feedback on project alignment, growth opportunities and overall support. These insights are reviewed seriously and help guide improvements. Your feedback helps highlight where better alignment and transparency can make a real difference.

Explore other reviews about Cognizant

5.0
Mar 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible work timing, work from home, best Team

Cons

Less hike, compensation, no bonus

1.0
Jun 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

A potential inroad into large client companies (Leave Cognizant ASAP) You aren't unemployed.

Cons

It's a body shop. Clients will view you accordingly. Contractors cannot be trusted with most tasks. You must be siloed (No room for growth) so you don't break anything. Your actual job is to fulfill gaps in the client's grunt work even if out of scope. If you don't, the hammer falls from client and Cognizant. Wages well below industry standards. 1% annual raises only exist because legally they must exist. Takes full advantage of H-1B slave system, where employees' families and homes will be thrown into a furnace if you aren't keeping Cognizant happy no matter what. Employees are complacent in their slavery. Management is just happy to get their extra crumbs and will reinforce the bad culture. C-suite is opaque. If you are familiar with India's caste system you will understand how "lessers" are treated. This also happens in a literal sense, you aren't totally safe just because you are the favored skin tone. Takes full advantage of modern white collar culture. "Your racist actions aren't actually racist if you aren't Caucasian." Expect the uphill battle to be even more steep if you're not Southeast Asian. You will hunt for your own work most of the time. Cognizant is not helpful in any regard. They exist to skim off the top and nothing else.

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