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Putrajaya recorded Malaysia's highest median monthly salary in 2025 at RM4,828, followed by Kuala Lumpur at RM3,938 and Selangor at RM3,547
The figures come from the Department of Statistics Malaysia's (DOSM) Salaries & Wages Survey Report 2025, which found that Malaysia's overall median monthly salary rose 5.3% from RM2,793 in 2024 to RM2,940 in 2025.
Only four states and federal territories recorded median salaries above the national figure, with Penang ranking fourth at RM3,107.
Putrajaya's median monthly salary increased from RM4,598 in 2024 to RM4,828 in 2025.
Its mean monthly salary was RM5,417.
At the other end of the table, Kelantan recorded the lowest median monthly salary at RM1,860.
That put the difference between the highest and lowest median salaries at RM2,968.
Workers in Kuala Lumpur had the second-highest median salary
Kuala Lumpur's median monthly salary rose from RM3,687 in 2024 to RM3,938 in 2025. Its mean monthly salary was RM4,955.
Selangor also remained among the highest-paying parts of the country, with its median rising from RM3,350 to RM3,547 and its mean reaching RM4,258.
Penang's median increased from RM2,934 to RM3,107.
Together with Putrajaya, these were the only four states and federal territories where the median exceeded Malaysia's overall figure of RM2,940.
The other states and federal territories recorded the following median monthly salaries:
- Kuala Lumpur: RM3,938
- Selangor: RM3,547
- Penang: RM3,107
- Melaka: RM2,773
- Negeri Sembilan: RM2,710
- Sarawak: RM2,707
- Labuan: RM2,688
- Johor: RM2,688
- Pahang: RM2,578
- Sabah: RM2,482
- Kedah: RM2,255
- Terengganu: RM2,195
- Perak: RM2,173
- Perlis: RM2,013
- Kelantan: RM1,860
Labuan, Perlis, and Kelantan saw their median salaries fall
Most states recorded higher median salaries in 2025 compared with the previous year. However, three recorded declines.
Labuan's median fell from RM2,931 in 2024 to RM2,688 in 2025.
Perlis saw a smaller decline, from RM2,038 to RM2,013, while Kelantan fell from RM1,914 to RM1,860.
The largest increase was recorded in rural areas, where the median monthly salary rose from RM1,698 to RM2,035.
The national mean salary was RM3,803
Across Malaysia, the number of Malaysian citizens receiving monthly salaries and wages increased from 10.24 million in 2024 to 10.38 million in 2025. The mean monthly salary rose 4.1% from RM3,652 to RM3,803.
The gap between the national median and mean also shows why the two figures tell slightly different stories.
The median of RM2,940 represents the midpoint of the salary distribution, while the mean of RM3,803 is affected by higher earners.
