The average monthly salary for Malaysian employees in 2022 was RM3,332, showing a steady rise from RM2,590 in 2015.
This reflected an average annual growth rate of 3.7% over the seven-year period.
The figures were released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) on June 19 in its 2023 Economic Census Employment and Salary Report.
Employment by region and sector
According to Sin Chew Daily, in terms of total salary payouts by state, Selangor led the way in 2022 with RM106 billion, followed by the Federal Territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan) at RM78.4 billion, and Johor in third with RM39.3 billion.
Together, these three states accounted for 62.6% of Malaysia’s total wage distribution.
The report noted that the number of employed persons in business establishments reached 10 million in 2022, compared to 8.9 million in 2015, reflecting a 1.8% annual growth rate.
Selangor again topped the chart with 2.7 million employed people, making up 26.8% of the national workforce. The Federal Territories came next with 1.7 million workers (16.6%), followed by Johor with 1.3 million (12.6%).
Interestingly, Penang recorded the fastest employment growth during this period, with an average annual increase of 3.5%, driven primarily by the manufacturing sector. The state’s workforce grew from 641,900 in 2015 to 819,300 in 2022.
Dominance of the services sector
In terms of economic activity, the services sector remained the largest employer in the country, with 5.8 million workers or 58.3% of the total employed.
The manufacturing sector followed with 2.3 million workers.
On the other hand, employment in the construction, agriculture, mining, and quarrying sectors showed a downward trend in 2022.
Highest and lowest paying industries
According to Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin, the mining and quarrying industry recorded the highest average monthly salary in 2022 at RM9,422.
This was followed by:
- Manufacturing – RM3,513
- Services – RM3,493
- Construction – RM2,536
- Agriculture – RM1,827 (lowest)
When broken down by skill level:
- High-skilled workers earned an average of RM6,967
- Semi-skilled workers earned RM2,548
- Low-skilled workers earned RM1,798
DOSM concluded that these employment shifts reflect structural changes in Malaysia’s labour market, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has significantly impacted workforce patterns across industries.
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