Average Structural Steel Construction Worker Salary in North Korea for 2026
A structural steel construction worker in North Korea earns about 817,800 KPW a year. That's 65% below the national average of 2,327,100 KPW.
Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in North Korea sit around 424,300 KPW a year, while the very top stretches to 1,249,900 KPW. Everything on this page is in North Korean won (KPW, symbol ₩), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.
The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in North Korea, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.
How much does a structural steel construction worker make in North Korea?
A typical structural steel construction worker working in North Korea brings home around 68,150 KPW a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 424,300 KPW, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 1,249,900 KPW for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.
The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior structural steel construction worker working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around.
How structural steel construction worker pay ranges in North Korea
A good way to think about salary in North Korea is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all structural steel construction workers in North Korea earn less than 781,200 KPW a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".
Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 544,800 KPW (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 973,800 KPW (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of structural steel construction workers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.
The very lowest reported salaries sit around 424,300 KPW. The highest stretch to 1,249,900 KPW, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.
Structural steel construction worker pay by experience in North Korea
Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a structural steel construction worker in North Korea, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical structural steel construction worker salary changes as you move through the career ladder.
- 0-2 Years480,300 KPW
- 2-5 Years+35% from previous648,200 KPW
- 5-10 Years+30% from previous840,800 KPW
- 10-15 Years+21% from previous1,016,300 KPW
- 15-20 Years+10% from previous1,113,700 KPW
- 20+ Years+5% from previous1,168,300 KPW
The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 35%. That is the point at which a structural steel construction worker typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.
Structural steel construction worker pay by education in North Korea
Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving structural steel construction worker pay in North Korea. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.
Below is the average structural steel construction worker salary in North Korea broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.
- High School571,300 KPW
- Certificate or Diploma+43% from previous818,100 KPW
- Bachelor's Degree+39% from previous1,134,500 KPW
Structural steel construction worker gender pay gap in North Korea
The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and North Korea is no exception. Male structural steel construction workers in North Korea earn an average of 868,400 KPW a year, while female structural steel construction workers earn around 780,600 KPW. That works out to a 11% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.
A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.
Structural Steel Construction Worker gender pay gap
10%
Men earn this much more than women on average in North Korea.
Pay raises for a structural steel construction worker in North Korea
Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.
A typical worker doing this role in North Korea sees a raise of about 4% every 30 months, which works out to roughly 2% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.
Across all jobs in North Korea, the national average raise is around 4% every 29 months.
By industry
Industries with the highest pay raises in North Korea:
- Banking
- Energy1%
- Information Technology
- Healthcare2%
- Travel
- Construction
- Education
By experience level
Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.
- Junior Level3% - 5%
- Mid-Career
- Senior Level
- Top Management
Structural steel construction worker bonus rates in North Korea
Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.
9% of structural steel construction workers in North Korea reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a structural steel construction worker a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.
Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3% of base salary. The remaining 91% of structural steel construction workers reported no bonus at all over the same period.
Which careers pay bonuses in North Korea
Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.
- Finance
- Architecture
- Sales
- Business Development
- Marketing / Advertising
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- Customer Service
- Human Resources
- Construction
- Transport
- Hospitality
Structural steel construction worker: public vs private sector pay
Public-sector pay in North Korea is about 8% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.
Public vs private pay gap
7%
Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in North Korea on average.
Structural Steel Construction Worker in North Korea: FAQs
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How much does a structural steel construction worker make per month in North Korea?
A structural steel construction worker in North Korea earns about 68,150 KPW a month before tax, based on an annual average of 817,800 KPW.
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What's the salary range for a structural steel construction worker in North Korea?
Entry-level structural steel construction workers in North Korea start near 424,300 KPW. Top-end pay reaches around 1,249,900 KPW. The middle 50% of earners sit between 544,800 and 973,800 KPW.
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Is the median structural steel construction worker salary in North Korea higher or lower than the average?
The median is 781,200 KPW, lower than the average of 817,800 KPW. Half of structural steel construction workers in North Korea earn below the median, half earn above it.
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What's the gender pay gap for structural steel construction workers in North Korea?
Men working as a structural steel construction worker in North Korea earn around 11% more than women on average (868,400 vs 780,600 KPW a year).
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Do structural steel construction workers in North Korea get bonuses?
About 9% of structural steel construction workers in North Korea reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3% of base salary.
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Do structural steel construction workers earn more in the public or private sector in North Korea?
In North Korea, the public sector pays a structural steel construction worker about 8% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.
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How often do structural steel construction workers in North Korea get a pay raise?
A structural steel construction worker in North Korea sees a raise of around 4% every 30 months, equivalent to roughly 2% a year.