Highest paying jobs in Japan
The 30 best-paid groups of jobs in Japan, ranked by average yearly pay in the private sector: monthly pay times 12, plus bonuses. Pay is published for groups of related jobs, so each row lists every career that shares its figure.
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Ranked by average pay
Airline Pilot: ¥16,317,500
Hold a degree: 73%
Doctors: ¥15,122,500
Hold a degree: 99%
Anaesthesiologist, Internal Medicine Physician, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Occupational Physician, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Paediatrician, Psychiatrist, Surgeon
Other management, finance and insurance professionals: ¥11,346,400
Actuary, Certified SME Management Consultant, Financial Planner, Fund Manager, HR Consultant, Independent Financial Adviser, Labour and Social Security Attorney, M&A Adviser, Management Consultant, Securities Analyst
Dentist: ¥10,626,900
Hold a degree: 98%
Legal workers: ¥9,811,100
Judicial Scrivener, Land and House Investigator, Lawyer, Patent Attorney
Administrative and managerial workers: ¥9,667,600
Hold a degree: 54%
Bank Branch Manager, Finance Manager, General Affairs Manager, HR Manager, Sales Manager
System consultants and designers: ¥8,890,400
Hold a degree: 71%
Digital Transformation Producer, Infrastructure Systems Engineer, IT Consultant, IT Project Manager
Certified public accountants and tax accountants: ¥8,108,100
Researchers: ¥8,020,100
Biotechnology Researcher, Civil and Architectural Engineering Researcher, Computer Science Researcher, Economist, Forensic Science Laboratory Examiner, Medical Researcher, Pharmaceutical Researcher, Sociologist
Planning clerks: ¥7,368,100
Hold a degree: 55%
Digital Marketer, E-commerce Product Planner, Event Planner, Marketing Researcher, Non-Profit Organisation Staff, Planning and Research Officer, Product Planner (Chain Stores), Professional Sports Organisation Staff, Solar Power Project Planner, Wind Power Project Planner
Elementary and lower secondary school teachers: ¥7,351,700
Elementary School Teacher, Lower Secondary School Teacher, School Nurse Teacher
Transportation equipment engineers: ¥7,253,500
Hold a degree: 70%
Automotive Engineer, Autonomous Driving Engineer, Naval Architect, Railway Vehicle Design Engineer
Train Driver: ¥7,191,500
Hold a degree: 22%
Power Station Operator: ¥7,072,500
Hold a degree: 20%
Electrical, electronic, telecommunications engineers (except communication network engineers): ¥7,039,400
Hold a degree: 64%
Electrical Engineer, Electronics Engineer, Medical Device Development Engineer, Production and Quality Control Engineer, Semiconductor Engineer
Veterinarian: ¥6,805,100
Hold a degree: 99%
Architectural engineers: ¥6,790,500
Hold a degree: 56%
Architectural Design Engineer, Biomass Power Plant Design Engineer, Building Construction Manager, Plant Factory Design and Construction Engineer, Seismic Assessment Engineer
Bank Account Officer: ¥6,744,200
Hold a degree: 53%
Authors, journalists, editors: ¥6,731,500
Book Editor, Broadcast Reporter, Copywriter, Magazine Editor, Magazine Reporter, Newspaper Reporter, Technical Writer, Translator
Upper Secondary School Teacher: ¥6,661,000
Hold a degree: 97%
Quasi-sales workers: ¥6,645,200
Hold a degree: 38%
Market Auctioneer, Securities Dealer, Securities Sales Representative
Other sales workers: ¥6,607,000
Advertising Sales Representative, Food Sales Representative, Medical Representative, Printing Sales Representative, Real Estate Sales Agent, Trading Company Sales Representative
Machinery, telecommunications and systems sales representatives (except cars): ¥6,594,000
Hold a degree: 63%
IT Solutions Sales Consultant, Office Equipment Sales Representative
Machinery engineers: ¥6,590,400
Hold a degree: 66%
Aircraft Engine Engineer, Industrial Robot Development Engineer, Mechanical Design Engineer, Plant Design Engineer, Precision Equipment Engineer
Chemical engineers: ¥6,417,300
Hold a degree: 81%
Electric construction workers: ¥6,281,100
Hold a degree: 14%
Civil engineers: ¥6,249,500
Hold a degree: 51%
Civil Engineering Construction Manager, Civil Engineering Designer, Sewer Pipe Inspector, Solar Power System Designer and Installer
Engineers not elsewhere classified: ¥6,119,400
Agricultural Engineer, Ceramics Engineer, Data Scientist, Fine Ceramics Engineer, Fisheries Engineer, Food Technologist, Forestry Engineer, Industrial Waste Treatment Engineer, Livestock Engineer, Nuclear Engineer, Plant Factory Research and Development Engineer, Space Systems Engineer, Working Environment Measurement Expert
Other data processing and communication engineers: ¥6,097,600
Hold a degree: 61%
AI Engineer, Data Engineer, Digital Forensics Specialist, IT Help Desk Technician, IT Operations Administrator, Security Operations Specialist, Security Vulnerability Assessor, Telecommunications Engineer
Non-Ferrous Metal Smelting Engineer: ¥6,069,300
Hold a degree: 67%
Highest paying jobs without a degree
Groups where fewer than half the workers hold a university degree. Many are reached through a vocational college, a junior college, a college of technology (kosen) or training on the job.
