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How Much is the Salary of an Engineer in Malaysia?

Published by Afterschool.my on May 17, 2022, 01:24 am

Choosing a career can be an utterly confusing task, with numerous factors to take into consideration. Demand is one, with many looking into numerous studies and crystal balls to look up which employers are actively hiring. Another crucial factor is salary, with fresh graduates looking to earn a satisfactory amount given the mounting living costs in Malaysia. Today, we delve into the salary of one of the most popular fields among Malaysians and answer the most important question of all – how much does an engineer in Malaysia earn as he/she moves up the ladder?

Read on below to find out information about project engineer salary Malaysia, mechatronics engineering salary in Malaysia, automotive engineering salary in Malaysia, data engineer salary engineer Malaysia, marine engineer salary in Malaysia, software engineer salary in Malaysia, aircraft engineer monthly salary Malaysia, sales engineer salary Malaysia, senior executive salary Malaysia, general manager salary Malaysia, software developer salary Malaysia, branch manager salary Malaysia, chartered engineer Malaysia and more.


Fresh graduate (0 to 3 years of experience)

Entry-level engineering positions are found in abundance – a quick glance at a job posting page will indicate as much. However, these varying fields also pay varying amounts, with certain engineering sectors paying much more than others.

  • Chemical engineer: RM1,700 – RM2,600
  • Electrical and electronics engineer: RM2,500 – RM3,500
  • Mechanical engineer: RM1,900 – RM2,900
  • Civil engineer: RM1,900 – RM3,300
  • Data engineer / IT engineer: RM2,000 – RM3,200
  • Oil and gas engineer: RM2,300 – RM3,300
  • Product engineer: RM2,300 – RM3,100
  • Mechatronics engineer salary: RM3,110
  • Project engineer salary: RM3,500
  • Automotive engineer salary: RM2,300
  • Data engineer salary: RM2,000
  • Marine engineer salary: RM2,770
  • Software engineer salary: RM3,610
  • Aircraft engineer salary: RM3,930
  • Sales engineer salary: RM3,550
  • Assistant engineer salary: RM2,855
  • Electrical engineer salary: RM3,630

Senior engineer (4 to 7 years of experience)

Senior-level positions constitute a slight bump in salary. Senior-level positions are a crucial stepping stone in affirming your position in a selected field. Employers will look not only into the number of years you have on your CV, but the exact field you spent those years in and the products you have dealt with.

  • Chemical engineer: RM4,100 – RM6,200
  • Electrical and electronics engineer: RM4,100 – RM6,100
  • Mechanical engineer: RM3,400 – RM5,200
  • Civil engineer: RM3,600 – RM5,600
  • Data engineer/ IT engineer: RM4,200 – RM6,200
  • Oil and gas engineer: RM3,900 – RM5,400
  • Product engineer: RM3,200 – RM5,000
  • Mechatronics engineer salary: RM6110
  • Project engineer salary: RM6,500
  • Automotive engineer salary: RM4,300
  • Data engineer salary: RM4,000
  • Marine engineer salary: RM5,770
  • Software engineer salary: RM6,610
  • Aircraft engineer salary: RM6,930
  • Sales engineer salary: RM6,550
  • Assistant engineer salary: RM4,855
  • Electrical engineer salary: RM6,630

Manager (6 to 10+ years of experience)

Over the course of time, engineers may be promoted to managers, doing less hands-on tasks and instead focusing on team management. Managers will need to strike the right balance between distributing tasks, setting long-term goals and ensuring their technical skills don’t rust into oblivion.

  • Chemical engineer: RM7,500 – RM9,700
  • Electrical and electronics engineer: RM7,000 – RM10,000
  • Mechanical engineer: RM6,000 – RM7,900
  • Civil engineer: RM6,500 – RM10,000
  • Data engineer/ IT engineer: RM7,000 – RM11,000
  • Oil and gas engineer: RM8,500 – RM13,000
  • Product engineer: RM6,500 – RM9,800
  • Mechatronics engineer salary: RM8,110
  • Project engineer salary: RM8,500
  • Automotive engineer salary: RM7,300
  • Data engineer salary: RM7,000
  • Marine engineer salary: RM7,770
  • Software engineer salary: RM8,610
  • Aircraft engineer salary: RM8,930
  • Sales engineer salary: RM8,550
  • Assistant engineer salary: RM6,855
  • Electrical engineer salary: RM8,630

Senior manager (13 to 15+ years of experience)

Senior managers are highly experienced managers who have mastered their respective fields. Further job advancement can include becoming a regional manager or director, depending on the company.

  • Chemical engineer: RM11,00 – RM20,000
  • Electrical and electronics engineer: RM10,100 – RM14,400
  • Mechanical engineer: RM8,000 – RM12,000
  • Civil engineer: RM10,900 – RM17,300
  • Data engineer/ IT engineer: RM13,200 – RM23,000
  • Oil and gas engineer: RM12,500 – RM30,000
  • Mechatronics engineer salary: RM 11,110
  • Project engineer salary: RM11,500
  • Automotive engineer salary: RM10,300
  • Data engineer salary: RM9,000
  • Marine engineer salary: RM10,770
  • Software engineer salary: RM10,610
  • Aircraft engineer salary: RM10,930
  • Sales engineer salary: RM10,550
  • Assistant engineer salary: RM8,855
  • Electrical engineer salary: RM10,630

Keep in mind that the figures above represent the average and can differ based on a variety of factors including region, condition/saturation of job market and type of company. However, the figures give future engineers a picture of what they can expect moving forward.

One of the most important factors in determining your salary is your experience level. With more years of experience in your career as an engineer, the higher your salary will be. As stated in this article, the more years of experience you have in your respective field of engineering, the more you will be paid for your work. So, if you want to make more money out of your engineering career, build experience by working in your field for several years.

It is a known fact that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more can a degree add to your income? Believe it or not, having certification from a higher education institute can increase your salary compared to people without certifications. Workers with a certificate or diploma earn 17% more on average than their peers who only reached the high school level. Meanwhile, employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn 24% more on average than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma. Professionals who obtained a Master's Degree are given salaries that are 29% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree. Finally, PhD holders earn 23% more than Master's Degree holders on average while doing the same job.

If you are a male engineer, you might notice that your salary is just slightly higher than your female colleague’s salary. This is because gender does have an effect on pay. On average, male engineers are paid 7% more than female engineers. It is not really known why men are paid more than women, but keep this in mind when getting your salary.

If you are curious about the salaries of other professions, check out our articles for accountants and doctors.

So, what do you think? Which branch of engineering are you interested in?

Engineer salaries infographic

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