Average Salary in Tonga 2026
Currency: TOP · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Tonga make?
Average Monthly Salary
1,194 TOP
( 14,326 TOP yearly )
~ 508 USD per month ( 6,096 USD yearly )
LOW
298 TOP
127 USD
AVERAGE
1,194 TOP
508 USD
HIGH
4,178 TOP
1,778 USD
A person working in Tonga typically earns around 1,194 TOP per month. Salaries range from 298 TOP (lowest average) to 4,178 TOP (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 Tonga
Median and salary distribution monthly Tonga
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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 (1,050 TOP) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (1,194 TOP) 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)7,163 TOP
- 2–5 Years (Junior)9,311 TOP
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)12,178 TOP
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)14,326 TOP
- 15+ Years (Senior)17,190 TOP
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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 School8,596 TOP
- Certificate10,027 TOP
- Associate11,461 TOP
- Bachelor's14,326 TOP
- Master's17,190 TOP
- PhD20,055 TOP
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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 Tonga
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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 Tonga earn 9% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Tonga
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
8%
Average Raise
15 months
Review Frequency
9%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Tonga are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 8% every 15 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 Tonga is 9%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Tonga
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
52%
Received Bonus
48%
No Bonus
52% of surveyed staff in Tonga reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
5%
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
- Legal19,341 TOP
- Aviation18,624 TOP
- Information Technology18,624 TOP
- Banking17,907 TOP
- Pharmaceuticals17,907 TOP
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 35,814 TOP | 2,985 TOP |
| Pilot | 28,651 TOP | 2,388 TOP |
| Software Developer | 25,787 TOP | 2,148 TOP |
| Data Scientist | 24,353 TOP | 2,030 TOP |
| Financial Manager | 22,922 TOP | 1,911 TOP |
| Database Administrator | 21,488 TOP | 1,791 TOP |
| Engineer | 20,055 TOP | 1,671 TOP |
| Marketing Manager | 18,624 TOP | 1,551 TOP |
| Project Manager | 17,907 TOP | 1,492 TOP |
| Accountant | 15,759 TOP | 1,314 TOP |
| Hotel Manager | 14,326 TOP | 1,194 TOP |
| Nurse | 12,892 TOP | 1,074 TOP |
| Graphic Designer | 12,178 TOP | 1,015 TOP |
| Chef | 10,744 TOP | 895 TOP |
| Teacher | 10,027 TOP | 837 TOP |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Nuku'alofa | 16,474 TOP |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
1,135 TOP
Private Sector
1,253 TOP
Public Sector
+10%
Public sector employees in Tonga earn 10% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Tonga
7 TOP
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Tonga is 7 TOP. This means that the average person in Tonga earns approximately 7 TOP for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Tonga
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
113 TOP
/month
Food
35 TOP
/month
Transport
14 TOP
/month
Utilities
19 TOP
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Tonga and explore top-paying jobs.