Train Driver: ¥7,191,500
Hold a degree: 22%
Power Station Operator: ¥7,072,500
Hold a degree: 20%
Quasi-sales workers: ¥6,645,200
Hold a degree: 38%
Market Auctioneer, Securities Dealer, Securities Sales Representative
Electric construction workers: ¥6,281,100
Hold a degree: 14%
Port Cargo Handler: ¥6,012,300
Hold a degree: 11%
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer: ¥5,979,900
Hold a degree: 18%
Car Assembly Worker: ¥5,917,400
Hold a degree: 13%
Steel Production Operator: ¥5,875,500
Hold a degree: 13%
Crane Operator: ¥5,866,800
Hold a degree: 5%
Conductors: ¥5,832,100
Hold a degree: 26%
Transport and post clerical workers: ¥5,797,000
Hold a degree: 29%
Airport Ground Staff, Flight Dispatcher, Post Office Counter Clerk, Railway Operations Controller, Station Staff, Taxi Dispatcher
Flight Attendant: ¥5,724,800
Hold a degree: 15%
Midwife: ¥5,667,000
Hold a degree: 44%
Radiological Technologist: ¥5,564,800
Hold a degree: 43%
Chemical product manufacturing workers: ¥5,499,700
Hold a degree: 22%
Chemical Plant Operator, Cosmetics Production Worker, Fireworks Maker, Oil Refinery Operator, Pharmaceutical Production Worker
Meter Reader: ¥5,470,300
Hold a degree: 12%
Production-related clerical workers: ¥5,436,000
Hold a degree: 39%
General Office Clerk: ¥5,413,900
Hold a degree: 32%
Designers: ¥5,395,800
Hold a degree: 46%
Advertising Designer, Book Designer, CG Artist, Colour Coordinator, Display Designer, Fashion Designer, Floral Designer, Graphic Designer, Industrial Designer, Interior Coordinator, Interior Designer, Jewellery Designer, Textile Designer, Web Designer
General affairs and human affairs workers: ¥5,252,200
Hold a degree: 43%
General Affairs Clerk, HR Clerk, Internal Auditor, Public Relations Officer
Sales clerks: ¥5,251,400
Hold a degree: 49%
Franchise Chain Supervisor, Non-Life Insurance Clerk, Sales Administration Clerk, Trade Administration Clerk, Travel Agency Counter Clerk
Nurse: ¥5,247,200
Hold a degree: 16%
Plumber and Pipefitter: ¥5,230,700
Hold a degree: 12%
Vehicle Inspector: ¥5,227,800
Hold a degree: 18%
General-purpose, manufacturing and business-use mechanical apparatus assembly workers: ¥5,225,100
Hold a degree: 17%
Industrial Robot Installer, Lift Installer, Production Machinery Assembler
Accountancy clerks: ¥5,122,400
Hold a degree: 36%
Cast metal manufacturing and forging workers: ¥5,074,900
Hold a degree: 10%
Heavy truck drivers (commercial haulage): ¥5,072,400
Hold a degree: 11%
Ironworkers, boilermakers: ¥5,066,400
Hold a degree: 9%
Automobile maintenance and repair workers: ¥5,038,000
Hold a degree: 7%
Average yearly pay from Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Basic Survey on Wage Structure (賃金構造基本統計調査) 2025: earnings by occupation (2025 survey (June 2025 pay, 2024 bonus), published 2026-03-24): average monthly cash earnings times 12, plus the average yearly bonus, for full-time employees in the private sector. A few very high earners pull an average up, so it is usually higher than what a typical worker earns. Source
独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成
独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成
Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.