Salaries and career tools in Malaysia
See what government jobs start on and what people earn by state and sector, check your own pay, work out take-home pay and notice, and use templates for applications and resignations.
Latest news
Official releases on jobs and pay in Malaysia, and what they mean for you.
Malaysia's median formal wage rises 4.8% to RM3,000 in JuneNews · 27 October 2026Median monthly wage RM3,000 in June 2026, up 4.8% on June 2025. Mining and quarrying RM6,722, agriculture RM2,282; Kuala Lumpur RM4,245, Kelantan RM1,827.
Employers in Malaysia have paid 2% EPF for 1,754,460 foreign workersNews · 24 October 202678,129 employers have paid EPF for 1,754,460 non-Malaysian workers since contributions became mandatory in October 2025; 86% of these employers are SMEs.
Malaysia approves RM47.67 million for 19,084 chip training placesNews · 23 October 2026RM47.67 million for 19,084 training places; 22,849 trained by Q3 2026 against a target of 60,000 skilled engineers by 2030.Salaries
What people earn in Malaysia, by state, sector and qualification.
Key figures
Unemployment rate in MalaysiaData · Updated 23 October 20262.9% in August 2026, with 511,600 unemployed. The annual series since 1982, all 16 states, youth rates and underemployment.
Fresh graduate salary in MalaysiaSalary · Updated 20 October 2026Income bands for degree and diploma graduates of 2025 by field of study, public and private universities, and DOSM medians for young graduates.
Graduate unemployment in MalaysiaData · Updated 22 October 20263.2% of graduates were unemployed in 2024, 16.7% of those aged 24 and under. The series since 2020, by age, degree and diploma, and underemployment.Salary guides by job
Starting pay for government jobs in Malaysia, grouped by field.
HealthcareHighest starting basic RM3,130
- DoctorRM3,130
- DentistRM3,020
- PharmacistRM2,910
- DietitianRM2,580
- Environmental health officerRM2,580
- Medical assistantRM2,580
- Occupational therapistRM2,580
- OptometristRM2,580
- PhysiotherapistRM2,580
- PsychologistRM2,470
- NurseRM1,974
- RadiographerRM1,974
- Community nurseRM1,561
EngineeringHighest starting basic RM2,910
- ArchitectRM2,910
- EngineerRM2,690
- Land surveyorRM2,690
- Landscape architectRM2,690
- Quantity surveyorRM2,690
- Town plannerRM2,690
- Assistant engineerRM1,731
Services & SecurityHighest starting basic RM2,250
- Civil defence officerRM2,250
- Customs officerRM2,250
- Border control officerRM1,500
- FirefighterRM1,500
- Immigration officerRM1,500
- Prison officerRM1,500
HR & AdministrationHighest starting basic RM2,470
- Archive officerRM2,470
- LibrarianRM2,470
- Youth and sports officerRM2,250
- Administrative assistantRM1,500
Agriculture & EnvironmentHighest starting basic RM2,910
Compare all schemes Accounting & FinanceHighest starting basic RM3,020
Compare all schemes Science & ResearchHighest starting basic RM2,580
Compare all schemes Technology & DataHighest starting basic RM2,580
Compare all schemes Legal & ComplianceHighest starting basic RM2,580
Compare all schemes Other government jobsHighest starting basic RM2,580
Compare all schemes Calculators
Take-home pay, notice period and overtime, on this year's rules.
MYMalaysia
Salary comparisonYour pay against the government scale, DOSM and court awardsTake-home pay calculatorAfter EPF, SOCSO, EIS and income taxNotice period calculatorEmployment Act minimums and your last dayOvertime pay calculatorOrdinary rate, rest day and holiday payPCB calculatorMonthly tax deduction by LHDN's 2026 formulaJob offer comparison calculatorTwo offers after EPF, SOCSO, EIS and taxAnnual leave calculatorAnnual, sick, maternity and paternity leaveRetrenchment benefit calculatorTermination benefits under the 1980 Regulations
Templates
Resume, cover letter, salary negotiation email and resignation letter.
Resume templateOne page, print to PDFCover letter templateFill in, copy and sendThank you email after interviewSame-day thanks and a follow-upSalary negotiation email templateCounter an offer with the median for your jobJob offer acceptance email templateAccept or decline, terms confirmedLeave application email templateAnnual, sick and emergency leaveSalary increment letter templateAsk for a rise with your resultsResignation letter templateLetter or email, last day worked out