Average Research Associate Salary in North Korea for 2026
In this article, we will look at the average Research Associate salary for 2026 in North Korea and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!
The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.
All salary information is in the local currency, which is the North Korean won. To keep things simple, we are using the KPW currency code instead of the currency symbol ₩.
How Much Does a Research Associate Make in North Korea?
A Research Associate working in North Korea will typically earn around 1,212,800 KPW per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 605,700 KPW to the highest average salary of 1,870,400 KPW.
These are average salaries for a Research Associate in North Korea and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Research Associate to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.
Research Associate salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.
Distribution of Research Associate Salaries in North Korea
So we've looked at the average salaries a Research Associate will earn in North Korea. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.
Salary ranges
We already know that a Research Associate can earn between 605,700 KPW and 1,870,400 KPW on average in North Korea. This is known as the range in statistics.
The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.
Median salary
The median salary for a Research Associate in North Korea is 1,212,800 KPW. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.
What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 1,212,800 KPW, and 50% of the population earn more than 1,212,800 KPW.
If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.
If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).
Percentiles
Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.
For the average Research Associate salary in North Korea, 25% of the population are earning less than 817,800 KPW while 75% of the population earn more than 817,800 KPW.
75% of the population earn less than 1,537,500 KPW, and 25% of the population earn more than 1,537,500 KPW.
Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.
The difference between a median and an average salary
The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.
- If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
- If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
- If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.
Research Associate Salary by Experience Level in North Korea
The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.
We have researched the average Research Associate salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.
- 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Research Associate in North Korea that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 724,000 KPW.
- 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Research Associate salary would increase to 960,900 KPW.
- 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Research Associate, the average salary would be 1,283,600 KPW.
- 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 1,537,500 KPW.
- 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Research Associate with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 1,655,500 KPW.
- 20+ Years Experience. For a Research Associate with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 1,777,700 KPW.
Average Salary by Experience Chart
| 0-2 Years | - | 724,000 KPW |
| 2-5 Years | +32% | 960,900 KPW |
| 5-10 Years | +34% | 1,283,600 KPW |
| 10-15 Years | +19% | 1,537,500 KPW |
| 15-20 Years | +8% | 1,655,500 KPW |
| 20+ Years | +7% | 1,777,700 KPW |
Research Associate Salary by Education Level in North Korea
As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?
In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.
The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.
In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Research Associate in North Korea based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.
- Bachelor's Degree. A Research Associate in North Korea with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 1,037,600 KPW.
- Master's Degree. A Research Associate in North Korea with a master's degree education can earn an average salary of 1,632,100 KPW.
Average Salary by Education Chart
| Bachelor's Degree | - | 1,037,600 KPW |
| Master's Degree | +58% | 1,632,100 KPW |
How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?
The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in North Korea is around 971,000 to 2,910,000 KPW and takes two years to complete.
As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.
It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.
Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.
Research Associate Salary Compared by Gender
In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.
In North Korea, a male research associate will earn an average of 1,249,900 KPW, while a female research associate will earn around 1,165,400 KPW.
This means that a male research associate earns approximately 7% more than a female research associate for performing the same job.
Average Salary by Gender Chart in North Korea
| Male | - | 1,249,900 KPW |
| Female | -7% | 1,165,400 KPW |
Research Associate Average Pay Raise in North Korea
In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.
From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Research Associate in North Korea is around 6% every 29 months.
The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in North Korea is around 4% every 29 months.
In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.
To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:
Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12
So for this example, it would be:
Annual Increase = ( 6 ÷ 29 ) × 12 = 2%
What this means is that a Research Associate in North Korea can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 2% every 12 months.
Annual Pay Raise by Industry in North Korea for 2026
In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in North Korea.
You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.
| Banking | - | 5% |
| Energy | - | 1% |
| Information Technology | - | 6% |
| Healthcare | - | 2% |
| Travel | - | 7% |
| Construction | - | 3% |
| Education | - | 8% |
Research Associate Bonus and Incentive Rates in North Korea
Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.
Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.
A Research Associate is a low bonus based job, with 11% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.
89% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.
For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 3%.
| Received Bonus | - | 11% |
| No Bonus | - | 89% |
What are the Types of Bonus?
There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:
- Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
- Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
- Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
- Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.
Government vs Private Sector Salaries
Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.
