"Samsung Electronics Employees’ Average Monthly Compensation Reaches 12 Million Won in Q1...Highest on Record"

The average compensation for Samsung Electronics employees in the first quarter of this year is estimated to be around 36 million won per person. This is the largest amount ever recorded, representing an increase of more than 25% compared to the same period last year. This translates to an average monthly compensation of approximately 12 million won per person. However, senior and core talent are expected to receive more than this average, while less experienced employees are likely to fall below the average.

The Korea CXO Institute, specializing in corporate analysis, announced these findings in its "Analysis of Expected Average Salaries of Samsung Electronics Employees for the First Quarter of 2026," released on the 19th.

Korea CXO Institute, a firm specializing in corporate analysis, announced an analysis on the expected average salary of Samsung Electronics employees for the first quarter of 2026 on the 19th. Korea CXO Institute

The institute noted that the ratio between "salary as per cost classification" and "total employee salary" in Samsung Electronics' first-quarter reports has consistently ranged between 76% and 85.5%. Based on this trend and the fact that the "salary as per cost classification" for the first quarter of this year was 5.6032 trillion won, the institute estimated that the total employee salary for the first quarter was between 4.2584 trillion won and 4.7907 trillion won.

In addition, using the average number of employees enrolled in the National Pension from January to March this year, which was 125,580, the institute calculated that the average employee compensation for the first quarter was between 33.91 million won and 38.15 million won. On a monthly basis, this is between 11.3 million won and 12.7 million won. Compared to the same calculation for the first quarter of last year, when average compensation ranged from 27.07 million won to 30.46 million won, this represents an increase of more than 25%.

Along with the average compensation, the overall salary scale also reached a record high. "Salary as per cost classification" for the first quarter jumped to 5.6032 trillion won this year, surpassing 5 trillion won for the first time, compared to 4.4547 trillion won in the first quarter of last year. The institute analyzed that the improvement in operating profit in the first quarter was reflected in the record-high salary levels for Samsung Electronics employees.

O Ilseon, head of the Korea CXO Institute, explained, "At Samsung Electronics, performance bonuses have a greater impact than base salary, so the average salary for the first quarter has already increased by more than 25% compared to last year. Even excluding performance bonuses, the annual salary is likely to exceed 140 million won. If performance bonuses are included, annual compensation will increase by another level, with the leading digit potentially changing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.