Question 1

How much is the wage difference based on education?

Accepted Answer

The wage difference based on education is significant. University graduates' average wages are about 40-50% higher than high school graduates, and graduate school graduates earn about 20-30% more than university graduates. However, differences vary by industry and occupation.

Question 2

What is the source of education-based wage data?

Accepted Answer

This data is from the Ministry of Employment and Labor's 'Employment Type-based Labor Conditions Survey' and 'Business Labor Force Survey'. Wages are provided by education level: high school or below, community college, university, and graduate school.

Question 3

Are there industries where experience matters more than education?

Accepted Answer

In some industries like IT, design, and sales, practical experience and performance are valued more than education. This trend is particularly strong in startups and SMEs, while large corporations and public enterprises still tend to emphasize educational requirements.

Education	Average	Median	Bottom 25%	Top 25%
High School Graduation or less	45M KRW	31M KRW	25M KRW	44M KRW
Junior college Graduation	44M KRW	36M KRW	28M KRW	52M KRW
Bachelor's Degree or higher	61M KRW	49M KRW	34M KRW	75M KRW

Education	Average	Median	Bottom 25%	Top 25%
High School Graduation or less	45M KRW	31M KRW	25M KRW	44M KRW
Junior college Graduation	44M KRW	36M KRW	28M KRW	52M KRW
Bachelor's Degree or higher	61M KRW	49M KRW	34M KRW	75M KRW

2026 Education Salary

2026 Education Salary