Ever wondered whether your salary is actually within the market range?
PERSOL Malaysia has released its Malaysia Salary Guide 2026, covering salary ranges across industries such as accounting, technology, human resources, engineering, marketing, banking, legal and supply chain.
According to PERSOL’s 2026 Salary Guide, the figures are based on its recruiters’ expert market knowledge and the latest job placement data recorded in its Malaysia database.
This means they are best treated as salary benchmarks rather than a guaranteed amount for every employee. And depending on your industry and seniority, the difference can be huge.
1. Accounting and finance: RM2,500 to RM75,000
If you work with numbers all day, salaries can start relatively modestly before climbing significantly at senior management level.
Some monthly salary ranges listed by PERSOL include:
- Account Assistant: RM2,500 to RM3,500
- Accounts Executive: RM3,200 to RM5,500
- Associate Auditor: RM4,000 to RM6,000
- Accountant: RM8,000 to RM15,000
- Audit Manager: RM10,000 to RM15,000
- Finance Manager: RM10,000 to RM18,000
- Audit Director: RM20,000 to RM30,000
- Finance Director: RM25,000 to RM40,000
- Chief Finance Officer at an MNC: RM40,000 to RM75,000
That means the upper end for a CFO can be around 30 times higher than the lower end for an Account Assistant.
PERSOL also noted that accounting jobs are increasingly moving beyond traditional number crunching, with employers looking for professionals who can combine financial knowledge with digital skills, critical thinking and strategic analysis.
2. Information technology: RM5,000 to RM70,000
Tech continues to have some of the highest salary ranges in the guide.
For those wondering whether all those coding tutorials were worth it, here are some examples:
- Software Engineer: RM5,000 to RM12,000
- AI Developer: RM8,000 to RM20,000
- Full Stack Developer: RM8,000 to RM20,000
- Machine Learning Engineer: RM8,000 to RM20,000
- Cybersecurity Engineer: RM10,000 to RM25,000
- Data Scientist: RM15,000 to RM30,000
- Cybersecurity Consultant: RM15,000 to RM35,000
- Head of Data: RM25,000 to RM45,000
- Cybersecurity Architect: RM40,000 to RM60,000
- Chief Technology Officer: RM40,000 to RM70,000
- Chief Information Officer: RM40,000 to RM70,000
- Chief Data Officer: RM40,000 to RM70,000
A Data Scientist, for example, can earn up to RM30,000 a month according to the guide, while specialised cybersecurity leadership roles can reach RM60,000.
PERSOL expects Malaysia’s technology sector to remain strong as companies invest further in digital transformation, AI and specialised digital capabilities.
3. Marketing and digital: RM3,500 to RM45,000
Yes, marketing people, your salaries are in there too.
And if your daily routine involves content calendars, campaigns, client feedback and checking analytics every few hours, this might be the section you scroll to first.
- Marketing Executive: RM3,500 to RM5,500
- Digital Editor: RM4,000 to RM6,000
- Digital Marketing Specialist: RM4,200 to RM7,500
- Brand Manager: RM8,000 to RM15,000
- Marketing Manager: RM10,000 to RM17,000
- Digital Marketing Manager: RM12,000 to RM18,000
- Head of eCommerce: RM20,000 to RM30,000
- Marketing Director: RM20,000 to RM40,000
- Regional Marketing Director: RM25,000 to RM45,000
One interesting figure is the Digital Editor salary range of RM4,000 to RM6,000, while moving into management and regional roles can push salaries well past RM20,000.
PERSOL said AI is becoming increasingly integrated into marketing work, but communication, storytelling, strategic thinking and relationship building remain important.
4. Human resources: RM2,800 to RM50,000
Being the person everyone messages when there is a leave issue can eventually pay pretty well too.
The salary ranges include:
- HR Assistant: RM2,800 to RM3,500
- HR Executive: RM3,500 to RM7,000
- Talent Acquisition or Recruitment Specialist: RM4,500 to RM7,500
- HR Manager: RM10,000 to RM15,000
- HR Business Partner: RM10,000 to RM20,000
- Chief Human Resources Officer: RM30,000 to RM50,000
The jump becomes particularly noticeable once HR professionals move into managerial, business partner and leadership positions.
PERSOL also expects companies to place more emphasis on areas such as workforce analytics, employee experience, talent management and digital HR systems.
5. Engineering and construction: RM5,300 to RM45,000
Malaysia’s engineering and construction sectors also offer strong earning potential, particularly for professionals with specialised technical knowledge and management experience.
