Average Salary in Uganda 2026
Currency: UGX · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Uganda make?
Average Monthly Salary
1,632,400 UGX
( 19,588,800 UGX yearly )
~ 424 USD per month ( 5,088 USD yearly )
LOW
488,950 UGX
127 USD
AVERAGE
1,632,400 UGX
424 USD
HIGH
4,897,200 UGX
1,272 USD
A person working in Uganda typically earns around 1,632,400 UGX per month. Salaries range from 488,950 UGX (lowest average) to 4,897,200 UGX (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 Uganda
Median and salary distribution monthly Uganda
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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 (1,470,700 UGX) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (1,632,400 UGX) 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)9,794,400 UGX
- 2–5 Years (Junior)12,731,950 UGX
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)16,651,250 UGX
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)19,588,800 UGX
- 15+ Years (Senior)23,508,100 UGX
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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 School11,754,050 UGX
- Certificate13,713,700 UGX
- Associate15,669,500 UGX
- Bachelor's19,588,800 UGX
- Master's23,508,100 UGX
- PhD27,423,550 UGX
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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 Uganda
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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 Uganda earn 14% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Uganda
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
10%
Average Raise
20 months
Review Frequency
5%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Uganda are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 10% every 20 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 Uganda is 5%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Uganda
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
43%
Received Bonus
57%
No Bonus
43% of surveyed staff in Uganda reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
4%
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
- Legal26,445,650 UGX
- Aviation25,463,900 UGX
- Information Technology25,463,900 UGX
- Banking24,486,000 UGX
- Pharmaceuticals24,486,000 UGX
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 48,972,000 UGX | 4,081,000 UGX |
| Pilot | 39,177,600 UGX | 3,264,800 UGX |
| Software Developer | 35,258,300 UGX | 2,937,550 UGX |
| Data Scientist | 33,302,500 UGX | 2,775,850 UGX |
| Financial Manager | 31,342,850 UGX | 2,610,300 UGX |
| Database Administrator | 29,383,200 UGX | 2,448,600 UGX |
| Engineer | 27,423,550 UGX | 2,286,900 UGX |
| Marketing Manager | 25,463,900 UGX | 2,121,350 UGX |
| Project Manager | 24,486,000 UGX | 2,040,500 UGX |
| Accountant | 21,548,450 UGX | 1,794,100 UGX |
| Hotel Manager | 19,588,800 UGX | 1,632,400 UGX |
| Nurse | 17,629,150 UGX | 1,470,700 UGX |
| Graphic Designer | 16,651,250 UGX | 1,386,000 UGX |
| Chef | 14,691,600 UGX | 1,224,300 UGX |
| Teacher | 13,713,700 UGX | 1,143,450 UGX |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Kampala | 22,526,350 UGX |
| Gulu | 20,566,700 UGX |
| Mbale | 20,566,700 UGX |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
1,551,550 UGX
Private Sector
1,713,250 UGX
Public Sector
+10%
Public sector employees in Uganda earn 10% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Uganda
7,700 UGX
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Uganda is 7,700 UGX. This means that the average person in Uganda earns approximately 7,700 UGX for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Uganda
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
111,650 UGX
/month
Food
34,650 UGX
/month
Transport
11,550 UGX
/month
Utilities
19,250 UGX
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Uganda and explore top-paying jobs.