Malaysia's average salary was RM3,224 per month in 2019, median was RM2,442

Based on the 9.2mn employed persons in Malaysia in 2019, it was found that the mean salary per month was RM3,224, representing an increase of 4.4% over the RM3,087 average salary in 2018. The median salary also went up to RM2,442 in 2019, an increase of 5.8% over the RM2,308 in 2018. 

This was shared in the Salaries & Wages Survey Report, Malaysia, 2019 released by Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). 

According to the findings of the salaries for women and men, the median and mean monthly salaries for male employees have remained higher than those for female employees, except for the median in 2016 that shows the value for male and female staff were the same.

In 2019, the median monthly salaries & wages received by male employees was RM2,477 and female employees RM2,370, increases of 5.8% and 6.4% respectively as compared to 2018. The mean monthly salaries for male employees increased by 4.1% to RM3,304 and female employees increased by 5% to RM3,108 as compared to the previous year.

The growth rate of salaries in Malaysia, including CAGR and salary breakdown for men and women separately, is provided in the diagram below:

Urban vs rural salaries: Urban salaries continued to be much higher than rural salaries - with a median of RM2,565 and a mean of RM3,405 respectively in 2019. In comparison, rural salaries stand at a median of RM1,560 and a mean of RM2,208. The full growth trend for urban and rural salaries is in the diagram below:

Wages by educational qualifications: Those with tertiary education brought home the highest monthly wages in 2019 - median RM 3,901 (up from RM3,648 in 2018) and mean RM4,643 (up from RM 4,553 in 2018). Across the board, for those with other forms of education, i.e. primary, secondary or no formal education, wages did go up year-on-year. Details in the diagram below: 

Details of employed persons in Malaysia: Based on the findings of the survey, the number of recipients of salaries & wages was 9.2mn persons in 2019, rising 5% from 8.8mn persons in 2018. More details in the diagram below:

All images / DOSM

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