What are Malaysia's top 20 highest-paying jobs? Find Malaysia's highest-paying positions and begin applying right away!
Malaysia's GDP per capita decreased to roughly 11637.35 US dollars in 2020. But it's recovering, and by the end of 2021, it's predicted to reach $12,500.00 USD.
After being severely impacted by COVID-19, Malaysia's job market is now recovering, and numerous well-paying positions are now becoming available all over the nation.
In Malaysia, are you trying to find a high-paying job? Are you a student deciding on a career path and considering which path will position you for a later career with a generous salary?
This manual is for you in either case. Continue reading to find out the top 20 paying jobs in Malaysia.
What Salary is Considered Rich in Malaysia?
Let's break down the average salary in Malaysia before talking about the highest-paying professions there.
The monthly salary for the average Malaysian worker is about 6,590 MYR, or just over 1500 USD. 1,670 MYR is the lowest monthly average salary in the nation, and 29,400 MYR is the highest monthly average salary.
In Malaysia, you would have to make a salary that was significantly higher than the average to be regarded as "rich." You would probably be able to live quite comfortably here if your income fell somewhere between the 50th and 75th percentile (i.e., you made between 6,590 MYR and 17,600 MYR per month). Even if your monthly salary is higher than 17,600 MYR, you would unquestionably be regarded as "rich."
For additional context, the average monthly cost in Malaysia for a family of four is about 6,817 MYR. For a single person, they’re quite a bit lower, around 1,924 MYR per month.
What is Malaysia's highest-paid position?
Let's now examine the highest-paying professions in Malaysia. Consider a career as a heart transplant surgeon if you want to make the most money possible in this nation.
The typical monthly salary for heart transplant surgeons is about 29,400 MYR. That is more than four times the monthly average salary in Malaysia.
You don't want to be a heart surgeon, do you? The good news is that Malaysia has a large number of other well-paying jobs, some of which are listed below in order of salary, from lowest to highest:
20. Advertising Sales Director
Average Salary: 11,300 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Advertising Sales Director Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
19. Airline Pilot
Average Salary: 11,300 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Airline Pilot Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
18. Architectural Manager
Average Salary: 11,800 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Architectural Manager Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
17. Chief Marketing Officer
Average Salary: 11,800 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Chief Marketing Officer Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
16. Director of Engineering
Average Salary: 11,800 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Director of Engineering Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
15. College Dean
Average Salary:12,700 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse College Dean Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
14. Airport Services Manager
Average Salary: 13,500 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Airport Services Manager Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
13. Chief Financial Officer
Average Salary: 13,500 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Chief Financial Officer Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
12. Finance Director
Average Salary: 13,600 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Finance Director Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
11. Aviation Manager
Average Salary: 13,700 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Aviation Manager Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
10. Bank Regional Manager
Average Salary: 14,700 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Bank Regional Manager Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
9. Chief Executive Officer
Average Salary: 14,700 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Chief Executive Officer Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
8. Global Banking Manager
Average Salary: 14,700 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Global Banking Manager Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
7. General Counsel
Average Salary: 15,700 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse General Counsel Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
6. Administrative Law Judge
Average Salary: 17,600 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Administrative Law Judge Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
5. Supreme Court Judge
Average Salary: 19,600 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Supreme Court Judge Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
4. Reconstructive Surgeon
Average Salary: 26,500 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Reconstructive Surgeon Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
3. Orthopedic Surgeon
Average Salary: 27,400 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Orthopedic Surgeon Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
2. Chief of Surgery
Average Salary: 28,400 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Chief of Surgery Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
1. Heart Transplant Surgeon
Average Salary: 29,400 MYR Per Month
👉 Browse Heart Transplant Surgeon Jobs in Malaysia on GrabJobs
Malaysia's Top 5 Highest-Paying Industries
It might be a good place to start to think about a specific industry if you want to make a good living but aren't completely sure what career you want to pursue. Here is a breakdown of Malaysia's top 5 highest-paying industries:
1. Healthcare
Unsurprisingly, one of the highest-paying industries in Malaysia is the healthcare sector. It makes sense that healthcare workers would make more money than the average since it takes a lot of time and money to become a doctor or surgeon. Here are the top 3 jobs to think about if you want to work in healthcare and make the most money:
Top 3 job titles
Heart Transplant Surgeon: Average Salary 29,400 MYR Per Month
Orthopedic Surgeon: Average Salary 27,400 MYR Per Month
Reconstructive Surgeon: Average Salary 26,500 MYR Per Month
Career Prospects
Jobs in the healthcare industry not only pay well, but also offer better-than-average career prospects. After graduating from medical school, there are very good chances that a person will be able to find a good job because there will always be a need for healthcare professionals in Malaysia and elsewhere in the world.
