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.