Some examples include:
- Project Engineer: RM5,300 to RM8,000
- Electrical Engineer: RM6,000 to RM10,000
- Resident Engineer: RM7,000 to RM12,000
- Project Manager: RM10,000 to RM20,000
- Construction Manager: RM15,000 to RM25,000
- Construction Director for high rise or residential projects: RM25,000 to RM45,000
PERSOL said demand remains strong for engineering and technical professionals as Malaysia grows in sectors such as semiconductors, automation, robotics, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.
6. Supply chain and logistics: RM4,000 to RM50,000
For those who thought supply chain was mainly about warehouses, trucks and stock counts, some of the senior salary figures may surprise you.
- Supply Chain Planner: RM4,000 to RM10,000
- Purchasing Executive: RM4,050 to RM5,000
- Warehouse Manager: RM8,500 to RM17,500
- Logistics Manager: RM9,000 to RM30,000
- Supply Chain Manager: RM15,000 to RM30,000
- Supply Chain Director: RM20,000 to RM40,000
- Head of Procurement: RM25,000 to RM50,000
A Head of Procurement could therefore earn as much as RM50,000 per month, according to the guide.
PERSOL said companies are increasingly looking for professionals who understand AI, automation, integrated business planning and data alongside traditional logistics skills.
7. Legal: RM4,000 to RM50,000
Legal salaries also rise considerably as professionals move into senior corporate roles.
Some of the ranges include:
- Legal Assistant or Paralegal: RM4,000 to RM5,000
- Legal Executive: RM4,000 to RM6,000
- Legal or Compliance Manager: RM8,000 to RM12,000
- General Counsel: RM25,000 to RM50,000
So while junior legal roles can begin around the RM4,000 mark, top in house legal positions can command several times that amount.
8. Life sciences and pharmaceuticals: RM3,000 to RM14,000 and beyond
Those working in science, healthcare related businesses and pharmaceuticals also appear in the guide.
Examples include:
- Scientist: RM3,000 to RM14,000
- Product Specialist: RM3,500 to RM4,800
- Regulatory Affairs Specialist: RM5,000 to RM8,500
One particularly broad range is for scientists, where PERSOL lists salaries stretching from RM3,000 to RM14,000.
This shows how much factors such as specialisation, experience, company type and job responsibility can affect what someone earns even under the same general title.
9. Banking: RM6,000 to RM50,000 for selected roles
For people in banking, the salary range also differs greatly depending on whether you are dealing directly with customers, managing a branch or operating at director level.
Some examples include:
- Retail Banking Relationship Manager: RM6,000 to RM9,000
- Branch Manager: RM10,000 to RM15,000
- Selected director level banking and investment roles: RM25,000 to RM50,000
As with the other industries, seniority and specialisation make a major difference.
So which jobs have some of the highest salary ceilings?
Among the roles highlighted in PERSOL’s guide, several stand out for having particularly high upper salary ranges.
- Chief Finance Officer at an MNC: up to RM75,000
- Chief Technology Officer: up to RM70,000
- Chief Information Officer: up to RM70,000
- Chief Data Officer: up to RM70,000
- Cybersecurity Architect: up to RM60,000
- Chief Human Resources Officer: up to RM50,000
- General Counsel: up to RM50,000
- Head of Procurement: up to RM50,000
- Selected senior banking roles: up to RM50,000
- Regional Marketing Director: up to RM45,000
Of course, most of these are senior leadership positions that generally require years of experience and significant responsibility.
So please do not immediately send the RM75,000 figure to your boss and ask why your salary looks different.
Before you start comparing salaries…
There is one important disclaimer.
The figures in PERSOL’s Malaysia Salary Guide 2026 are salary benchmarks, not fixed salaries that every company must pay.
Two people with the same job title can still earn very different amounts depending on factors such as:
- Years of experience
- Company size
- Industry
- Job scope
- Technical expertise
- Leadership responsibilities
- Location
- Demand for specific skills
Someone working as a Software Engineer at one company, for example, may have a very different role and skill set compared to someone with the exact same title elsewhere.
While the salary figures differ, one trend keeps appearing throughout PERSOL’s 2026 outlook: digital and AI related skills are becoming increasingly valuable.
Finance professionals are also expected to work with more digital tools, marketers are adapting to AI, HR teams are using workforce analytics and supply chain professionals are increasingly dealing with automation and data.
At the same time, PERSOL also highlights human skills such as communication, strategic thinking, problem solving, creativity and judgement.
So while everyone wants to know which job pays RM50,000 or RM70,000 a month, the more useful question might be:
What skills could help you move towards the higher end of your own salary range?