Public sector employees in North Korea earn approximately 8% more than private sector employees in the same role.
| Public Sector | - | 2,401,300 KPW |
| Private Sector | -8% | 2,230,100 KPW |
Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Research Associate
In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Research Associate in North Korea.
| Job Title | Category | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Benefits Administrator | Human Resources | 1,510,400 KPW |
| Benefits Analyst | Human Resources | 1,835,700 KPW |
| Benefits Manager | Human Resources | 3,144,700 KPW |
| Benefits Specialist | Human Resources | 1,908,800 KPW |
| Chief Human Resources Officer | Human Resources | 3,996,300 KPW |
| Chief People Officer | Human Resources | 3,925,200 KPW |
| Compensation Analyst | Human Resources | 1,882,700 KPW |
| Compensation Manager | Human Resources | 3,229,900 KPW |
| Compensation and Benefits Manager | Human Resources | 3,263,500 KPW |
| Compensation and Benefits Officer | Human Resources | 1,235,600 KPW |
| Compensation and Benefits Specialist | Human Resources | 1,908,800 KPW |
| Corporate Director of Human Resources | Human Resources | 3,805,100 KPW |
| Corporate Recruiter | Human Resources | 2,782,600 KPW |
| Corporate Trainer | Human Resources | 1,825,000 KPW |
| Director of Talent Acquisition | Human Resources | 3,733,300 KPW |
| Employee Benefits Administrator | Human Resources | 2,184,900 KPW |
| Employee Benefits Consultant | Human Resources | 2,844,200 KPW |
| Employee Benefits Coordinator | Human Resources | 1,125,300 KPW |
| Employee Communications Manager | Human Resources | 2,579,200 KPW |
| Employee Development Specialist | Human Resources | 2,508,300 KPW |
| Employee Engagement Specialist | Human Resources | 2,485,800 KPW |
| Employee Health and Wellness Administrator | Human Resources | 2,339,200 KPW |
| Employee Performance Specialist | Human Resources | 1,896,700 KPW |
| Employee Relations Analyst | Human Resources | 2,533,800 KPW |
| Employee Relations Manager | Human Resources | 2,688,800 KPW |
| Employee Relations Practitioner | Human Resources | 2,688,800 KPW |
| Employee Relations Representative | Human Resources | 2,003,200 KPW |
| Employee Relations Specialist | Human Resources | 2,557,100 KPW |
| Employee Services Manager | Human Resources | 2,724,700 KPW |
| Employee Services Specialist | Human Resources | 2,617,900 KPW |
| Employee Wellness Officer | Human Resources | 2,003,200 KPW |
| Employment Advice Worker | Human Resources | 1,283,600 KPW |
| Employment Interviewer | Human Resources | 1,811,000 KPW |
| Employment Relations Officer | Human Resources | 1,273,300 KPW |
| Employment Service Specialist | Human Resources | 1,510,400 KPW |
| Employment Services Coordinator | Human Resources | 1,788,300 KPW |
| Enrollment Counselor | Human Resources | 2,362,300 KPW |
| Equal Opportunity Representative | Human Resources | 1,870,400 KPW |
| Executive Human Capital Management | Human Resources | 3,745,100 KPW |
| Executive Recruiter | Human Resources | 2,676,200 KPW |
| Expatriate Administration Manager | Human Resources | 2,773,700 KPW |
| Expatriate Administration Supervisor | Human Resources | 1,728,900 KPW |
| Global Mobility Manager | Human Resources | 3,263,500 KPW |
| HRIS Analyst | Human Resources | 1,357,900 KPW |
| HRIS Manager | Human Resources | 2,230,100 KPW |
| HRIS Officer | Human Resources | 1,161,000 KPW |
| HRIS Supervisor | Human Resources | 1,296,900 KPW |
| Head of Human Resources | Human Resources | 3,503,800 KPW |
| Headhunter | Human Resources | 2,543,000 KPW |
| Health Benefits Coordinator | Human Resources | 1,560,800 KPW |
| Human Resources Administration Specialist | Human Resources | 1,440,700 KPW |
| Human Resources Administrative Assistant | Human Resources | 1,155,400 KPW |
| Human Resources Administrative Coordinator | Human Resources | 1,594,500 KPW |
