Starting salary for new graduates in Japan — by education level
Official monthly starting salaries for fresh university, graduate school, high school and other graduates in Japan. Source: Basic Survey on Wage Structure.
Survey year 2023. Values are monthly base salary (excluding overtime and bonus).
Starting salary by education level
| Education | All | Male | Female | Gender gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior high school | ¥185,400 | ¥186,800 | ¥150,000 | 19.7% |
| High school | ¥186,800 | ¥189,000 | ¥183,200 | 3.1% |
| Specialized school | ¥214,500 | ¥210,800 | ¥217,000 | -2.9% |
| Junior college / College of technology | ¥214,600 | ¥222,800 | ¥211,700 | 5.0% |
| University (bachelor) | ¥237,300 | ¥240,300 | ¥234,300 | 2.5% |
| Graduate school | ¥276,000 | ¥283,200 | ¥260,800 | 7.9% |
Source: Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2023. All industries, all company sizes combined.
Annual estimate (monthly × 12; bonus not included for new graduates)
Junior high school
¥2,224,800
¥185,400/month
High school
¥2,241,600
¥186,800/month
Specialized school
¥2,574,000
¥214,500/month
Junior college / College of technology
¥2,575,200
¥214,600/month
University (bachelor)
¥2,847,600
¥237,300/month
Graduate school
¥3,312,000
¥276,000/month
Annual = monthly × 12. New graduates typically receive no first-year bonus or a smaller one.