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Engineering Average Salaries in Japan 2024

How much money does a person working in Engineering make in Japan?


Average Monthly Salary
436,000 JPY
( 5,240,000 JPY yearly)

LOW
138,000
JPY
AVERAGE
436,000
JPY
HIGH
919,000
JPY
All salary figures displayed here are per month except when noted otherwise.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

A person working in Engineering in Japan typically earns around 436,000 JPY. Salaries range from 138,000 JPY (lowest average) to 919,000 JPY (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).


Salary Variance

The provided figure represents the median compensation that encompasses housing, transportation, and other perks. The salaries within the Engineering domain in Japan exhibit significant discrepancies across various professions. In case you seek information about the remuneration of a specific position, please refer to the salaries listed below for respective job titles.

Salaries for specific jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Engineering
3D Printing Engineer431,000 JPY
Acoustics Engineer435,000 JPY
Assembly Engineering Technician372,000 JPY
Assistant Chief Engineer543,000 JPY
Associate Engineer427,000 JPY
AutoCAD Drafter281,000 JPY
Autocad Operator302,000 JPY
Automation Engineer492,000 JPY
Automation Engineer499,000 JPY
Avionic System Support Engineer453,000 JPY
Biochemical Engineer425,000 JPY
BMS Engineer428,000 JPY
Bridge and Lock Tender252,000 JPY
Broadcast Engineer468,000 JPY
CAD Design Engineer498,000 JPY
CAD Designer304,000 JPY
CAE Engineer443,000 JPY
Ceramics Engineer447,000 JPY
Chemical Engineer462,000 JPY
Civil Drafter290,000 JPY
Civil Engineer508,000 JPY
Civil Site Engineer469,000 JPY
Civil Technician279,000 JPY
Cognitive Engineer419,000 JPY
Commissioning Engineer460,000 JPY
Communications Engineer520,000 JPY
Condition Monitoring Engineer419,000 JPY
Contract Associate Engineer433,000 JPY
Contract Engineer436,000 JPY
Control Systems Engineer484,000 JPY
Controls Engineer458,000 JPY
Controls Software Engineer396,000 JPY
Corrosion Engineer441,000 JPY
Design Engineer508,000 JPY
Director of Engineering940,000 JPY
Drafter308,000 JPY
Drafting Manager570,000 JPY
Drilling Engineer440,000 JPY
Drilling Foreman139,000 JPY
Electrical Draughtsman235,000 JPY
Electrical Engineer501,000 JPY
Electrical Engineering Manager660,000 JPY
Electromechanical Engineering Technologist518,000 JPY
Electromechanical Equipment Assembler255,000 JPY
Energy Engineer476,000 JPY
Engine Assembler216,000 JPY
Engineer489,000 JPY
Engineering Account Manager521,000 JPY
Engineering Chief Designer535,000 JPY
Engineering Consultant660,000 JPY
Engineering Key Account Manager700,000 JPY
Engineering Lab Technician432,000 JPY
Engineering Manager669,000 JPY
Engineering Planning Manager690,000 JPY
Engineering Production Manager873,000 JPY
Engineering Project Analyst544,000 JPY
Engineering Project Coordinator 555,000 JPY
Engineering Project Director991,000 JPY
Engineering Project Leader598,000 JPY
Engineering Project Manager681,000 JPY
Engineering Research and Development Manager774,000 JPY
Engineering Safety Coordinator363,000 JPY
Engineering Sales Manager632,000 JPY
Engineering Technician378,000 JPY
Engineering Technologist381,000 JPY
Environmental Engineer457,000 JPY
Equipment Engineer428,000 JPY
Equipment Engineering Manager623,000 JPY
Estimator420,000 JPY
Fabrication Specialist339,000 JPY
Fabricator219,000 JPY
Facade Engineer440,000 JPY
Fiber Analyst270,000 JPY
Field Engineer494,000 JPY
