The average monthly wage for a public worker in Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2020 was about 11.4 thousand Saudi riyals. In comparison, the average monthly wage for a worker in the private establishment sector was 5.3 thousand Saudi riyals in that year.

Gender and income  

The labor force participation gender gap in Saudi Arabia was 74 percent, among the highest in the Middle East and North Africa. This gap is especially visible considering that female labor force participation rate amongst nationals in Saudi Arabia, which was only 18.3 percent. The gender gap of the Saudi Arabian labor markets is also reflected in the difference in average monthly earnings of men and women. In all sectors apart from technical professions and the humanitarian fields as well as sales, men tend to earn more than women.

 Nationality and income   

The oil boom allowed Saudi Arabia to adapt the fiscal policy of a rentier state, which was heavily reliant on foreign skilled and unskilled workers. This allowed the Saudi Arabian government to offer on one hand foreign workers attractive salaries and work benefits and on the other hand its nationals decent social and welfare programs which leveled the low employment rate amongst Saudi citizens. The volatility of the energy market in the last two decades and inclining oil resources however forced the Saudi government to rethink its economic structure. The Saudi Arabian government introduced social and economic reforms as part of the Agenda 2030 to prepare and strengthen their country for a future with a diversified economy, not reliant on oil revenue and subsequently self-sufficient citizens not reliant on government handouts. Amongst the leading social reforms is the ‘Saudization’ of the workforce. Which forces specially the private sector to increase the employment of Saudi Nationals.

Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: Saudi: Male data was reported at 10,972.000 SAR in Dec 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 10,775.500 SAR for Sep 2023. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: Saudi: Male data is updated quarterly, averaging 10,503.191 SAR from Jun 2016 (Median) to Dec 2023, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11,176.440 SAR in Mar 2021 and a record low of 8,063.616 SAR in Dec 2021. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: Saudi: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by General Authority for Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.G026: Average Monthly Wages (Discontinued).

Explore the dataset on average salaries in the private sector by main profession, nationality, and gender in Saudi Arabia. Gain insights into industrial and chemical processes, food industries, total labor force, and more.

Industrial and chemical processes and food industries, Non-Saudis, Total labour force, Agricultural and animal husbandry Poultry and fishing, Services jobs, Auxiliary basic engineering jobs, Scientific, technical and human technicians, Clerical jobs, Saudis, Male, Administrative and business directors, Other, Sales jobs, Scientific, technical and human specialists, Female, Profession, Gender , Saudi, Non Saudi, SAMA Annual

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The average monthly wage across all sectors and nationalities in Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2021 was about 6.5 thousand Saudi riyals. This was a decrease from 6.59 thousand Saudi riyals from the the first half of 2020.

In 2023, the average monthly salary for Saudis was approximately 11 thousand riyals. This was about 3400 riyals more than the average monthly salary for Saudi women during the same period. The highest average salary for both Saudi men and women was between the ages of 25 and 54.

The average monthly wage for female specialists in professional, technical, and humanitarian fields in Saudi Arabia in 2019 was about 18 thousand Saudi riyals compared to 25.5 thousand Saudi riyals for males employed in this field.

Saudi labour market trends 

The Saudi female labor participation rate reached a record at more than 30 percent of the female population in the first half of 2020. In 2018, the majority of nurses in the country were female. The majority of the workforce is in the oil and gas industry as the economy is centered on oil and gas production. Following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many expatriate workers left the country after the tax raise.

Saudi Arabia education system development

Historically, Islamic facilities such as mosques and Kuttab supplied education to Saudi elites and wealthy families. Private institutions developed the educational system, and subsequently, high schools were established to educate pupils for university studies overseas. Literacy rates for males were as low as 15 percent, and considerably lower for females because they only had access to religious instruction. Saudi Arabia's education system remains gender-segregated, with women still attending colleges and educational institutions that are just for women. On average, both genders' graduation rates are very close; the percentage of female graduates was around 59 percent in 2019. Following the establishment of seven new institutions, notably Kind Saud University, in the mid-1990s, the country's tertiary education systems were diversified. By 2022, tertiary education enrolment was predicted to hit 1.9 million. The most often mentioned educational problems by both genders were the difficulty of studying, followed by the difficulty of getting to their schools and institutions.

Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: Non-Saudi data was reported at 4,840.500 SAR in Dec 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,497.700 SAR for Sep 2023. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: Non-Saudi data is updated quarterly, averaging 4,030.759 SAR from Jun 2016 (Median) to Dec 2023, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,840.500 SAR in Dec 2023 and a record low of 3,299.104 SAR in Sep 2016. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: Non-Saudi data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by General Authority for Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.G026: Average Monthly Wages (Discontinued).

The average monthly wage for a non-Saudi employee with a doctoral degree in Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2021 was about 22.39 thousand Saudi riyals compared to 27.38 thousand Saudi riyals of a Saudi with the same qualification.

Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family data was reported at 11,983.640 SAR in 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 10,723.000 SAR for 2013. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family data is updated yearly, averaging 11,537.820 SAR from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2018, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13,026.000 SAR in 2012 and a record low of 10,723.000 SAR in 2013. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by General Authority for Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.H003: Average Monthly Income.

This statistic depicts the average monthly wage in Saudi Arabia in 2019 by main economic group. The average monthly wage for a worker in the financial, insurance, real estate and business services sector in Saudi Arabia in 2019 was about 45.5 thousand Saudi riyals.

Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Eastern Province data was reported at 13,227.000 SAR in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 15,763.000 SAR for 2012. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Eastern Province data is updated yearly, averaging 13,619.000 SAR from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2013, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15,763.000 SAR in 2012 and a record low of 13,227.000 SAR in 2013. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Eastern Province data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by General Authority for Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.H002: Average Monthly Income.

This statistic depicts the average monthly wage in Saudi Arabia in 2019 by main economic group and gender. The average monthly wage for a female mining and quarrying worker in Saudi Arabia in 2019 was about 7.4 Saudi riyals compared to almost 16.7 Saudi riyals for a male worker in the same industry.

Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Riyadh data was reported at 10,686.000 SAR in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14,209.000 SAR for 2012. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Riyadh data is updated yearly, averaging 13,053.000 SAR from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2013, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14,209.000 SAR in 2012 and a record low of 10,686.000 SAR in 2013. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Riyadh data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by General Authority for Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.H002: Average Monthly Income.

This statistic depicts the average monthly wage in Saudi Arabia in 2019 by main occupational groups and by nationality. The average monthly wage for non-Saudi specialists in professional, technical and humanitarian fields in Saudi Arabia in 2019 was about 20.6 thousand Saudi riyals compared to 23 thousand Saudi riyals for Saudi workers in this field.

Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Individual data was reported at 2,062.000 SAR in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,288.000 SAR for 2012. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Individual data is updated yearly, averaging 2,062.000 SAR from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2013, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,288.000 SAR in 2012 and a record low of 1,947.000 SAR in 2007. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Individual data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by General Authority for Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.H002: Average Monthly Income.

This statistic depicts the average monthly wage in Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2020 by sector and nationality. The average monthly wage for a Saudi public worker in Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2020 was about 11.5 thousand Saudi riyals compared to almost 10.3 thousand Saudi riyals for a non-Saudi worker in the same sector.

Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Madinah data was reported at 8,907.000 SAR in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 10,901.000 SAR for 2012. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Madinah data is updated yearly, averaging 10,585.000 SAR from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2013, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,901.000 SAR in 2012 and a record low of 8,907.000 SAR in 2013. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Madinah data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by General Authority for Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.H002: Average Monthly Income.

Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Hail data was reported at 10,687.000 SAR in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13,330.000 SAR for 2012. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Hail data is updated yearly, averaging 10,687.000 SAR from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2013, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13,330.000 SAR in 2012 and a record low of 9,670.000 SAR in 2007. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Hail data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by General Authority for Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.H002: Average Monthly Income.

The average monthly wage for a employee with a doctoral degree in Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2021 was about 24.19 thousand Saudi riyals. On the contrary, the average monthly wage for a employee with no schooling was 1.75 thousand Saudi riyals in the same quarter.

Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Qaseem data was reported at 9,280.000 SAR in 2013. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12,054.000 SAR for 2012. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Qaseem data is updated yearly, averaging 9,280.000 SAR from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2013, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12,054.000 SAR in 2012 and a record low of 8,152.000 SAR in 2007. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Income: Family: Qaseem data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by General Authority for Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.H002: Average Monthly Income.