Salaries in Hong Kong

5 min read|Last Updated: September 14, 2021|

What is the minimum salary in Hong Kong?

As of January 2020, the minimum salary in Hong Kong is HKD 37.5 per hour, according to the available statistics in the Labour Department of the Government of Hong Kong. Considering that the average working hours are 44 hours a week, it would imply that the minimum average wage for a Hong Kong worker is HKD 7425, which is approximately 900 USD. Thus, if you are planning to hire an employee in Hong Kong, you should have in mind that you will have to part with at least 900USD as compensation for the services that they offer. Paying anything below this amount would mean that the person is underpaid, and they might have moral rights to act through the department of labor in Hong Kong.

What is the average salary in Hong Kong?

Unlike the minimum salary, the average salary for an employee in Hong Kong is relatively higher. It is thus vital to do background research if you are planning to pay a wage to workers in Hong Kong’s competitive market structure. The average salary in Hong Kong is HKD 19100, which is approximately 2430 USD for male employees and 1875 USD for female workers. The cost of living in Hong Kong various depending on the area and place of work. Therefore, employers might be forced to negotiate with the employee depending on their working area. For instance, finding a rental flat might be expensive, making an employee request more pay.

Salary range and percentage of people earning such figures in Hong Kong

Percentage of People Amount earned or more
5% HKD 1,501,245
10% HKD 1,042,816
22% HKD 808,007
58% HKD 420,457
82% HKD 271,046
94% HKD 194,474
98% HKD 131, 354

The amount of salary that one earns or is expected to be paid is dependent on several factors. Some of the attributes that dictate the amount of salary that an individual expects to earn include the following: their expertise, position, level of experience, and the type of task assigned to the employee. If you are an upcoming or startup company, you should consider minimizing the total wages paid by hiring on short terms or contracts to reduce the expenditure. Besides, different careers pay their employees differently. Let us look at us have a look at some of the ways that different careers pay their employees.

Salary according to occupation

Occupation  Average Salary  Salary entries 
Human Resource Manager  HKD 677, 800  69 
Manager  HKD 671, 739  44 
Director  HKD 1,090,963  40 
Financial Analyst  HKD 501,068  39 
General Manager  HKD 1,008,771  35 
Human Resource  HKD 410,000  33 
Sales Manager  HKD 600,000  29 
Marketing Manager  HKD 470,800  29 
Architect  HKD 457,700  29 
IT Project Manager  HKD 750,185  27 

Salary according to gender

  Average gross salary  Salary entries 
Men  HKD 646,750  752 
Women   HKD 478,100  608 
N/A  HKD 490, 140  395 

Further, as a potential employer, it is vital to note that the salary range in Hong Kong is equally dependent on the level of an individual’s education. This article is further going to summarize for you the salary range of various education levels and how much you are expected to compensate for the services you obtain.

Salary according to level of education

The workers who are holding a doctorate degree in Hong Kong are enjoying the highest salary averaging at 770,000 HKD as their gross income. On the other hand, those that are having below high school education earn the least. They make an average gross of 230,000 HKD,

which is 223.17% lower than what the Doctorate Degree holders’ pocket. The level of education is often proportionate to the position and job rank. However, an employee can still have managerial positions run by people who do not have high education levels. As long as the person has the necessary experience and skills, it is possible that they would give their best and still perform.

Salary according to experience

Experience goes hand in hand with the individual’s performance and general quality of work and output. Thus, the amount of salary that one gets is, to some extent, dependent on their level of experience on a specific job. Those who have over 20 years of experience will earn an average of 180,000 USD, between 16-20 years should pocket 113,000 USD, 12-16 yaers87,500 USD, 8-12 years 79,000 USD, 4-8 years 57,000 USD, 2-4 years 45,000 USD, and 1-2 years 42,000 USD.

Salary according to age

Another essential aspect that you are supposed to consider when you are about to hire an employee is their age. The table below summarizes the average salaries versus the age brackets of different employees in Hong Kong.

Age bracket  Avg. gross salary (HKD) 
63-68  1,350,000 
57-62  1,088,182 
51-56  961,729 
45-50  8886,00 
39-44  780,700 
33-38  595,059 
27-32  443,000 
22-26  303,400 
16-21  238,898 

Again, when hiring employees, age is an important aspect and younger people tend to earn lesser compared to older ones. This is partly because of the experience they have and their positions within an organization.

Salary according to profession

Finally, the article is going to summarize the expected average salaries as per different fields of profession. Some fields pay more than others.

Field  Average Salary (HKD) 
Management and Business  808,491 
Properties and Real Estates  748,500 
Health Care and Medical   711,000 
Finance and Banking   690,000 
Construction and Labor Workers  672,000 
Law  660,000 
Aviation and Shipping  647,000 
Insurance  598,000 
IT & Telecommunication   588,700 
Public Sector  578,000 
Engineers and Technicians  555,000 
Manufacturing and Labor Workers  334,000 
Accounting and Administration  455,500 

Conclusion

The data above are based on a small sample space and does not necessarily imply that all employees of different ages, professions, and education levels must earn the figures as mentioned earlier. As a potential employer, however, you should ensure that you are well equipped with labor laws before hiring employees for any given purpose or sector of the organizational management and operations. Equally, if you are an aspiring worker or employee in Hong Kong, you should also note that not all companies will be paying the stated figures as there are certain considerations and agreements when being hired in Hong Kong.

We at Paul Hype Page will always ensure that you get all the recent updates and guidance on how to hire your employees in Hong Kong. Whether you are about to run a starting company or already have an established one, we always get you back to allow you to obtain a return on your investment by guiding you on the Hong Kong salary scale and expert hiring.

Salaries in Hong Kong FAQs

What is the current average salary in Hong Kong?2021-02-26T04:18:34+00:00

Hong Kong has one of the highest salary scales globally. The average salary scale for men is US$ 2400 and US$1870 for women.

How much salary do I need to comfortably live in Hong Kong?2021-02-26T04:18:22+00:00

You will need approximately KHD 30,000 to 50,000 to spend on food, transportation, leisure, among other personal items depending on your lifestyle. For residential rents, you will need between HKD 16,000 – HKD23, 400 depending on size of the housing choice.

What are the average salaries in Hong Kong?2021-02-26T04:18:13+00:00

The average amount of salary that is paid to Hong Kong workers is KHD360,000

What is the average salary for expats in Hong Kong?2021-02-26T03:59:08+00:00

The average amount of income that an expat would earn in Hong Kong is USD 178,700 annually, which is among the highest globally.

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