Average Salary in Japan 2026
Currency: JPY · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Japan make?
Average Monthly Salary
367,200 JPY
( 4,406,400 JPY yearly )
~ 2,448 USD per month ( 29,376 USD yearly )
LOW
91,800 JPY
612 USD
AVERAGE
367,200 JPY
2,448 USD
HIGH
1,285,200 JPY
8,568 USD
A person working in Japan typically earns around 367,200 JPY per month. Salaries range from 91,800 JPY (lowest average) to 1,285,200 JPY (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in Japan
Median and salary distribution monthly Japan
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What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated.
The median (323,100 JPY) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (367,200 JPY) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers, and can be skewed by extremely high or low salaries.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
- 0–2 Years (Entry Level)2,203,200 JPY
- 2–5 Years (Junior)2,864,100 JPY
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)3,745,500 JPY
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)4,406,400 JPY
- 15+ Years (Senior)5,287,650 JPY
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average +30% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average +31% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by +18% and an additional +20% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
“On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years experience mark.”
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
- High School2,643,900 JPY
- Certificate3,084,450 JPY
- Associate3,525,150 JPY
- Bachelor's4,406,400 JPY
- Master's5,287,650 JPY
- PhD6,168,900 JPY
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High School → Certificate
+17%
Certificate → Bachelor's
+43%
Bachelor's → Master's
+20%
Master's → PhD
+17%
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average +17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn +43% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are +20% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn +17% more than Master's Degree holders on average.
Salary Comparison By Gender
Salary comparison by gender monthly Japan
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Japan earn 11% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Japan
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
6%
Average Raise
20 months
Review Frequency
5%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Japan are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 6% every 20 months.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Japan is 5%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Japan
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
61%
Received Bonus
39%
No Bonus
61% of surveyed staff in Japan reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
9%
of annual salary
Types of Bonuses Considered:
• Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
• Company Performance Bonuses
• Goal-Based Bonuses
• Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
Top 5 Highest Paying Industries
Annual average salaries
- Legal5,948,700 JPY
- Aviation5,728,350 JPY
- Information Technology5,728,350 JPY
- Banking5,508,000 JPY
- Pharmaceuticals5,508,000 JPY
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 11,016,000 JPY | 918,000 JPY |
| Pilot | 8,812,800 JPY | 734,400 JPY |
| Software Developer | 7,931,550 JPY | 660,900 JPY |
| Data Scientist | 7,490,850 JPY | 624,300 JPY |
| Financial Manager | 7,050,300 JPY | 587,550 JPY |
| Database Administrator | 6,609,600 JPY | 550,800 JPY |
| Engineer | 6,168,900 JPY | 514,050 JPY |
| Marketing Manager | 5,728,350 JPY | 477,300 JPY |
| Project Manager | 5,508,000 JPY | 459,000 JPY |
| Accountant | 4,847,100 JPY | 403,950 JPY |
| Hotel Manager | 4,406,400 JPY | 367,200 JPY |
| Nurse | 3,965,700 JPY | 330,450 JPY |
| Graphic Designer | 3,745,500 JPY | 312,150 JPY |
| Chef | 3,304,800 JPY | 275,400 JPY |
| Teacher | 3,084,450 JPY | 257,100 JPY |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Tokyo | 5,067,300 JPY |
| Osaka | 4,626,750 JPY |
| Yokohama | 4,626,750 JPY |
| Nagoya | 4,626,750 JPY |
| Sapporo | 4,626,750 JPY |
| Fukuoka | 4,626,750 JPY |
| Kyoto | 4,626,750 JPY |
| Kobe | 4,626,750 JPY |
| Kawasaki | 4,626,750 JPY |
| Saitama | 4,626,750 JPY |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
348,900 JPY
Private Sector
385,500 JPY
Public Sector
+10%
Public sector employees in Japan earn 10% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Japan
2,100 JPY
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Japan is 2,100 JPY. This means that the average person in Japan earns approximately 2,100 JPY for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Japan
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
43,650 JPY
/month
Food
13,950 JPY
/month
Transport
5,250 JPY
/month
Utilities
7,050 JPY
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Japan and explore top-paying jobs.