| Human Resources Administrator | Human Resources | 1,583,700 KPW |
| Human Resources Advisor | Human Resources | 2,485,800 KPW |
| Human Resources Analyst | Human Resources | 2,136,200 KPW |
| Human Resources Assessor | Human Resources | 1,428,800 KPW |
| Human Resources Assistant | Human Resources | 1,054,900 KPW |
| Human Resources Assistant Manager | Human Resources | 2,878,300 KPW |
| Human Resources Associate | Human Resources | 1,069,900 KPW |
| Human Resources Consultant | Human Resources | 2,998,500 KPW |
| Human Resources Coordinator | Human Resources | 1,094,000 KPW |
| Human Resources Data Analytics Manager | Human Resources | 2,136,200 KPW |
| Human Resources Deputy Manager | Human Resources | 2,878,300 KPW |
| Human Resources Development Manager | Human Resources | 3,514,400 KPW |
| Human Resources Director | Human Resources | 4,152,200 KPW |
| Human Resources Executive | Human Resources | 2,653,700 KPW |
| Human Resources Generalist | Human Resources | 2,003,200 KPW |
| Human Resources Manager | Human Resources | 3,648,200 KPW |
| Human Resources Officer | Human Resources | 1,391,600 KPW |
| Human Resources Recruiter | Human Resources | 2,543,000 KPW |
| Human Resources Representative | Human Resources | 1,440,700 KPW |
| Human Resources Section Head | Human Resources | 2,401,300 KPW |
| Human Resources Services Manager | Human Resources | 3,047,800 KPW |
| Human Resources Specialist | Human Resources | 2,015,600 KPW |
| Human Resources Superintendent | Human Resources | 1,357,900 KPW |
| Human Resources Training Executive | Human Resources | 2,629,100 KPW |
| Human Resources Vice President | Human Resources | 3,781,400 KPW |
| Industrial Organizational Psychologist | Human Resources | 3,277,900 KPW |
| Job Evaluation Specialist | Human Resources | 2,485,800 KPW |
| Labor Relations Director | Human Resources | 3,085,500 KPW |
| Labor Relations Manager | Human Resources | 3,118,900 KPW |
| Labor Relations Specialist | Human Resources | 1,357,900 KPW |
| Learning and Development Manager | Human Resources | 3,349,100 KPW |
| Occupational Health and Safety Officer | Human Resources | 1,405,700 KPW |
| Organizational Development Consultant | Human Resources | 2,794,600 KPW |
| Organizational Development Manager | Human Resources | 3,132,800 KPW |
| Organizational Development Specialist | Human Resources | 1,668,900 KPW |
| Payroll Assistant | Human Resources | 1,249,900 KPW |
| Payroll Supervisor | Human Resources | 1,476,700 KPW |
| People Development Officer | Human Resources | 1,955,300 KPW |
| Personnel Officer | Human Resources | 1,074,600 KPW |
| Personnel Recruiter | Human Resources | 2,734,500 KPW |
| Records Clerk | Human Resources | 965,000 KPW |
| Records Manager | Human Resources | 1,594,500 KPW |
| Recruiter | Human Resources | 2,759,700 KPW |
| Recruiting Coordinator | Human Resources | 1,391,600 KPW |
| Recruiting Manager | Human Resources | 3,586,300 KPW |
| Recruitment Consultant | Human Resources | 2,662,900 KPW |
| Recruitment Officer | Human Resources | 1,369,700 KPW |
| Recruitment Supervisor | Human Resources | 2,254,400 KPW |
| SAP Resource Manager | Human Resources | 2,819,600 KPW |
| Talent Acquisition Manager | Human Resources | 3,385,800 KPW |
| Talent Acquisition Specialist | Human Resources | 2,052,200 KPW |
| Talent Management Officer | Human Resources | 1,693,600 KPW |
| Technical Recruiter | Human Resources | 1,716,600 KPW |
| Training Administrator | Human Resources | 1,500,800 KPW |
| Training Executive | Human Resources | 2,914,600 KPW |
| Training Manager | Human Resources | 3,144,700 KPW |
| Training Officer | Human Resources | 1,296,900 KPW |
| Training Specialist | Human Resources | 2,038,500 KPW |
| Training and Development Manager | Human Resources | 3,349,100 KPW |
| Training and Development Section Head | Human Resources | 2,724,700 KPW |
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