Saudi Government Salary Scale 2026
Full explanation of the Saudi government salary scale: grade, step, allowances, the annual increment, and the difference between civil and military employees.
The Saudi government salary scale is the system that determines every Saudi government employee's pay and has seen multiple reforms since its late-1970s creation. This guide covers the scale structure as applied in 2026, and how actual pay is computed (base + allowances).
Salary figures in this guide are indicative and drawn from public Ministry of Finance budget documents and Civil Service scale tables; specific pay by grade/step is set by each government entity's Civil Service-approved classification and can change by royal order. For a precise personal figure, check your monthly salary slip via Mudad or your HR portal.
Scale Structure
The scale consists of 15 grades ordered by job level. Each grade has 15 steps, and the step advances via the annual increment without needing additional approval.
Example Grades
| Grade | Sample Job |
|---|---|
| 1 | Junior admin assistant, clerk |
| 3 | Technician, specialist assistant |
| 5 | Junior specialist (post-bachelor's) |
| 7 | Mid-specialist, section head |
| 10 | Department manager |
| 13 | Assistant deputy |
| 14 | Deputy Minister |
| 15 | Minister and equivalent |
Examples are indicative — each government entity maps its jobs to grades per its Civil Service-approved classification.
Actual Salary Components
Actual salary = base salary + allowances + increments, minus insurance and retirement contributions.
1. Base Salary
Set by the grade/step intersection. Grade 1 step 1 starts around 4,500 SAR, rising gradually. Grade 15 (minister) reaches about 25,000 SAR base.
Increment rule: each year the employee gets an additional step within their grade until reaching step 15. Increment value: 150–350 SAR by grade.
2. Transport Allowance
Paid to employees using their personal vehicle for work. Value: 500–1,500 SAR by job nature. Some entities pay it to all; some to leadership only.
3. Housing Allowance
Paid annually as a lump sum equal to 3 monthly base salaries, to those not in government housing. Usually transferred in Muharram or January.
4. Work-Nature Allowance
Paid for specific occupations as compensation for special conditions:
| Sector | Type | Approximate value |
|---|---|---|
| Health | Infection / risk | 15–50% of base |
| Education | Teaching | 10–30% of base |
| Public Security | Field risk | 20–40% of base |
| Customs | Scarcity | 20–30% |
| Judiciary | Judicial (raised by M/16) | Substantial |
5. Representation Allowance
For senior leadership (deputy, director general). Value varies by position.
6. Special Allowances
- Travel allowance during missions
- Training allowance when the employee is dispatched
- Promotion allowance (for some jobs on promotion)
- Furniture-moving allowance on inter-region transfer
Sample Actual-Salary Calculation
Example: an employee at grade 7 step 6, specialist role at a health ministry.
| Item | Value (approximate) |
|---|---|
| Base salary | 9,500 SAR |
| Housing allowance (monthly) | 2,375 SAR (= 9,500 × 3 ÷ 12) |
| Transport allowance | 500 SAR |
| Infection/work-nature allowance | 2,000 SAR |
| Monthly gross | 14,375 SAR |
| — Insurance contribution | 9% of base = 855 SAR |
| Approximate net | ~13,520 SAR |
The figure is indicative; each entity has its specific allowance structure.
Civil vs Military Scales
| Criterion | Civil Scale | Military Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Overseeing body | Civil Service | Ministry of Defense / Guard / Interior |
| Unit | Grades/steps | Military ranks (private, corporal, sergeant…) |
| Promotion | Internal via increment + external via vacancy | By seniority + course success |
| Allowances | Multiple by job | Military work-nature + risk + field |
| Retirement | 65 (per 2024 system) | 60 usually + eligible for early retirement |
Promotion — How It Happens
Promotion to a higher grade requires:
- Reaching a threshold in the current grade (usually step 10 or higher)
- A vacancy in the higher grade at the entity
- Meeting promotion conditions: years of experience, academic degree, performance rating (Excellent or Very Good)
- Passing the entity's process: may include an interview, test, internal review
- Issuance of the promotion decision and Civil Service ratification
Promotion timing: usually 3–7 years per grade depending on vacancies and performance.
Cost-of-Living Increments and Raises
Since the scale's inception, there have been special adjustments (King Abdulaziz allowance, King Abdullah base-raise, 1439 AH adjustment), and values are raised periodically. Not annual, but by special royal orders.
Additional Questions
Can an employee view their salary in detail? Yes, via the "Mudad" government payroll system, or the monthly salary slip. Every line is shown separately.
Is there an absolute government salary cap? No published official cap, but the highest grade (15) reaches 25,000 base + substantial allowances. Strategic senior positions are outside the scale and set by special royal orders.
How is end-of-service gratuity computed for government employees? Government employees fall under the civil retirement system (not the Labor Law) and receive a retirement pension, not a private-sector-style gratuity. See our GOSI pension guide.
Do government employees earn overtime pay? Generally no — government jobs follow the defined work week. Some entities pay an "extra hours" allowance with ministerial or authority approval.
Official Sources
- Civil Service Bureau, mcs.gov.sa
- Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, hrsd.gov.sa
- Ministry of Finance, mof.gov.sa
- Civil Service Regulation, Laws Portal
Read also: Saudi Salary Dates 2026 · GOSI Pension Guide · Employee Rights Under Saudi Labor Law
الأسئلة الشائعة
A table set by the Saudi Civil Service allocating jobs across 15 grades (1–15), each having several steps (usually 15). Each grade/step cell has a fixed base salary. Actual pay = base + allowances per job type.
Grade 1, step 1 starts at about 4,500 SAR base (per the 1439 AH adjustment). The annual increment is 150–200 SAR by grade. Each grade has a cap — reaching it stops step increments until a promotion to the higher grade.
Notable ones: transport allowance, housing allowance, work-nature allowance (for specific occupations like health and security), danger allowance (for military), and representation allowance (for some leadership roles). Each allowance is regulated by the Ministry of Finance or Civil Service.
On each anniversary of the appointment date (service birthday). The increment raises the step by one within the same grade, at a fixed amount per the increments schedule. It is not paid when the employee reaches the top step in their grade.
The grade defines the general job class (junior technician, specialist, manager, deputy, etc.), and promotion needs employer approval + a vacancy. The step is progression within the same grade via annual increments without changing the job.
Promotion requires: reaching a top step in the current grade or near it, an available vacancy, meeting promotion conditions (years of experience, degree, performance rating), and approval from the Civil Service.
The 27th of each Gregorian month, with a move to Thursday if it falls on Friday and to Sunday if it falls on Saturday. See our [salary dates guide](/saudi-salary-dates-2026-2027) for details.
Part of the series: Government & Military Jobs
Article 1 of 3The government salary scale, and unified registration for the Ministries of Defence and Interior.
- 1.Saudi Government Salary Scale 2026Pillar guide
- 2.Saudi MOD Unified Registration 2026: Requirements, Tracks, and Admission
- 3.Saudi MOI Unified Registration 2026: Police, Passports, Traffic, Civil Defence
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