Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: Saudi data was reported at 10,016.900 SAR in Dec 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 9,857.100 SAR for Sep 2023. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: Saudi data is updated quarterly, averaging 10,185.550 SAR from Jun 2016 (Median) to Dec 2023, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,599.879 SAR in Mar 2021 and a record low of 9,583.100 SAR in Sep 2022. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: 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).

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 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.

Key information about Saudi Arabia Monthly Earnings

• Saudi Arabia Monthly Earnings stood at 754 USD in Dec 2018, compared with the previous figure of 977 USD in Dec 2017
• Saudi Arabia Monthly Earnings data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1995 to Dec 2018, with an average number of 775 USD
• The data reached the an all-time high of 1,000 USD in Dec 2016 and a record low of 648 USD in Dec 1996

CEIC calculates Monthly Earnings by dividing Compensation of Employees from Employment and divided by 12 and converts it into USD. General Authority for Statistics provides Compensation of Employees and Employment in local currency. Saudi Central Bank average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Monthly Earnings include employees in profit making private sector, public enterprises and institutions. Compensation of Employees includes all wages and salaries and fringe benefits paid to employees. There was no survey conducted for the period 2002-2004.


Further information about Saudi Arabia Monthly Earnings

• In the latest reports, Saudi Arabia Population reached 32 million people in Jun 2022
• Unemployment Rate of Saudi Arabia dropped to 4 % in Mar 2024
• The country's Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 62 % in Mar 2023

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 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.

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.

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.

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 Wages: Non-Saudi: Female data was reported at 2,906.600 SAR in Dec 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3,145.000 SAR for Sep 2023. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: Non-Saudi: Female data is updated quarterly, averaging 2,711.700 SAR from Jun 2016 (Median) to Dec 2023, with 31 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,206.100 SAR in Dec 2022 and a record low of 1,973.907 SAR in Mar 2021. Saudi Arabia Average Monthly Wages: Non-Saudi: Female 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).

Wage and salaried workers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Saudi Arabia was reported at 93.17 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Saudi Arabia - Wage and salaried workers; total (% of total employed) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

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.

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.

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: 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.

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 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.

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: 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.

In 2023, the average monthly salary for non-Saudi citizens was around 4700 riyals. This was about 1811 riyals more than the average monthly salary for non-Saudi women during the same period. The highest average salary for both non-Saudi men and women was for those above the age of 55.