2. Legal
One more lucrative sector in Malaysia is the legal sector. Due to the fact that, like doctors, they devote a significant amount of time and money up front to obtaining their degrees, professionals in this field, such as lawyers, judges, and others, earn very high salaries (significantly higher than the nation's average monthly salary). This hard work pays off later on when they start receiving generous salaries.
Top 3 Job Titles
Supreme Court Judge: Average Salary 19,600 MYR Per Month
Administrative Law Judge: Average Salary 17,600 MYR Per Month
General Counsel: Average Salary 15,700 MYR Per Month
Career Prospects
For those who want to work in the legal industry, Malaysia offers a wide range of career options. There are many options available, whether you want to train to become a judge or become a general counsel. If legal graduates decide against engaging in traditional legal practice, they can pursue careers as university advisors and lecturers.
3. Finance
One of the highest paying professions in Malaysia is finance. There are many lucrative jobs that you might want to think about if you are good with numbers and have an interest in working with money. Three of the highest-paying finance positions in Malaysia that you might want to consider are as follows:
Top 3 job titles
Global Banking Manager: Average Salary 14,700 MYR Per Month
Bank Regional Manager: Average Salary 14,700 MYR Per Month
Bank Regional Manager: Average Salary 14,700 MYR Per Month
Career Prospects
There will always be a need for finance experts who can help people manage their money. People who pursue careers in finance can work with individuals and businesses to offer money management advice, investment advice, and more. If you choose to work in this field, you’ll have plenty of job options to choose from, many of which come with good job prospects and job security.
4. Business/Marketing
In Malaysia, the business and marketing industries can be very profitable. There are many high-paying opportunities here if you want to work in business and have a knack for marketing, promotion, sales, or a related field. Three of the highest-paying marketing and business positions in this nation are as follows:
Top 3 Job Titles
Chief Executive Officer: Average Salary 14,700 MYR Per Month
Chief Marketing Officer: Average Salary 11,800 MYR Per Month
Advertising Sales Director: Average Salary 11,300 MYR Per Month
Career Prospects
For those seeking high salaries, there are numerous opportunities in the business and marketing worlds. In Malaysia, new businesses are constantly springing up, especially now that the economy is beginning to recover.
There are many options for you to think about, many of which come with good earning potential and job security, whether you want to start your own business or join an existing company and improve it.
5. Aviation
The aviation industry is another profitable one in Malaysia and is a good choice to consider if you want to earn an above-average salary. Of the highest-paying industries in Malaysia, Aviation is not as lucrative as some other fields, but it does offer good salaries and lots of room for growth. The following are the 3 top-paying jobs within the aviation sector:
Top 3 Job Titles
Aviation Manager: Average Salary 13,700 MYR Per Month
Airport Services Manager: Average Salary 13,500 MYR Per Month
Airline Pilot: Average Salary 11,300 MYR Per Month
Career Prospects
Careers in aviation are not just exciting and lucrative. Additionally, they have a lot of room for future advancement and promising employment prospects. You might begin your career as a pilot and progress to a management position over time, which will offer a sizeable raise and more opportunities.
Top 5 Highest-Paying Jobs in Malaysia for Fresh Graduates
The highest-paying jobs in Malaysia and the highest-paying jobs in Malaysia for recent graduates differ in some ways.
You might not be immediately eligible for some of the highest-paying jobs in the nation when you first graduate from college. After all, most people cannot immediately advance to the positions of CEO or chief of surgery.
However, if you do want to start making a good income as soon as you graduate, here are the top 5 positions to think about:
1. Civil Engineer
After graduating from college, you can start making a good living as a civil engineer. Since Malaysia is renowned for its beautiful architecture and impressive infrastructure, there is a high demand for civil engineers there.
