Average Salary in Saudi Arabia 2026
Currency: SAR · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Saudi Arabia make?
Average Monthly Salary
10,500 SAR
( 126,000 SAR yearly )
~ 2,800 USD per month ( 33,600 USD yearly )
LOW
2,625 SAR
700 USD
AVERAGE
10,500 SAR
2,800 USD
HIGH
36,750 SAR
9,800 USD
A person working in Saudi Arabia typically earns around 10,500 SAR per month. Salaries range from 2,625 SAR (lowest average) to 36,750 SAR (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 Saudi Arabia
Median and salary distribution monthly Saudi Arabia
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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 (9,240 SAR) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (10,500 SAR) 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)63,000 SAR
- 2–5 Years (Junior)81,900 SAR
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)107,100 SAR
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)126,000 SAR
- 15+ Years (Senior)151,200 SAR
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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 School75,600 SAR
- Certificate88,200 SAR
- Associate100,800 SAR
- Bachelor's126,000 SAR
- Master's151,200 SAR
- PhD176,400 SAR
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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 Saudi Arabia
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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 Saudi Arabia earn 8% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Saudi Arabia
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
9%
Average Raise
19 months
Review Frequency
7%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Saudi Arabia are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 19 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 Saudi Arabia is 7%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Saudi Arabia
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
55%
Received Bonus
45%
No Bonus
55% of surveyed staff in Saudi Arabia 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
- Legal170,100 SAR
- Aviation163,800 SAR
- Information Technology163,800 SAR
- Banking157,500 SAR
- Pharmaceuticals157,500 SAR
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 315,000 SAR | 26,250 SAR |
| Pilot | 252,000 SAR | 21,000 SAR |
| Software Developer | 226,800 SAR | 18,900 SAR |
| Data Scientist | 214,200 SAR | 17,850 SAR |
| Financial Manager | 201,600 SAR | 16,800 SAR |
| Database Administrator | 189,000 SAR | 15,750 SAR |
| Engineer | 176,400 SAR | 14,700 SAR |
| Marketing Manager | 163,800 SAR | 13,650 SAR |
| Project Manager | 157,500 SAR | 13,125 SAR |
| Accountant | 138,600 SAR | 11,550 SAR |
| Hotel Manager | 126,000 SAR | 10,500 SAR |
| Nurse | 113,400 SAR | 9,450 SAR |
| Graphic Designer | 107,100 SAR | 8,925 SAR |
| Chef | 94,500 SAR | 7,875 SAR |
| Teacher | 88,200 SAR | 7,350 SAR |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Riyadh | 144,900 SAR |
| Jeddah | 132,300 SAR |
| Mecca | 132,300 SAR |
| Medina | 132,300 SAR |
| Dammam | 132,300 SAR |
| Khobar | 132,300 SAR |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
9,975 SAR
Private Sector
11,025 SAR
Public Sector
+11%
Public sector employees in Saudi Arabia earn 11% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Saudi Arabia
60 SAR
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Saudi Arabia is 60 SAR. This means that the average person in Saudi Arabia earns approximately 60 SAR for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
1,193 SAR
/month
Food
383 SAR
/month
Transport
143 SAR
/month
Utilities
191 SAR
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Saudi Arabia and explore top-paying jobs.