Average Salary in Lesotho 2026

Currency: LSL · Updated for 2026

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How much money does a person working in Lesotho make?

Average Monthly Salary

5,114 LSL

( 61,370 LSL yearly )

~ 281 USD per month ( 3,372 USD yearly )

LOW

1,529 LSL

84 USD

AVERAGE

5,114 LSL

281 USD

HIGH

15,343 LSL

843 USD

A person working in Lesotho typically earns around 5,114 LSL per month. Salaries range from 1,529 LSL (lowest average) to 15,343 LSL (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 Lesotho

Median and salary distribution monthly Lesotho

1,529 LSL
Minimum
3,076 LSL
25th
4,605 LSL
Median
5,114 LSL
Average
6,643 LSL
75th
15,343 LSL
Maximum

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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 (4,605 LSL) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (5,114 LSL) 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?

  1. 0–2 Years (Entry Level)30,685 LSL
  2. 2–5 Years (Junior)39,894 LSL
  3. 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)52,161 LSL
  4. 10–15 Years (Experienced)61,370 LSL
  5. 15+ Years (Senior)73,637 LSL

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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?

  1. High School36,819 LSL
  2. Certificate42,952 LSL
  3. Associate49,104 LSL
  4. Bachelor's61,370 LSL
  5. Master's73,637 LSL
  6. PhD85,922 LSL

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High SchoolCertificate

+17%

CertificateBachelor's

+43%

Bachelor'sMaster's

+20%

Master'sPhD

+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 Lesotho

61,370 LSL
Male+14%
52,780 LSL
Female-14%

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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 Lesotho earn 14% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.

Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Lesotho

How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?

12%

Average Raise

16 months

Review Frequency

5%

Annualized Increase

Employees in Lesotho are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% every 16 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 Lesotho is 5%.

Bonus and Incentive Rates in Lesotho

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?

61%

Received Bonus

39%

No Bonus

61% of surveyed staff in Lesotho 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

Finance: HighSales: HighInformation Technology: High

Top 5 Highest Paying Industries

Annual average salaries

  1. Legal82,846 LSL
  2. Aviation79,789 LSL
  3. Information Technology79,789 LSL
  4. Banking76,713 LSL
  5. Pharmaceuticals76,713 LSL

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Salaries for Popular Jobs

Sample job titles and their average salaries

Job TitleAnnual SalaryMonthly Salary
Surgeon153,426 LSL12,795 LSL
Pilot122,741 LSL10,228 LSL
Software Developer110,474 LSL9,209 LSL
Data Scientist104,322 LSL8,700 LSL
Financial Manager98,189 LSL8,190 LSL
Database Administrator92,056 LSL7,680 LSL
Engineer85,922 LSL7,153 LSL
Marketing Manager79,789 LSL6,643 LSL
Project Manager76,713 LSL6,388 LSL
Accountant67,504 LSL5,624 LSL
Hotel Manager61,370 LSL5,114 LSL
Nurse55,237 LSL4,605 LSL
Graphic Designer52,161 LSL4,350 LSL
Chef46,028 LSL3,840 LSL
Teacher42,952 LSL3,585 LSL

Salary Comparison By City

Average annual salaries by city

CityAverage Salary
Maseru70,580 LSL

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more?

4,859 LSL

Private Sector

5,369 LSL

Public Sector

+10%

Public sector employees in Lesotho earn 10% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.

Average Hourly Wage in Lesotho

36 LSL

per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Lesotho is 36 LSL. This means that the average person in Lesotho earns approximately 36 LSL for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)

Cost of Living in Lesotho

Estimated monthly expenses

Rent

364 LSL

/month

Food

109 LSL

/month

Transport

36 LSL

/month

Utilities

55 LSL

/month

Compare Your Salary

See how your salary compares with the average in Lesotho and explore top-paying jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary in Lesotho?
The average salary in Lesotho is approximately 61,370 LSL per year, or 5,114 LSL per month before taxes. Salaries range from 1,529 LSL (minimum) to 15,343 LSL (maximum).
What is the difference between median and average salary?
The median salary (4,605 LSL) is the middle value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (5,114 LSL) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers. If your salary is higher than both, you are doing very well. If lower than both, there is room for improvement.
Which careers pay the most in Lesotho?
The highest paying industries in Lesotho include Legal, Aviation, Information Technology. View all top jobs →
How is this salary data calculated?
Average gross monthly salary data from the Economic Research Institute (ERI) and SalaryExpert. Figures are estimates and may vary based on experience, location, industry, and other factors. Local currency conversions use market exchange rates.

Salary data on this page is based on research from the Economic Research Institute (ERI) and SalaryExpert. Figures are estimates and may vary based on experience, location, industry, and other factors.