Field Engineering Manager810,000 JPY
Fire Engineer478,000 JPY
Fitter and Turner154,000 JPY
Forestry Strategic Planner573,000 JPY
Generation Engineer491,000 JPY
Genetic Engineer534,000 JPY
Geological Engineer465,000 JPY
Geotechnical Engineer514,000 JPY
Heavy Equipment Mechanic248,000 JPY
Highway Engineer484,000 JPY
HSE Professional440,000 JPY
Human Machine Interface Engineer408,000 JPY
HVAC Engineer521,000 JPY
HVAC Supervisor419,000 JPY
Industrial Engineer474,000 JPY
Industrial Engineering Technologist454,000 JPY
Instrument Engineer468,000 JPY
Instrument Technician265,000 JPY
Instrumentation and Control Engineer480,000 JPY
Instrumentation Designer413,000 JPY
Instrumentation Engineer455,000 JPY
Instrumentation Manager486,000 JPY
Irrigation Engineer482,000 JPY
Licensed Aircraft Engineer510,000 JPY
Locomotive Engineer463,000 JPY
Maintenance Engineer424,000 JPY
Maintenance Fitter173,000 JPY
Maintenance Manager473,000 JPY
Manufacturing Engineer438,000 JPY
Marine Engineer461,000 JPY
Materials Engineer452,000 JPY
Materials Researcher455,000 JPY
Materials Technician346,000 JPY
Mechanical and Electrical Engineer501,000 JPY
Mechanical Design Engineer501,000 JPY
Mechanical Designer409,000 JPY
Mechanical Engineer495,000 JPY
Mechanical Engineering Manager657,000 JPY
Mechanical Inspector475,000 JPY
Mechatronics Engineer528,000 JPY
Mining Engineer484,000 JPY
Nanotechnology Engineer511,000 JPY
Natural Language Processing Engineer537,000 JPY
Oil and Petrochemical Engineer518,000 JPY
Optical Engineer472,000 JPY
Optical Instrument Assembler248,000 JPY
PCB Assembler169,000 JPY
Photonics Engineer499,000 JPY
Photonics Technician410,000 JPY
Pipeline Engineer431,000 JPY
Piping Designer257,000 JPY
Piping Engineer437,000 JPY
Planning Engineer488,000 JPY
Pressure Vessel Inspector218,000 JPY
Principal Cost Engineer489,000 JPY
Principal Engineer480,000 JPY
Principal Support Engineer483,000 JPY
Process Engineer473,000 JPY
Process Operator291,000 JPY
Product Development Engineer500,000 JPY
Product Development Technician351,000 JPY
Product Engineer504,000 JPY
Product Safety Engineer460,000 JPY
Production Engineer480,000 JPY
Project Engineer516,000 JPY
Proposal Manager618,000 JPY
Purchasing Engineer427,000 JPY
Quality Assurance Engineer486,000 JPY
Rail Engineer497,000 JPY
Regional Field Engineer530,000 JPY
Remote Sensing Engineer485,000 JPY
Robotics Engineer562,000 JPY
Robotics Technician371,000 JPY
Safety Engineer449,000 JPY
Safety Inspector368,000 JPY
Safety Manager536,000 JPY
Safety Officer248,000 JPY
Sales Engineer510,000 JPY
Scheduling Engineer442,000 JPY
Security Engineer497,000 JPY
Service Engineer481,000 JPY
Smart Home Engineer502,000 JPY
Solar Engineer512,000 JPY
Staff Engineer470,000 JPY
Static Equipment Engineer440,000 JPY
Stationary Engineer441,000 JPY
Stress Engineer441,000 JPY
Structural Analysis Engineer469,000 JPY
Structural Designer407,000 JPY
Structural Engineer472,000 JPY
Structural Technician311,000 JPY
Subsea Engineer605,000 JPY
Supply Chain Specialist473,000 JPY
Surveyor342,000 JPY
Technical Affairs Officer249,000 JPY
Technical Assistant230,000 JPY
Technical Engineer425,000 JPY
Technical Support Engineer419,000 JPY
Tender Engineer435,000 JPY
Test Development Engineer462,000 JPY
Test Engineer443,000 JPY
Transportation Engineer430,000 JPY
Urban Engineer461,000 JPY
Validation Engineer444,000 JPY
Verification Engineer431,000 JPY
Wastewater Engineer469,000 JPY
Wind Energy Engineer461,000 JPY
Wind Energy Operations Manager607,000 JPY
Wireless Engineer541,000 JPY
Work Planner333,000 JPY


