Samsung Electronics employees experienced a notable surge in their compensation, earning an estimated average of 36 million won ($26,500) in the first quarter of 2026, translating to approximately 12 million won monthly. This significant increase was highlighted in a recent report from the Korea CXO Institute, shedding light on the tech giant’s employee remuneration trends.
The detailed analysis by the Korea CXO Institute estimated Samsung’s total payroll for the January-March period to be between 4.25 trillion won and 4.79 trillion won. This estimation is based on the company’s reported “salary by nature” figure, which reached an impressive 5.6 trillion won. The institute further noted that Samsung’s payroll has historically constituted roughly 76 percent to 85.5 percent of this particular expense category.
Significantly, the first quarter of 2026 marks a historic milestone for Samsung Electronics, as its “salary by nature” expenses surpassed the 5 trillion won mark for the very first time. This represents a substantial increase from the 4.45 trillion won reported in the same period a year prior, underscoring the company’s growing investment in its workforce.
By utilizing national pension registration data, which indicated 125,580 employees, the institute precisely calculated the average quarterly salary for Samsung staff at approximately 36 million won. This figure confirms an average monthly earning of around 12 million won per employee during the period.
This represents a substantial increase when compared to the estimated average of 27 million won to 30 million won earned in the first quarter of the preceding year. The latest figures reveal an impressive approximately 25 percent surge in average employee pay, sharply exceeding the previous year’s growth rate, which stood at an estimated 11.6 percent.
According to the Korea CXO Institute, this significant increase in employee compensation is directly attributed to Samsung Electronics’ robust operating profits and enhanced compensation structures, particularly those linked to performance-based incentives.
Oh Il-seon, head of the Korea CXO Institute, emphasized the pivotal role of performance bonuses within Samsung Electronics’ compensation framework. “Samsung Electronics is a company where performance bonuses have a greater impact than fixed monthly salaries,” he stated, adding that “Annual compensation figures can shift significantly once bonuses are reflected,” underscoring the dynamic nature of total employee earnings.
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