1-2 years of service — average salary in Japan
The average monthly pay (contractual cash earnings) for 1-2 years in Japan is ¥264,000 (2023, MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure, 3,980,660 workers surveyed).
Years of service is not the same as age. Looking for pay by age? Average salary by age →
1-2 years earnings by age
| Age band | Total annual | Male annual | Female annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~19 | ¥2,711,000 | ¥2,734,000 | ¥2,683,000 |
| 20-24 | ¥3,224,000 | ¥3,295,000 | ¥3,155,000 |
| 25-29 | ¥3,541,000 | ¥3,707,000 | ¥3,338,000 |
| 30-34 | ¥3,763,000 | ¥4,047,000 | ¥3,409,000 |
| 35-39 | ¥3,953,000 | ¥4,339,000 | ¥3,421,000 |
| 40-44 | ¥4,019,000 | ¥4,621,000 | ¥3,403,000 |
| 45-49 | ¥4,077,000 | ¥4,751,000 | ¥3,413,000 |
| 50-54 | ¥4,010,000 | ¥4,712,000 | ¥3,301,000 |
| 55-59 | ¥3,984,000 | ¥4,696,000 | ¥3,122,000 |
| 60-64 | ¥3,980,000 | ¥4,259,000 | ¥3,223,000 |
| 65~ | ¥3,026,000 | ¥3,167,000 | ¥2,540,000 |
Chart shows monthly base salary (所定内給与額). Some combinations of age × tenure may not exist (e.g. 30 years tenure at age 30) — these appear as gaps in the line.
Understanding 1-2 years-level workers salary data
1-2 years: average annual salary
1-2 years-level workers earn a weighted-average annual income of ¥3,647,000 (sample: 3,980,660 workers), −28.2% lower than the national average (about ¥1,431,000 less). Figures are estimates derived from a worker-count-weighted average of age-band data.
At what age does pay peak in 1-2 years?
Income peaks in the 45-49 age band at ¥4,077,000 (about 1.3x the entry level). The steepest rise is in the 20-24 band.
1-2 years: male vs female average salary
At ages 30-34, women earn 84.2% of what men earn (82.6% across all ages). A lower figure means a wider gender gap.
1-2 years: how pay changes with age
The age curve is classified as “inverted-U”. Inverted-U is the standard Japanese pattern, peaking before retirement; rising means expertise compounds with experience. About 13.0% of the estimated annual income is bonus (annual special cash earnings).
1-2 years average salary by age and gender
Estimated annual income for 1-2 years by age band (total / male / female):
| Age | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-29 | ¥3,541,000 | ¥3,707,000 | ¥3,338,000 |
| 30-34 | ¥3,763,000 | ¥4,047,000 | ¥3,409,000 |
| 35-39 | ¥3,953,000 | ¥4,339,000 | ¥3,421,000 |
| 40-44 | ¥4,019,000 | ¥4,621,000 | ¥3,403,000 |
| 45-49 | ¥4,077,000 | ¥4,751,000 | ¥3,413,000 |
| 50-54 | ¥4,010,000 | ¥4,712,000 | ¥3,301,000 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average salary for 1-2 years?
- About ¥3,647,000, estimated from the MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2023, weighted-average estimate).
- At what age does income peak for 1-2 years?
- In the 45-49 age band, at an estimated ¥4,077,000.
- How big is the gender pay gap for 1-2 years?
- At ages 30-34, women earn about 84.2% of what men earn.
- What is the average salary for 1-2 years at age 25-29?
- An estimated ¥3,541,000 overall (male ¥3,707,000 / female ¥3,338,000).
- What is the average salary for 1-2 years at age 30-34?
- An estimated ¥3,763,000 overall (male ¥4,047,000 / female ¥3,409,000).
Source: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2023). Estimated from a worker-count-weighted average of 5-year age bands; cells not published due to small samples are excluded.
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