Average Salary Malaysia 2026
Median monthly salary: RM2,793 · Mean: RM3,652. Full breakdown by occupation, industry and state — sourced from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Median (2024)
RM2,793
Half of workers earn below this
Mean (2024)
RM3,652
Average (inflated by high earners)
Minimum Wage
RM1,700
Effective Aug 2025 (all employers)
YoY Growth
+6.1%
Median wage growth 2023→2024
Salary by Occupation Group (MASCO)
Malaysia Standard Classification of Occupations (MASCO) groups all jobs into 9 major categories. Managers earn nearly 4× more than Elementary workers.
| Occupation Group | Median 2024 | Mean 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Managers | RM5,990 | RM7,121 |
| Professionals | RM5,821 | RM6,524 |
| Technicians & Associate Professionals | RM3,541 | RM4,077 |
| Clerical support workers | RM2,550 | RM2,931 |
| Service & sales workers | — | RM2,561 |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry & fishery workers | RM1,762 | RM2,460 |
| Craft & related trades workers | RM1,959 | RM2,510 |
| Plant & machine-operators | RM1,947 | RM2,404 |
| Elementary occupations | RM1,654 | RM2,128 |
| National average | RM2,793 | RM3,652 |
Source: DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey Report 2024 · Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM)
Quick read: If you're in the top 3 categories (Managers, Professionals, Technicians), you earn above the national median. Moving from Technician (RM3,541) to Professional (RM5,821) means a RM2,280 jump — the biggest career upgrade available.
Salary by Industry / Sector
Industry matters more than role in many cases. A clerk in Finance often out-earns a clerk in Retail. Mining & Finance dominate the top, Agriculture at the bottom.
| Industry / Sector | Median 2024 | Mean 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Mining & quarrying | RM4,450 | RM5,904 |
| Financial & insurance/takaful | RM4,483 | RM4,625 |
| Information & communication | RM4,231 | RM5,288 |
| Real estate activities | RM4,698 | RM5,009 |
| Professional, scientific & technical | RM1,947 | RM2,431 |
| Transportation & storage | RM3,752 | RM4,741 |
| Education | RM3,677 | RM4,670 |
| Human health & social work | RM3,610 | RM4,501 |
| Services (overall) | RM2,894 | RM3,831 |
| Public administration & defence | RM2,643 | RM3,323 |
| Water, sewerage & waste management | RM2,576 | RM3,249 |
| Manufacturing | RM2,490 | RM3,278 |
| Wholesale & retail trade | RM2,490 | RM3,001 |
| Construction | RM2,051 | RM3,035 |
| Accommodation & F&B services | RM1,947 | RM2,648 |
| Electricity, gas & air conditioning | RM1,947 | RM2,737 |
| Administrative & support services | RM1,912 | RM2,540 |
| Agriculture | RM1,698 | RM2,409 |
Source: DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey Report 2024. Sectors ranked by median. Mean values can be inflated by high-earner outliers.
Salary by State (Top 5)
Geography is a salary multiplier. KL-Selangor-Putrajaya is the pay premium cluster. The same job in Sabah or Kelantan can pay 30–40% less.
| State / Territory | Mean Monthly Wage 2024 |
|---|---|
| W.P. Putrajaya | RM5,091 |
| W.P. Kuala Lumpur | RM4,782 |
| Selangor | RM4,052 |
| Pulau Pinang | RM3,934 |
| W.P. Labuan | RM3,812 |
| National average | RM3,652 |
Top 5 states by mean monthly salary. Source: DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey 2024.
Salary by Education Level
The gap between tertiary and secondary education has widened in 2026. Degree holders earn nearly 3× more than those with no formal education.
| Education Level | Median 2024 | Mean 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| No formal education | RM1,559 | RM1,900 |
| Primary | RM1,644 | RM2,128 |
| Secondary | RM2,046 | RM2,684 |
| Tertiary (Diploma/Degree+) | RM4,131 | RM4,962 |
Certificate-level — Degree: mean RM6,114 · Diploma: mean RM3,414 · STPM/cert: mean RM3,355. Source: DOSM 2024.
Calculate Your Take-Home Pay
The numbers above are gross salary (before deductions). Your actual take-home is lower after EPF, SOCSO, EIS, and PCB tax. Use the calculator below to find out what you actually bring home.
Monthly Salary Calculator Malaysia 2026
Calculate your take-home pay after EPF, SOCSO, EIS & PCB deductions
Employer contributes 12% (RM 600.00)
Note: PCB is estimated based on annual income. Actual tax may vary based on reliefs, rebates, and other factors.
Your Salary Breakdown
Gross Salary
RM 5,000.00
Take Home Pay
RM 4,305.25
86.1% of gross salary
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Salary Guides by Specific Role
Deep dives on high-demand roles with career progression, state-by-state pay, and take-home calculations.
Software Engineer
RM4,231 median (Info & Comm)
Data Scientist / Analyst
RM7,000-14,000 (Info & Comm)
Accountant
RM4,483 median (Financial)
Banker / RM
Teller to Premier RM — commission
Doctor
Houseman to Specialist (RM3,700-30,000+)
Nurse (Jururawat)
RM3,610 median — KKM vs swasta
Pharmacist
PRP to Industry (RM2,700-12,000+)
Teacher (Guru)
RM3,677 — DG41 to international school
Lawyer
Pupil to Partner (RM3,500-80,000+)
Pilot
Cadet to Captain (RM4,000-40,000)
E&E Engineer
Penang semiconductor premium
Mechanical Engineer
O&G, HVAC, manufacturing
Civil Engineer
Consultant vs contractor + JKR
Marketing Manager
Digital, brand, growth marketing
HR Manager
HRBP, C&B, Talent Acquisition
Fresh Graduate
Starting pay by course
💡 Minimum Wage Update 2026
Minimum wage raised from RM1,500 to RM1,700 — large employers from Feb 2025, all employers from Aug 2025.
If your current salary is below RM1,700/month for a full-time role, your employer may be in breach of the Minimum Wages Order 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in Malaysia in 2026?
What is the highest paying occupation in Malaysia?
Which industry pays the highest salary in Malaysia?
What is the minimum wage in Malaysia?
Which state in Malaysia pays the highest salary?
How much more do degree holders earn vs diploma holders?
Data Source & Methodology
All figures are from the DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey Report 2024, published by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) in September 2025 covering full-year 2024 data. Sample covers formal-sector employees across all states. Data is released under the Malaysian Government Open Data License (reuse with attribution).