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The median monthly salary and wage reached RM2,940 in 2025, while average pay climbed 4.1% to RM3,803. Mining and quarrying remained the country’s best-paying sector, with mean monthly wages of RM6,175.
Malaysia’s labour market maintained its positive momentum in 2025, with monthly salaries and wages rising for Malaysian citizens across most sectors and skill levels.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s Salaries & Wages Survey Report, Malaysia, 2025, the mean monthly salary and wage for Malaysian citizens increased by 4.1% to RM3,803 in 2025, up from RM3,652 a year earlier.
Median monthly pay, which is the point at which half of workers earn more and half earn less, rose at a faster pace of 5.3%, reaching RM2,940 – up from RM2,793 in 2024.
The findings cover full-time paid employees in the public and private sectors.
More than 12mn wage recipients
The number of people receiving monthly salaries and wages rose to 12.01mn in 2025, compared with 11.96mn in the previous year.
Malaysia citizens accounted for 10.38mn of these employees, representing 86.4% of all full-time paid workers.
The services sector remained the largest employer, accounting for 71.5% of wage recipients. The sector added workers over the year, with the number of recipients increasing by 1.8% to 7.42mn people.
Mining sector continues to lead pay rankings
Mining and quarrying retained its position as Malaysia’s highest-paying sector, with mean monthly salaries and wages of RM6,175.
It was followed by:
- Services: RM3,993
- Manufacturing: RM3,357
- Construction: RM3,188
- Agriculture: RM2,575
The figures highlight the substantial variation in earning potential across industries, particularly between resource-based, higher-skilled roles and lower-paying sectors.
Skilled workers earn more than double low-skilled employees
Skilled employees made up 36.6% of Malaysian citizen wage recipients and recorded the highest mean monthly pay at RM5,799, up from RM5,582 in 2024.
Semi-skilled workers, who formed the largest group at 55.6% of wage recipients, saw average monthly salaries rise by 4.2% to RM2,714, from RM2,604 a year earlier.
Meanwhile, low-skilled workers earned an average of RM2,184 per month, a 2.6% increase from RM2,128 in 2024.
The gap between skilled and low-skilled workers remains pronounced: skilled employees earned, on average, more than 2.5 times as much as those in low-skilled occupations.
Men recorded faster pay growth than women
Male Malaysia citizen wage recipients numbered 6.08mn, accounting for 58.6% of the total.
Their mean monthly salaries and wages increased by 4.3% to RM3,921, compared with RM3,759 in 2024.
For female employees, mean monthly pay grew by 3.9% to RM3,635, up from RM3,499. While both groups recorded salary growth, the data shows men continued to earn more on average.
Putrajaya leads state-level pay
Selangor had the largest share of Malaysia citizen wage recipients, accounting for 25.6% of the national total. Johor followed with 13.6%, while Sarawak accounted for 7.6%.
However, the highest average monthly pay was recorded in Putrajaya, at RM5,417. Kuala Lumpur ranked second at RM4,955, followed by Selangor at RM4,258.
Only five states and federal territories recorded mean monthly salaries above the national average of RM3,803:
- Putrajaya: RM5,417
- Kuala Lumpur: RM4,955
- Selangor: RM4,258
- Penang: RM3,912
- Labuan: RM3,887
READ MORE: Malaysia’s economy powers ahead as exports drive 6% growth in Q2 2026: DOSM
Lead image / DOSM
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