Average Salary in Samoa 2026
Currency: WST · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Samoa make?
Average Monthly Salary
1,394 WST
( 16,731 WST yearly )
~ 507 USD per month ( 6,084 USD yearly )
LOW
349 WST
127 USD
AVERAGE
1,394 WST
507 USD
HIGH
4,881 WST
1,775 USD
A person working in Samoa typically earns around 1,394 WST per month. Salaries range from 349 WST (lowest average) to 4,881 WST (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 Samoa
Median and salary distribution monthly Samoa
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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 (1,227 WST) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (1,394 WST) 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)8,366 WST
- 2–5 Years (Junior)10,876 WST
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)14,220 WST
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)16,731 WST
- 15+ Years (Senior)20,078 WST
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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 School10,038 WST
- Certificate11,712 WST
- Associate13,384 WST
- Bachelor's16,731 WST
- Master's20,078 WST
- PhD23,425 WST
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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 Samoa
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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 Samoa earn 11% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Samoa
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
11%
Average Raise
16 months
Review Frequency
7%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Samoa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 11% 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 Samoa is 7%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Samoa
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
54%
Received Bonus
46%
No Bonus
54% of surveyed staff in Samoa reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
8%
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
- Legal22,586 WST
- Aviation21,750 WST
- Information Technology21,750 WST
- Banking20,914 WST
- Pharmaceuticals20,914 WST
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 41,828 WST | 3,487 WST |
| Pilot | 33,462 WST | 2,789 WST |
| Software Developer | 30,115 WST | 2,511 WST |
| Data Scientist | 28,443 WST | 2,371 WST |
| Financial Manager | 26,769 WST | 2,230 WST |
| Database Administrator | 25,097 WST | 2,093 WST |
| Engineer | 23,425 WST | 1,953 WST |
| Marketing Manager | 21,750 WST | 1,812 WST |
| Project Manager | 20,914 WST | 1,744 WST |
| Accountant | 18,403 WST | 1,535 WST |
| Hotel Manager | 16,731 WST | 1,394 WST |
| Nurse | 15,059 WST | 1,254 WST |
| Graphic Designer | 14,220 WST | 1,185 WST |
| Chef | 12,548 WST | 1,045 WST |
| Teacher | 11,712 WST | 976 WST |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Apia | 19,242 WST |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
1,326 WST
Private Sector
1,463 WST
Public Sector
+10%
Public sector employees in Samoa earn 10% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Samoa
8 WST
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Samoa is 8 WST. This means that the average person in Samoa earns approximately 8 WST for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Samoa
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
140 WST
/month
Food
44 WST
/month
Transport
17 WST
/month
Utilities
22 WST
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Samoa and explore top-paying jobs.