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.