Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Average Salaries in Saudi Arabia 2020
How much money does a person working in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology make in Saudi Arabia?
LOW
11,200
SAR AVERAGE
22,400
SAR HIGH
39,800
SAR
A person working in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology in Saudi Arabia typically earns around 22,400 SAR per month. Salaries range from 11,200 SAR (lowest average) to 39,800 SAR (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Salaries for specific jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Assistant Pharmacist | 13,900 SAR |
| Assistant Pharmacy Director | 25,600 SAR |
| Associate Medical Affairs Director | 36,200 SAR |
| Bioinformatics Scientist | 32,400 SAR |
| Bioinformatics Technician | 14,800 SAR |
| Biological Scientist | 34,300 SAR |
| Biological Technician | 14,600 SAR |
| Biomedical Engineer | 13,700 SAR |
| Biomedical Engineering Director | 26,300 SAR |
| Biostatistician | 21,100 SAR |
| Biotechnologist | 21,000 SAR |
| Biotechnology Lead Data Manager | 15,800 SAR |
| Chemical Process Technician | 15,100 SAR |
| Clinical Consultant | 19,900 SAR |
| Clinical Data Manager | 20,300 SAR |
| Clinical Data Specialist | 18,500 SAR |
| Clinical Operations Manager | 29,900 SAR |
| Clinical Pharmacist | 19,600 SAR |
| Clinical Pharmacy Specialist | 25,600 SAR |
| Clinical Programmer | 10,600 SAR |
| Clinical Project Manager | 18,500 SAR |
| Clinical Research Associate | 17,300 SAR |
| Clinical Research Manager | 30,500 SAR |
| Clinical Study Manager | 24,700 SAR |
| Compliance Specialist | 22,000 SAR |
| Cytology Laboratory Technologist | 16,900 SAR |
| Cytotechnologist | 16,700 SAR |
| GCP Auditor | 17,300 SAR |
| Hospital Pharmacy Technician | 15,300 SAR |
| Manufacturing Engineer | 17,800 SAR |
| Medical Affairs Director | 32,400 SAR |
| Medical Representative | 13,700 SAR |
| Medical Science Liaison | 22,900 SAR |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologist | 34,400 SAR |
| Nuclear Pharmacist | 21,700 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Lead | 38,100 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Operations Excellence Manager | 32,000 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Process Engineer | 18,500 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Production Assistant Manager | 24,000 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Quality Auditor | 23,800 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Assistant | 17,400 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Specialist | 18,400 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Research Associate | 21,000 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Research Scientist | 29,500 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Researcher | 29,600 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing Manager | 23,900 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Sales Manager | 29,500 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | 13,600 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Manager | 31,600 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Team Leader | 23,500 SAR |
| Pharmaceutical Technologist | 16,200 SAR |
| Pharmacist | 20,600 SAR |
| Pharmacy Aide | 13,300 SAR |
| Pharmacy Manager | 28,800 SAR |
| Pharmacy Stock Controller | 12,300 SAR |
| Pharmacy Technician | 12,000 SAR |
| Records Management Coordinator | 11,700 SAR |
| Shift Encapsulator | 12,900 SAR |
| Staff Pharmacist | 19,700 SAR |
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Jobs Salary Distribution in Saudi Arabia
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
Salary Range
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology salaries in Saudi Arabia range from 11,200 SAR per month (minimum average salary) to 39,800 SAR per month (maximum average salary, actual maximum is higher).
Median Salary
The median salary is 20,700 SAR per month, which means that half (50%) of people working in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology are earning less than 20,700 SAR while the other half are earning more than 20,700 SAR. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Percentiles
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of people working in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology are earning less than 14,300 SAR while 75% of them are earning more than 14,300 SAR. Also from the diagram, 75% of people working in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology are earning less than 27,800 SAR while 25% are earning more than 27,800 SAR.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning 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
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
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 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.
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
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 degrees levels across many jobs, 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 cerificate 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 Saudi Arabia costs anywhere from 83,500 Saudi Riyal(s) to 251,000 Saudi Riyal(s) and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you 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 into 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 your situation and experience among many other factors. Putting all variables aside, if you can afford the costs of higher education then the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Salary Comparison By Gender
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Saudi Arabia who work in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology earn 9% more than their female counterparts on average.
| Male | 23,200 SAR | |
| Female | -8% | 21,400 SAR |
Salary Comparison By Gender in Saudi Arabia for all Careers
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Saudi Arabia
How much are annual salary increments in Saudi Arabia for Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology professionals? How often do employees get salary raises?
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology professionals in Saudi Arabia are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 16 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 17 months.
Saudi Arabia / All Professions
The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely 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
Annual Increment Rate By Industry 2019
| Banking | 2% | |
| Energy | 4% | |
| Information Technology | 6% | |
| Healthcare | 8% | |
| Travel | 1% | |
| Construction | 3% | |
| Education | 5% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in Saudi Arabia for the year 2019. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Bonus and Incentive Rates in Saudi Arabia
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology is considered to be a moderate bonus-based field due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
52% of surveyed staff in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 48% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 4% to 5% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 48% | |
| No Bonus | 52% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, 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 BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese 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 Generators | Supporting 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: | Example: |
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.
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.
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Hourly Average Wage in Saudi Arabia
130 SAR per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Saudi Arabia is 130 SAR. This means that the average person in Saudi Arabia earns approximately 130 SAR for every worked hour.
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 fix 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.
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology VS Other Jobs
The average salary for Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology is 34% more than that of All Jobs.
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Abha | 21,300 SAR |
| Dammam | 22,100 SAR |
| Jeddah | 23,300 SAR |
| Khubar | 21,800 SAR |
| Mecca | 22,900 SAR |
| Medina | 22,500 SAR |
| Riyadh | 23,700 SAR |
| Tabuk | 20,400 SAR |
| Taif | 20,800 SAR |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in Saudi Arabia earn 7% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
| Private Sector | 16,000 SAR | |
| Public Sector | +7% | 17,200 SAR |
