By Sharen Kaur, September 21, 2026
KUALA LUMPUR: Mean monthly salaries and wages among Malaysian citizens rose 4.1 per cent to RM3,803 in 2025, while median wages grew faster by 5.3 per cent to RM2,940, according to the Statistics Department.
The median wage - which better reflects what the typical worker earns - rose from RM2,793 in 2024, pointing to continued improvement in pay levels as the labour market expanded.
The department's Salaries & Wages Survey Report 2025 showed that the number of full-time paid employees receiving monthly salaries and wages rose to 12.01 million from 11.96 million a year earlier.
Malaysian citizens accounted for 10.38 million, or 86.4 per cent, of the total full-time paid employees covered by the survey.
Selangor had the largest share of Malaysian citizen wage recipients at 25.6 per cent, followed by Johor at 13.6 per cent and Sarawak at 7.6 per cent.
Putrajaya recorded the highest mean monthly salaries and wages at RM5,417, followed by Kuala Lumpur at RM4,955 and Selangor at RM4,258.
Only five states and federal territories recorded mean monthly salaries and wages above the national level of RM3,803 (Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor), Penang at RM3,912 and Labuan at RM3,887.
The Statistics Department said the growth in both mean and median monthly salaries and wages reflected improvements in the labour market and workers' incomes.
It said sustained efforts to raise productivity, strengthen skills and create high-value jobs would be crucial to supporting sustainable real wage growth and workers' well-being.
"In line with the aspirations of the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan, developing a competitive and productive workforce, alongside strengthening labour market reforms, is essential to supporting sustainable and inclusive wage growth," it said.
The report showed that the services sector remained the dominant source of wage employment, accounting for 71.5 per cent of wage recipients. The number of wage recipients in the sector rose 1.8 per cent to 7.42 million.
Mining and quarrying workers recorded the highest mean monthly salaries and wages at RM6,175, followed by services at RM3,993, manufacturing at RM3,357, construction at RM3,188 and agriculture at RM2,575.
The figures also highlighted a substantial pay gap across skill levels.
Skilled workers, who accounted for 36.6 per cent of wage recipients, recorded mean monthly salaries and wages of RM5,799, up from RM5,582 in 2024.
Semi-skilled workers made up the largest share of wage recipients at 55.6 per cent, with their mean monthly salaries and wages rising 4.2 per cent to RM2,714.
For low-skilled workers, mean monthly salaries and wages increased 2.6 per cent to RM2,184.
By gender, male Malaysian citizens accounted for 6.08 million, or 58.6 per cent, of citizen paid employees. Their mean monthly salaries and wages rose 4.3 per cent to RM3,921, compared with a 3.9 per cent increase to RM3,635 for female employees.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/business/economy/2026/09/1537489/malaysias-median-wages-rise-53pct-rm2940-2025-putrajaya-tops-pay
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