Wage Data Trends by Industry and Role — 2026-06-26
This report breaks down wage status and recent trends across major domestic firms. Despite a 3.4% rise in nominal wages in Q1 2026, real wages grew only 1.3%, with wage gaps widening based on company size and gender. All data is verified and excludes speculation.
Wage Data Trends by Industry and Role — 2026-06-26
Widening Wage Gap by Company Size
In 2026, the wage gap based on company size is becoming increasingly pronounced. The average annual salary at large businesses with 300 or more employees is approximately 73.96 million won, compared to about 45.38 million won at small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 300 employees, representing a difference of 28.58 million won.
Growing Gender Gap in Management Promotions
The gender wage gap is also becoming a serious issue. The disparity in promotion rates for male and female managers at domestic firms has widened from 2.6%p to 5.2%p over the past two years, with over half of female managers stuck at the section chief level or below. The wage gap for executive-level positions between men and women has reached 824,000 won.
The Deepening Divide Between Nominal and Real Wages
In Q1 2026, the average monthly nominal wage for regular workers in Korea was 4.555 million won, a 3.4% increase compared to the same period last year. However, when adjusted for inflation, the real wage was only 3.847 million won, a mere 1.3% increase, meaning a significant portion of salary raises was eroded by inflation.
Shifts in the Salary Negotiation Market
During the 2026 salary negotiation season, 61.4% of respondents reported receiving a raise, with those who did receiving an average increase of 7.5%.
Analysis and Background Issues
The most notable aspect of the 2026 wage landscape is the severe disconnect between nominal growth and actual purchasing power. Despite a 3.4% nominal increase, the 1.3% growth in real wages indicates that inflation is effectively canceling out salary raises.
At the same time, the wage gap based on company size (approx. 28.58 million won) is having a major impact on individual career development opportunities, and the widening gender promotion gap is being highlighted as a structural problem. In particular, the concentration of female managers at the section chief level and below serves as a factor that limits opportunities for wage growth.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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