New graduates in civil engineering in Malaysia can expect to make between 4,000 and 6,000 MYR per month. This is regarded as a fantastic starting salary by many people in this area. In this field, too, there is a ton of room for development and future financial gain.
In Malaysia, you must first obtain a graduate or postgraduate degree in civil engineering. In order to work on research and development teams, some students also pursue a Ph.D. in civil engineering.
2. Doctor
Most of the time, after graduating from college, physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals all earn salaries that are above the national average.
The majority of doctors and healthcare professionals can begin earning generous salaries as soon as they are hired at a hospital or healthcare facility. Once they have made a name for themselves in their field, they too have opportunities to advance and make even more money.
The starting salary for a doctor typically ranges from 3,500 to 6,000 MYR per month. However, as you advance in your education and experience, there is a lot of room to increase your monthly income, particularly if you decide to pursue a more advanced career as a surgeon or chief of surgery.
You must obtain an MBBS, BDS, or MS degree from a reputable and accredited Malaysian medical school in order to practice medicine in that country.
3. Software Engineer
Software engineers in Malaysia have many career options as the country's tech sector is expanding quickly. You will have many opportunities to help with program creation, website development, tech support, and other tasks if you are skilled in areas like software development and programming.
In Malaysia, a software engineer can expect to make an average monthly salary of between 4,700 and 6,500 MYR. Consequently, one of the most lucrative careers for recent graduates is software engineering.
You can start getting hired for software engineering positions by having a degree in computer science or information technology. You will have even more opportunities available to you if you continue on to earn a higher degree, such as a master's or doctoral degree, including doors to management and executive positions.
4. Accountant
There are many lucrative finance careers in Malaysia, as we already mentioned. The best-paying finance positions, like Chief Financial Officer, aren't immediately available to recent graduates, though. That said, if you decide to pursue a degree and career in accounting, you can still start out at a high salary.
In Malaysia, the average monthly salary for an accountant is between 3,500 and 6,500 MYR. With time and experience, especially after you've worked for a company for a while, this is a great starting salary that offers plenty of room for growth.
To work as an accountant in Malaysia, you must have a degree in finance, economics, or statistics. A master’s or doctoral degree can open more doors and more opportunities for higher salaries, too.
5. Business Analyst
Business analysts support business owners in efficiently managing their organizations and making strategic decisions for the future.
It may be simpler for you to start working your way up the corporate ladder if you can get a foot in the door as a business analyst. You might eventually land a management or executive position, which would give you more authority and income.
An average monthly salary for business analysts ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 MYR. This salary in Malaysia is a little below average, but it's usually just a starting point. There is plenty of room for future expansion.
You must obtain a degree in business administration, business management, or a closely related field in order to work as a business analyst. Additionally, obtaining an MBA or other more specialized degree can improve your chances of landing a job.
What Degree Pays Most in Malaysia?
You'll probably need a university degree to be eligible for the highest-paying jobs in Malaysia for recent graduates. Here is a list of the highest-paying degree types and the potential salaries associated with them if you want to land one of Malaysia's best-paying jobs:
Degree Type
Potential Monthly SalaryComputer Science: 4,700 to 6,500 MYR per month
Accounting: 3,500 and 6,500 MYR per month
Business: 2,500 to 5,000 MYR per month
If you want to start making a good salary right out of college, these are some of the highest paying degrees to pursue. Additionally, these degrees can position you to eventually obtain one of Malaysia's highest-paying jobs.
You could become a doctor or surgeon, for instance, if you have a degree in medicine. Then, with time and effort, you can advance to become a hospital's chief of surgery.
It's important to remember that Malaysia offers a wide variety of high-paying degrees that are worthwhile looking into. The figures above are merely estimates for you to use as a benchmark. Depending on when you graduate, where you choose to work, etc., your actual salary may be higher or lower.
Today, find the best-paying jobs in Malaysia.
You now know a lot more about the highest-paying jobs in Malaysia. With this information in mind, do you have a clearer idea of which career path you want to pursue?
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to make a job change or are planning for the future. Either way, be sure to keep this list of jobs (and degree requirements) in mind.
Check out GrabJobs career resources, too. These resources will help you learn how to increase your skill set and set yourself up for success when you start applying for jobs.