Key Summary

Among Korea’s top 500 companies, the average salary per employee at 345 companies with comparable data for 2025 was KRW 54.99 million in the first half of 2026. This was an increase of KRW 3.63 million, or 7.1%, from KRW 51.36 million in the first half of the previous year.

Korea Financial Group ranked first with KRW 184 million. Excluding financial holding companies and securities firms, SK hynix recorded the highest average salary at KRW 144 million.

Essential Facts

  • Twenty companies had an average salary per employee exceeding KRW 100 million.
  • Securities firms accounted for 12 of them, or 60%.
  • By industry, average salaries were highest in financial holding companies at KRW 113.88 million, followed by securities firms at KRW 107.10 million, telecommunications at KRW 69.67 million, and banking at KRW 67 million.
  • E-Land World had the lowest average salary at KRW 17 million.
  • The gap between Korea Financial Group and E-Land World was KRW 167 million, approximately 10.8 times.
These figures represent average salaries for the six-month period from January through June 2026. They should not be interpreted as an individual’s annual salary or monthly take-home pay.

Background in One Line

CEO Score Daily attributed the high salaries at the top of the rankings to compensation structures in securities firms, where performance-based pay from investment banking, trading, and other activities accounts for a substantial share.

However, average salaries can be affected by bonuses and stock-based compensation, employee composition, payment timing, and other factors. Company-level figures therefore do not represent the actual salary level of every employee or any individual’s compensation.

Next Review

Under the schedule for this material, the next review is set for September 3, 2026, at 7:15 a.m. UTC. Whether the figures or comparison group change should be confirmed through additional disclosures and follow-up analysis.

Source Check

The following materials were checked on September 2, 2026.

  • [Yonhap News: Average salary at large companies reached KRW 54.99 million in the first half…up 7.1% year over year](https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20260901157800003) — Checked at 2026-09-02 07:15:12 UTC
  • [CEO Score Daily: Average salary at large companies reached KRW 55 million in the first half](https://m.ceoscoredaily.com/page/view/2026082815091877583) — Checked at 2026-09-02 07:15:12 UTC
  • [Hankook Ilbo: Employees at large companies received an average salary of KRW 55 million from January through June](https://www.hankookilbo.com/news/article/amp/A2026090209300003864) — Checked at 2026-09-02 07:15:12 UTC
  • [CEO Score Daily: Analysis of average salaries and productivity at major securities firms](https://ceoscoredaily.com/page/view/2026082615425594897) — Checked at 2026-09-02 07:15:12 UTC