Degree Programmes with the Highest Starting Salaries in Malaysia
Education is one of the pathways to a better life through getting a stable job with a good salary. Students should choose the right course with high job demand in Malaysia so that they have a secure future. The starting salary of a fresh degree graduate in Malaysia is about the same for everyone.
After you work a few years, and your employer has a chance to see you show off the knowledge and skills that you gained through a top private university education in Malaysia, your salary will start to increase faster. Therefore, choosing the right university is also important for a successful future.
Choosing a degree programme will lead you to a future career that’s related to that major. Therefore, it is important to look at what kind of future job demand that career has as well as the salary. When you know how much you could earn in the future, you can then decide whether that amount can satisfy and sustain your lifestyle. You don’t want to have chosen a course that would lead you to a job with low salary or worse where you cannot find a job as it is replaced by technology.
You may also be interested in:
- Top 20 Courses to Study in Malaysia that has High Job Demand & Stable Salary
- Malaysia’s 28 Top Jobs in Demand in Future with High Salaries
- Study Courses that has High Job Demand in Malaysia
- Top 10 Jobs in Malaysia
List of Degree Courses with Highest Starting Salaries in Malaysia
Darren, Finance & Investment Graduate from UCSI University
We make our decisions based on many different factors. When we are young, we do not realise that choosing the course may affect how much we earn in the future. Therefore, it is important for students to do the research and talk to knowledgeable and experienced counselors to help you to choose the best course in Malaysia to study so that you have a successful future.
One of the main reasons for high unemployment in Malaysia is that graduates have chosen the wrong course in addition to the lack of good English language skills.
A knowledgeable counselor or education consultant in Malaysia would be able to provide detailed information about the university and its courses, facts & evidence to support the job prospects for the course and in-depth information about which university would be suit you. While an experienced counselor or education consultant would be able to analyse your results, understand your personality & skills to figure out which course and career suits you.
Below are a list of degree programmes with the highest starting salaries in Malaysia. The starting salaries are sourced from JobStreet and Gradlink UK.
Finance, Banking or Fintech Salary: RM3,054
Degree qualifications: Accounting, Banking, Economics, Finance
Worldwide, the financial services sector records the highest earnings and drives a country’s economic growth. The Financial sector stands as one of the largest sectors in Malaysia with more than 300,000 people employed. This sector is made up by professionals in the Accounting, Banking, Economics, Finance, Insurance and Statistics and Taxation sub-sectors. An important industry for the country, it contributes up to 11 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
There is a demand for top graduates in banking and finance in Malaysia. Salaries for banking & finance graduates in Malaysia can be very high. In order to succeed in the competitive banking & finance industry, students must choose the best universities in Malaysia to study. Students should choose the right university that fits them which has a good reputation for accounting, banking & finance programmes, excellent facilities, top lecturers, student support services and an English-speaking student environment. Graduates from accounting programmes are able to work in the banking and finance industry
Law
A head of legal in the banking and financial services sector can earn an average of RM540,000 annually.
The head of legal serves as a catalyst, enabling competitive advantage by providing critical legal guidance to facilitate decision-making by the executive leadership team. This position encompasses various responsibilities to ensure legal compliance, mitigate risks, and provide strategic organisational guidance.
Source: Michael Page
Information Technology or Software Engineering Starting Salary: RM2,452
Zen Yi, Graduated from Software Engineering at Asia Pacific University (APU)
Information technology (IT) is the application of computers to store, study, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data, or information, often in the context of a business or other enterprise. IT is considered a subset of information and communications technology (ICT).
The Information Technology (IT) in Malaysia sector is exceptionally diverse and continues to grow. IT professionals often move between professional specialisations as their interests and expertise grow and change. Graduating with a Information Technology (IT) degree from a top private university in Malaysia allows you to choose from a wide range of careers in software development, business analysis, ITC consulting, data modelling, systems integration and network management.
