Average Salary in South Korea 2026
Currency: KRW · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in South Korea make?
Average Monthly Salary
3,431,700 KRW
( 41,180,400 KRW yearly )
~ 2,542 USD per month ( 30,504 USD yearly )
LOW
858,600 KRW
636 USD
AVERAGE
3,431,700 KRW
2,542 USD
HIGH
12,010,950 KRW
8,897 USD
A person working in South Korea typically earns around 3,431,700 KRW per month. Salaries range from 858,600 KRW (lowest average) to 12,010,950 KRW (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 South Korea
Median and salary distribution monthly South Korea
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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 (3,019,950 KRW) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (3,431,700 KRW) 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)20,590,200 KRW
- 2–5 Years (Junior)26,767,800 KRW
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)35,002,800 KRW
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)41,180,400 KRW
- 15+ Years (Senior)49,416,750 KRW
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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 School24,707,700 KRW
- Certificate28,826,550 KRW
- Associate32,944,050 KRW
- Bachelor's41,180,400 KRW
- Master's49,416,750 KRW
- PhD57,653,100 KRW
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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 South Korea
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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 South Korea earn 7% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in South Korea
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
9%
Average Raise
14 months
Review Frequency
8%
Annualized Increase
Employees in South Korea are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 14 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 South Korea is 8%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in South Korea
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
60%
Received Bonus
40%
No Bonus
60% of surveyed staff in South Korea reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
7%
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
- Legal55,593,000 KRW
- Aviation53,534,250 KRW
- Information Technology53,534,250 KRW
- Banking51,475,500 KRW
- Pharmaceuticals51,475,500 KRW
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 102,951,000 KRW | 8,579,250 KRW |
| Pilot | 82,360,800 KRW | 6,863,400 KRW |
| Software Developer | 74,124,450 KRW | 6,177,600 KRW |
| Data Scientist | 70,006,950 KRW | 5,833,350 KRW |
| Financial Manager | 65,888,100 KRW | 5,490,450 KRW |
| Database Administrator | 61,770,600 KRW | 5,147,550 KRW |
| Engineer | 57,653,100 KRW | 4,804,650 KRW |
| Marketing Manager | 53,534,250 KRW | 4,461,750 KRW |
| Project Manager | 51,475,500 KRW | 4,290,300 KRW |
| Accountant | 45,297,900 KRW | 3,774,600 KRW |
| Hotel Manager | 41,180,400 KRW | 3,431,700 KRW |
| Nurse | 37,062,900 KRW | 3,088,800 KRW |
| Graphic Designer | 35,002,800 KRW | 2,917,350 KRW |
| Chef | 30,885,300 KRW | 2,574,450 KRW |
| Teacher | 28,826,550 KRW | 2,401,650 KRW |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Seoul | 47,358,000 KRW |
| Busan | 43,239,150 KRW |
| Incheon | 43,239,150 KRW |
| Daegu | 43,239,150 KRW |
| Daejeon | 43,239,150 KRW |
| Gwangju | 43,239,150 KRW |
| Suwon | 43,239,150 KRW |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
3,260,250 KRW
Private Sector
3,603,150 KRW
Public Sector
+11%
Public sector employees in South Korea earn 11% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in South Korea
20,250 KRW
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in South Korea is 20,250 KRW. This means that the average person in South Korea earns approximately 20,250 KRW for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in South Korea
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
486,000 KRW
/month
Food
155,250 KRW
/month
Transport
58,050 KRW
/month
Utilities
78,300 KRW
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in South Korea and explore top-paying jobs.