Engineering Jobs Pay Scale and Salaries in Japan

Median and salary distribution Japan Engineering monthly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
450,000 JPY or more
10% of people earn
372,000 to 450,000 JPY
20% of people earn
200,000 JPY or less
65% of people earn
200,000 to 372,000 JPY
Minimum Salary
138,000 JPY
Median
392,000 JPY
Maximum
919,000 JPY




Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range

All salary figures displayed here are per month except when noted otherwise.
  • Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary

    Salaries in Engineering in Japan range from 138,000 JPY (starting average salary) to 919,000 JPY (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher). To clarify, the number presented is not the legally mandated minimum wage. Rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that involved thousands of participants and professionals from across the entire country.

  • Median Salary

    The median income in the field of Engineering is 392,000 JPY, implying that half of the workforce in Japan earns less than this figure, and the other half earns more. It represents the central value of salaries. As a rule of thumb, you would prefer to be part of the group earning above the median wage, situated on the right-hand side of the salary distribution chart.

  • Percentiles and Salary Scale

    Two values that are highly correlated with the median are the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution diagram, it is possible to determine that 25% of individuals employed in Engineering in Japan earn less than 293,000 JPY, while 75% of them earn more. Additionally, the diagram reveals that 75% of individuals earn less than 485,000 JPY, while 25% earn more than that.

  • Pay Scale Structure

    Data was regrouped into brackets to provide a better understanding of what salaries can be expected. This approach was deemed more accurate than relying solely on the average salary, as it offers greater insights into the distribution of salaries in the field of Engineering in Japan. The analysis revealed that roughly 65% of all reported salaries fell within the range of 200,000 JPY to 372,000 JPY. Approximately 20% of salaries were below the 200,000 JPY mark, while 10% ranged from 372,000 JPY to 450,000 JPY. Only 5% of individuals earned a gross salary of 450,000 JPY or higher.

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience

How does a person's salary progress over time?

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage.

Generally speaking, employees in Engineering in Japan having experience from two to five years earn on average 32% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.

Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average 36% more than those with five years or less of work experience.

As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.

Those figures are presented as guidelines only. The numbers become more significant if you consider one job title at a time.


Change in salary based on experience varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of many different jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.
On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark.
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.


Salary Comparison By Education

How does the education level affect your salary?

Salary Comparison By Education
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Change in salary based on education varies drastically from one location to another and depends hugely on the career field as well. The data displayed here is the combined average of multiple jobs. To view accurate figures, choose a specific job title.

It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income?

We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degree levels across many jobs in Engineering in Japan, below are our findings.

Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average 17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.

Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn 24% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.

Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.

Finally, PhD holders earn 23% more than Master's Degree holders on average while doing the same job.


Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?

A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in Japan costs anywhere from 2,580,000 JPY to 7,750,000 JPY and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.

Employees can't expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming they already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.

Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support this tactic. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

The decision really depends on the situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if a person can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. Degree costs can be recovered roughly in a year or so.



Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Engineering / Japan

Salary comparison by gender Japan Engineering monthly
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? In the field of Engineering in Japan, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 5%.

Male
446,000 JPY
Female-4%
426,000 JPY
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Comparison By Gender in Japan for all Careers

Salary comparison by gender monthly Japan
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Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Engineering / Japan

How much are annual salary increments in Japan for individuals working in Engineering? How often do employees get salary raises?

Professionals working in Engineering in Japan are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 15 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 16 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate Japan Engineering
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The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.

Japan / All Professions

Annual Salary Increment Rate Japan
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The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.

How to calculate the salary increment percentage?

The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency

The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Japan is 6%.

Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs

World Average Annual Salary Increment
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Salary Packages and Schemes

Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.

Bonus and Incentive Rates / Engineering / Japan

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate Japan Engineering
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45% of surveyed staff in Engineering reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 55% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 6% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
55%
No Bonus
45%

Types of Bonuses Considered

Individual Performance-Based Bonuses

The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.

Company Performance Bonuses

Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.

Goal-Based Bonuses

Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.

Holiday / End of Year Bonuses

These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.

Bonuses Are Not Commissions!

People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.


What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?

The main two types of jobs

Revenue GeneratorsSupporting Cast

Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business.

Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations.

Example:
A graphics designer working for a graphics designing company.

Example:
A graphic designer in the marketing department of a hospital.


Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.

Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.

Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level

Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.

Hourly Average Wage / Engineering / Japan


2,520 JPY per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Engineering in Japan is 2,520 JPY.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.


Hourly Wage = Annual Salary / ( 52 x 5 x 8 )

About The Hourly Pay Rate

The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.

What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?

The minimum pay rate per hour for people working in Engineering in Japan is 800 JPY. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Fukuoka446,000 JPY
Hiroshima403,000 JPY
Kawasaki420,000 JPY
Kobe436,000 JPY
Kyoto428,000 JPY
Nagoya462,000 JPY
Osaka470,000 JPY
Saitama412,000 JPY
Sapporo454,000 JPY
Sendai395,000 JPY
Tokyo487,000 JPY
Yokohama479,000 JPY

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in Japan is 4% on average across all career fields.

Private Sector
506,000 JPY
Public Sector+4%
527,000 JPY
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide

What is considered to be a good and competitive salary in Engineering in Japan?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 392,000 JPY and 485,000 JPY. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.

Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)

All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

Base / Basic Salary

The base salary for jobs in Engineering in Japan ranges from 138,000 JPY to 293,000 JPY. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.


What is the difference between the median and the average salary?

Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary


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