Computer software engineers, or software developers, design and develop software applications or computer systems in Malaysia. They develop computer applications for clients as well as the major systems that make a computer run. Students interested in a career in computer software engineering needs to have analytical skill, problem-solving, teamwork and communication skills as well as creativity and attention to detail; familiarity with database management, development environment, program testing and other related software.
According to a report, the job prospects for information technology (IT) professionals in Malaysia is very good and well trained ICT professionals can earn a high salary.
Petroleum Engineering Starting salary: RM3,606
Petroleum engineering is the exact study of how to initially locate and subsequently extract a variety of energy resources such as natural gas and oil from the earth’s surface. In simple terms, it is an engineering field that’s basically concerned with a wide range of activities which are generally related to the extraction and refining of fossil fuels.
Petroleum Engineers are highly sought after in Malaysia and throughout the world. Using a variety of chemical tests, rock samples and numerous measurements; this field is very critical when determining where exploration wells are located. Salaries for petroleum engineers are one of the highest in Malaysia.
If you want to become a petroleum engineer, first & foremost you should collect relevant information to help your decision making. Since there are so many universities for Petroleum Engineering, you will surely find it hard to select the right university that best suits your individual goals.
Sales And Management Studies Starting salary: RM3,054
Zhi Kang, Business Graduate from Asia Pacific University (APU)
A degree in Business Administration or Business Management among the most sought after qualifications in today’s job market in Malaysia. Demand is strong for employees with general business management credentials as well as those with expertise in specialised business disciplines. A bachelor degree in business administration is designed to produce graduates with a solid foundation in communication, problem solving, critical thinking and leadership skills ideal suited for the business world.
Since Business Management or Business Administration degree is general in nature and covers a wide scope, business graduates are found in a wide variety of careers and diverse industries. Getting a business administration degree from a top private university is an excellent way to enter a career in any business environment in Malaysia or globally. It is also an ideal degree for students who aspire to be entrepreneurs or to take over their family business.
Studying the Business Administration degree in Malaysia generally prepare students to plan, organise, direct, and control the functions and processes of a firm or organisation. These general knowledge and skills are invaluable for management positions who have to oversee a variety of departments and synergise their activities.
Mass Communication or Corporate Communication Starting salary: RM3,200
John Lai Wai Hong, Graduated in Mass Communication from KDU University College
Mass Communication basically is the process of coming up with a message and sharing this message to a large group of people at the same time through the right communication channel. The channels includes media such as newspapers, magazines, television, cinema, radio, billboards, or the Internet.
In Malaysia, the study of mass communication is often associated with the practical applications of journalism (Print media), television and radio broadcasting, film, public relations, or advertising. With the diversification of media options, the study of communication has extended to include social media and new media, which have stronger feedback models than traditional media sources. While the field of mass communication is continually evolving, the following four fields are generally considered the major areas of study within mass communication.
A good command of the English language is very important for a successful career in Mass Communication. Students need to choose a university where the students speak mainly in English and experience in offering the programme. If you are weak in English, it will be very difficult for you to maintain the image of your company with bad English. It is reported that over 64% of today’s unemployed fresh graduates are having a tough time finding a job due to poor command of English and conversational skills.
Actuarial Science Starting salary: RM2,475
Actuaries usually work primarily for the insurance industry. They are also highly sought after by other sectors such as private corporations, banks, financial institutions and investment firms, brokerages and even government department such as Bank Negara also requires actuaries in risk management and financial consulting services.
Although the starting salary may be low, Actuaries with experience are one of the highest paid in Malaysia!
The pathway to become a professional actuary in Malaysia can be long. One must pass the actuarial professional examinations and various on-the-job assessments, in addition to obtaining a degree. A normal actuarial studies degree spans 3 years. Thereafter, completing the professional exams may take another 3-7 years (considering working full-time while studying). Students should choose the best university in Malaysia for actuarial science to prepare them well to face the professional exams.
