The average yearly salary of doctors was calculated at 156.56 million won. (Image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, March 15 (Korea Bizwire) — A study conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare has found that the average monthly wage of South Korean physicians was 13.04 million won in 2016, an amount 4.6 times and 8.7 times higher than the average monthly salaries of full-time laborers (2.79 million won) and non-regular workers (1.49 million won), respectively.
The average yearly salary of doctors was calculated at 156.56 million won.
Since 2011, average monthly pay has steadily increased, starting with 10.06 million won and reaching 12.52 million won in 2015.
Doctors working at smaller medical facilities were discovered to be pulling in higher average earnings.
Doctors at small to mid-sized medical facilities (facilities with 30 to 99 hospital beds) were the highest earners, bringing in 19.96 million won monthly. Not far behind were those working in neighborhood clinics equipped with hospital beds (19.17 million won).
Doctors at neighborhood clinics without hospital beds, however, pulled in 13.62 million won.
In contrast, doctors employed at larger general hospitals earned around 9 million won less in average take home pay. However, as the majority of these major medical centers serve as training hospitals, the presence of doctors-in-training and comparatively lower-paid doctor license holders has been identified as the reason for the lower salary average.
The same study found the average monthly salaries of nurses (3.17 million won) and pharmacists (5.98 million won). (Image: Korea Bizwire)
The same study also found the average monthly salaries of nurses (3.17 million won) and pharmacists (5.98 million won).
Nurses who worked at major general hospitals (4.07 million won) earned more than those who were employed at neighborhood clinics lacking hospital beds (2.39 million won).
Working at a pharmacy was found to be most lucrative for pharmacists (6.41 million won), while wages were considerably less at nursing homes with 30 to 99 hospital beds (2.52 million won).
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
