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 | JP¥ 185.400 | JP¥ 186.800 | JP¥ 150.000 | 19.7% |
| High school | JP¥ 186.800 | JP¥ 189.000 | JP¥ 183.200 | 3.1% |
| Specialized school | JP¥ 214.500 | JP¥ 210.800 | JP¥ 217.000 | -2.9% |
| Junior college / College of technology | JP¥ 214.600 | JP¥ 222.800 | JP¥ 211.700 | 5.0% |
| University (bachelor) | JP¥ 237.300 | JP¥ 240.300 | JP¥ 234.300 | 2.5% |
| Graduate school | JP¥ 276.000 | JP¥ 283.200 | JP¥ 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
JP¥ 2.224.800
JP¥ 185.400/month
High school
JP¥ 2.241.600
JP¥ 186.800/month
Specialized school
JP¥ 2.574.000
JP¥ 214.500/month
Junior college / College of technology
JP¥ 2.575.200
JP¥ 214.600/month
University (bachelor)
JP¥ 2.847.600
JP¥ 237.300/month
Graduate school
JP¥ 3.312.000
JP¥ 276.000/month
Annual = monthly × 12. New graduates typically receive no first-year bonus or a smaller one.