Pharmacy Starting salary: RM3,640
Pharmacy is about using medications safely and effectively. A Pharmacist is a professional who manages this process. While Doctors diagnose the disease or illness, it is the Pharmacist who are experts in drugs and medications. Their service is very important to both patients and the health care community. In addition to dispensing prescriptions, they must understand the chemistry, drug reactions, patient’s history, the effects and side effects of drugs.
In Malaysia, job opportunities abound for pharmacists. Besides employment in traditional venues such as hospitals and private clinics, pharmacy graduates are engaged in other areas such as research and development, drug enforcement and academia. In all these areas, pharmacists play an important role in the health of the country.
Students after SPM or O-Levels can enter into a Foundation in Science at the best private universities in Malaysia for 1 year before continuing on to the 4-year Pharmacy degree. Pre-University graduates in Malaysia from programmes such as UEC, STPM, A-Levels, SAM, CPU, AUSMAT and others may enter directly into the Pharmacy degree providing they meet the minimum entry requirements.
How to Choose the Best Course to Study at the Top Private University in Malaysia
Kar Jun, Accounting graduate from Asia Pacific University
It is important to choose the right course to study – you don’t want to waste your time and money on a course you don’t want to do (or end up dropping out of). To help you decide which course is right for you, make a list of courses that are of interest to you.
Looking at your results in SPM could help you to decide which course you would be good at. If you are good in Maths & Physics then you can consider Engineering courses. Having good results in Chemistry, Biology & Maths, you can think of a career in Food Science, Pharmacy or Medicine. Talking to an experienced education advisor would help you to navigate through this confusing time of choosing the best course that fits you.
Many students after SPM make the mistake of just listening to advise without verifying whether the information given is true or not. In addition, just because you have heard or seen a lot of advertisements by a particular university, doesn’t mean that it is the best in that course.
Many of the course counselors at the universities are paid by the universities to get you to register there, so their main motivation is to get you to register, not to help you make the right choice.
You should also ask yourself if you would still be interested in that subject for a further three or four years – enough to motivate yourself to work and research independently? Remember, you are going to work in this career for the next 50 years after graduation, therefore, you should have a high interest in the course.
The course that you choose should also have a job demand for you after you graduate. Choosing a course
Lyngkaran, Engineering at Taylor’s University
that you are passionate about without job demand and you may end up being jobless. Look for statistics and research to support whether there is a job demand for your future career in Malaysia or Singapore. Here at EduSpiral Consultant Services, we do our research on the job demand for the careers in Malaysia, Salary Reports, and universities so that we can advise our students based on facts and evidence.
Now why would you want to talk to EduSpiral Consultant Services when you can contact the private universities directly? Well, EduSpiral Consultant Services staff have more than 15 years experience in counseling students. Having worked in the private education industry, we have in-depth knowledge of each private university and college in what they are good at. We have worked with our partner universities and colleges for many years while the counselors at the private universities or agents’ offices change every few years therefore they would not have the in-depth knowledge of the courses and the university that they are working at.
There are basically 3 reasons in choosing a course to study in Malaysia
Dexter Leong, A-Levels at HELP Academy & Degree from University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
1. We have to choose a course that we like. If we study something that we do not like, then we will hate our working life for
the next 60 years. There must be interest as well as passion for the course of study.
2. We have to choose a career that we are actually good at. Just because you like something, doesn’t mean that you are good at it. For example, some people think that they can sing, but when they open their mouths to sing, people run away. Like the American Idol, we see that some people cannot sing but actually believe that they can.
3. We should choose a career that can give us a good salary. Unless you have rich parents or just want to work for charity, then you can ignore this. Most of us need money to survive in this world. We assist students with research on the top jobs in demand in Malaysia to best advise which one would be the best choice. Especially now for most Malaysians where the cost of living is so high, we need to get a career that can provide for us, our future family as well as to support our parents when they grow old.
