Making Sense: Salary Benchmarks Alongside DOSM's Wage Stats

By Nicholas Lam, Managing Director, Jobstreet by SEEK Malaysia

DOSM’s Employee Wages Statistics (Formal Sector), Second Quarter 2026, reported a median monthly wage of RM3,000 for Malaysian citizens in formal employment in June 2026, up 4.8% year-on-year. The national median is a useful reference point, but cannot tell a jobseeker what to expect from their next offer or an employer what a competitive salary looks like for a particular role. Those decisions require a closer look at the job, the experience required and the location.

Jobstreet by SEEK’s platform data provides a complementary view of advertised salaries. Among Malaysian job ads disclosing a monthly salary in ringgit, the median advertised minimum was unchanged year-on-year at RM3,000 in both Q2 2025 and Q2 2026.

Jobstreet’s figures measure the minimum monthly salaries advertised in vacancies posted between April and June in each year, while DOSM measures wages received by formal employees, including bonuses, commissions and allowances. The advertised figures also reflect the mix of vacancies: retail and hospitality roles accounted for a larger share of the salary-disclosing ads in Q2 2026. The two datasets should not be compared directly.

Looking at individual job categories provides a more specific benchmark. Banking & Financial Services recorded a median advertised minimum of RM4,000 in Q2 2026, up 14.3% from RM3,500 in Q2 2025. Information & Communication Technology rose 11.1%, from RM4,500 to RM5,000 over the same period. For candidates and employers, these differences reinforce the need to benchmark salaries against comparable roles, taking account of seniority, responsibilities and specialist skills.

Salary Benchmarks

DOSM’s latest findings also highlight geographic differences, with Kuala Lumpur recording the highest median monthly wage and Sabah among the lowest. Jobstreet’s separate advertised salary data provides further context for candidates assessing opportunities across locations. In Q2 2026, the median advertised minimum was RM3,500 in Kuala Lumpur, compared with RM2,100 in Sabah and RM2,000 across Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang combined. These medians cover different mixes of jobs, so they do not establish a pay gap for identical work. Candidates considering relocation should weigh any potential salary increase against housing and transport costs, as well as opportunities for career progression.

For jobseekers, the practical starting point is to compare salaries for roles with similar responsibilities and experience requirements. Where better-paid opportunities require additional skills, this can help them decide which training or professional development would be most useful. Candidates should also ask how pay is reviewed and what progression involves before accepting an offer.

For employers, publishing clear salary ranges, skills and role requirements helps candidates assess whether an opportunity meets their expectations. Offers should be benchmarked against comparable roles in the relevant location, with a clear explanation of how employees can develop and progress.

A competitive offer needs to stand up to scrutiny today, while giving candidates a credible view of what comes next. Employers should be able to explain both the salary on offer and what employees would need to demonstrate to grow and progress.

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