Japan · City report

Salaries in Tokyo, JP

75 careers with observed metro pay in Tokyo — about 30% below the Japan average. Figures in JPY.

Showing amounts in USD (USD default; source data is JPY). FX as of Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies

Pay index (Japan)
70
100 = national average
Cost of living
100
100 = US national average
Metro population
9,733,276

Tokyo salaries sit ~30% below the Japan average

Tokyo, JP lists 75 careers with observed metro percentiles in JPY. Pay index 0.70 (30% below national); COL 100 vs a US baseline of 100.

Surgeon leads this Tokyo table at ¥36,480,000 a year, with Radiologist at ¥35,990,000 and Psychiatrist at ¥32,880,000. The midpoint of the listed set is Physical Therapist at ¥11,960,000 — a better “typical covered career here” than row #1 alone. Top-of-list mix: 5 healthcare, 2 legal, and 2 technology.

Population in the dataset is about 9,733,276. Larger labour markets usually support wider industry mix; smaller ones can look “high paying” on one clinical or tech title and thin everywhere else. Licensing and immigration rules are independent of this cash sort.

Japan shows about 3.2% CPI in 2025. Open a role’s Tokyo salary page for p10–p90, take-home, and rent models — this hub is the directory. Missing careers may still have a national Japan page even when this metro lacks observed percentiles.

Reading pay and COL together in Tokyo

Use pay index (0.70) for wage level vs Japan, and COL (100) for prices. High on both is not the same as high real leftover.

Figures are observed metro medians where listed, in JPY, gross. They are market estimates — not a promise from any one employer.

What tops the Tokyo cash list

Surgeon: Surgeons perform operations to treat injuries, diseases, and deformities. Observed median here: ¥36,480,000. That lead reflects how this metro prices the occupation, not a recommendation to retrain tomorrow.

Average salary by job in Tokyo

JobPer year
SurgeonHealthcare$228,303
RadiologistHealthcare$225,236
PsychiatristHealthcare$205,773
DentistHealthcare$149,949
Corporate AttorneyLegal$138,997
Cloud ArchitectTechnology$133,740
Investment BankerFinance & Business$131,111
Site Reliability EngineerTechnology$118,783
LawyerLegal$111,085
Physician AssistantHealthcare$110,021
DevOps EngineerTechnology$109,771
Nurse PractitionerHealthcare$107,580
PharmacistHealthcare$107,142
ActuaryFinance & Business$106,641
OptometristHealthcare$104,701
PhysicianHealthcare$103,763
Aerospace EngineerEngineering$103,012
Data EngineerTechnology$102,073
Management ConsultantFinance & Business$100,571
Sales ManagerFinance & Business$95,564
VeterinarianHealthcare$89,494
Electrical EngineerEngineering$87,428
Chemical EngineerEngineering$85,238
School PrincipalEducation$85,176
Financial AdvisorFinance & Business$83,861
Marketing ManagerFinance & Business$83,361
UX DesignerTechnology$83,110
Project ManagerFinance & Business$82,923
Database AdministratorTechnology$81,796
PsychologistHealthcare$81,608
Biomedical EngineerEngineering$80,607
Network EngineerTechnology$78,855
Industrial EngineerEngineering$78,354
QA EngineerTechnology$77,165
ProfessorEducation$76,226
Web DeveloperTechnology$75,788
Operations ManagerFinance & Business$75,663
Physical TherapistHealthcare$74,849
ArchitectCreative$73,598
Occupational TherapistHealthcare$72,096
Environmental EngineerEngineering$72,033
Business AnalystFinance & Business$71,908
HR ManagerFinance & Business$70,719
Data AnalystTechnology$69,467
Dental HygienistHealthcare$66,776
Systems AdministratorTechnology$66,714
AuditorFinance & Business$61,269
Product ManagerTechnology$61,018
RecruiterFinance & Business$60,706
Real Estate AgentFinance & Business$59,767
ChefSkilled Trades$54,322
Financial AnalystFinance & Business$53,947
CopywriterCreative$53,383
Data ScientistTechnology$52,445
AI EngineerTechnology$52,445
PlumberSkilled Trades$51,819
ElectricianSkilled Trades$51,694
HVAC TechnicianSkilled Trades$49,754
Graphic DesignerCreative$49,628
Video EditorCreative$49,503
Software EngineerTechnology$49,128
Frontend DeveloperTechnology$49,128
Backend DeveloperTechnology$49,128
Full-Stack DeveloperTechnology$49,128
ParalegalLegal$48,627
Social Media ManagerCreative$47,876
Mechanical EngineerEngineering$47,563
Civil EngineerEngineering$46,186
TeacherEducation$46,124
AccountantFinance & Business$46,061
IT Support SpecialistTechnology$44,872
CarpenterSkilled Trades$44,559
PhotographerCreative$42,807
Registered NurseHealthcare$42,494
WelderSkilled Trades$42,494

Frequently asked questions

Are salaries high in Tokyo, JP?
Tokyo, JP pays about 30% below the Japan average (pay index 0.70). High cash is not the same as high leftover after COL 100.
What is the cost of living in Tokyo, JP?
COL index 100 (100 = US national average). About the baseline.
What is the highest-paying job in Tokyo, JP?
Of roles with observed data, Surgeon leads at about ¥36,480,000 per year.
How many careers have salary data for Tokyo, JP?
75 careers list observed metro pay in JPY on this hub.
How should I read salaries in Tokyo, JP?
Compare pay index (0.70) with COL (100), then open a role page for percentiles and take-home. Estimates only — not offers.