Summary
Currency and Pay Reporting
- Strong regional currency dominance with ~97% in Southeast Asian currencies (IDR: 76.15%, SGD: 10.02%, MYR: 5.23%)
- Traditional monthly payment structure reporting prevails (94.55%) across all markets and seniority levels
Compensation Structure
- Base salary remains dominant (83%) across all levels
- Variable components increase at senior positions (up to 11.3% bonus at Head level)
- Healthcare leads benefits offering (52%), with growing focus on flexibility (43% combined 2remote and schedule)
Market Variations
- Indonesia shows widest ranges with significant outliers
- Singapore demonstrates more predictable progression until Senior IC
- Malaysia features distinctive Director compensation (4x range)
- Vietnam and Thailand show concentrated mid-level IC compensation
There’s clear regional differences in compensation structures when asked to report against a similar level frameworks. Market-specific anomalies suggest diverse industry maturity and company compensation practices.
Level Comparisons
- Mid-level ICs form largest segment with widest compensation variance
- Notable jump in compensation from Senior IC to Manager roles
- Some Junior IC outliers earning above Senior IC medians
- Leadership roles show highest variability, particularly at Director level
- Consistent presence of outliers across all markets, particularly in mid to senior IC roles.
Management pay trends higher across the market suggesting more traditional career path and more experienced senior IC pathways aren’t a norm; IC outliers does suggest that they do exist.
Currency Distribution
The salary reporting in local currency reflects the respondent’s demographics, but offer a glimpse of foreign currency, suggesting pay for remote work.
Key Statistics
- Total currencies represented: 12
- Southeast Asian currencies: ~97% of total payments
Primary Currencies
- Indonesian Rupiah (IDR): 76.15%
- Singapore Dollar (SGD): 10.02%
- Malaysian Ringgit (MYR): 5.23%
Notable
- Regional currency concentration: Top 3 currencies account for 91.4% of payments
- Limited global currency presence: USD (2.17%), EUR (0.39%), JPY (0.22%)
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Compensation trends in Indonesia
Mid-level ICs form largest segment (44.73%) with widest pay variance (4M-768M IDR).
Key Statistics
- Junior IC median: 66M IDR
- Mid-level IC median: 90M IDR
- Senior IC median: 130M IDR
- Lead/Staff IC median: 133M IDR
- Manager median: 256M IDR
- Director/VP median: 141M IDR
- Head/Senior Leadership median: 195M IDR
Notable
Distribution skew
- Mid-level ICs represent largest group (44.73%) but show widest pay variance (4M-768M)
- Most extreme outliers appear at Senior IC (1440M) and Head roles (1420M)
Interesting anomalies
- Some Junior ICs earning more (240M max) than Director minimums (41M)
- Director/VP band shows most compressed range despite seniority, also due to low number of entries
- Some Mid-level ICs earning higher than Senior IC median
Career progression quirks
- Minimal difference in medians between Senior IC (130M) and Lead/Staff (133M)
- Notable pay jump to Manager (256M) but drops at Director level (141M)
- Several mid-level outliers earning above manager medians
Compensation trends in Singapore
Singapore shows more predictable progression until Senior IC level, with significant variability emerging in leadership roles.
Key Statistics
- Junior IC median: 60K SGD
- Mid-level IC median: 72K SGD
- Senior IC median: 103K SGD
- Lead/Staff median: 120K SGD
- Manager median: 133K SGD
- Director/VP median: 164K SGD
- Head/Senior Leadership median: 171K SGD
Notable
Market anomalies
- Head/Senior leadership roles show dramatic range (108K-542K)
- Senior IC outlier (434K) earning more than typical Director range (148K-180K)
- Junior IC outlier (190K) surpassing median Manager salary (133K)
Interesting progression
- Small median increase from Lead (120K) to Manager (133K)
- Unusually narrow Director band (148K-180K) compared to other roles, also due to low number of entries
- More predictable progression up to Senior IC level, then high variability
Distribution quirks
- Mid-career (31.58%) and Senior IC (26.32%) form largest groups
- Higher proportion of senior roles compared to Indonesia
- Minimal overlap between Junior and Senior IC ranges, unlike Indonesia
Compensation trends in Malaysia
Malaysian market shows distinctive compensation patterns in leadership roles, particularly at Director level with 4x range variation.
Key Statistics
- Junior IC median: 42K MYR
- Mid-level IC median: 76K MYR
- Senior IC median: 108K MYR
- Lead/Staff median: 154K MYR
- Manager median: 139K MYR
- Director/VP median: 353K MYR
- Head/Senior Leadership median: 310K MYR
Notable
Dramatic leadership compensation
- Striking Director compensation range (240K-950K), nearly 4x difference
- Unusual compression at Head level (300K-320K) compared to Director range (low number of entries)
- High minimum threshold for Director (240K) compared to Manager median (139K)
Career progression quirks
- Minimal difference between Manager (139K) and Lead/Staff (154K) medians
- More predictable progression up to Lead level, then variable
- Senior IC outliers (240K) matching Director minimum
Distribution peculiarities
- Higher proportion of Lead/Staff roles (17.78%) compared to SG/ID
- Mid-level and Senior IC form majority (52.22%)
- Tighter ranges in IC roles compared to Singapore
Compensation trends in Vietnam
Management roles command exceptional premiums, with Manager median (VND 780M) nearly double Senior IC levels.
Key Statistics
- Junior IC median: 122M VND
- Mid-level IC median: 260M VND
- Senior IC median: 420M VND
- Manager median: 780M VND
Notable
Striking management compensation
- Exceptional Manager range (650M-2400M)
- High Head/Senior leadership role median (804M) with limited data points
- Significant jump from Senior IC (420M) to management levels
IC level observations
- Nearly half of respondents (48.94%) in Mid-level IC
- Wide Mid-level range (24M-770M) indicating diverse market conditions
- Relatively high Junior IC median (122M) compared to progression pattern
Interesting anomalies
- Some Mid-level ICs (max 770M) earning more than Senior IC median (420M)
- Limited management from Directors upwards (4.26%) and no Lead IC representation
This analysis is based on 47 respondents, with particularly limited data points in senior roles (2 responses for Director+). Findings should be interpreted as indicative rather than definitive for the Vietnamese market.
Compensation trends in Thailand
Thai design market demonstrates structured progression in IC roles, with compressed ranges compared to regional peers.
Key Statistics
- Junior IC median: 360K THB
- Mid-level IC median: 654K THB
- Senior IC median: 732K THB
- Lead/Staff median: 2M THB
- Manager median: 3M THB
Notable
Limited data on higher levels
- Limited management and Lead IC representation (9.1% combined)
- Lead/Staff IC level (1M-2M) and Manager (2M-3M range) showing compressed range
IC progression
- Concentrated distribution in IC roles (95.46% of respondents)
- Clear progression steps: Junior (360K) → Mid (654K) → Senior (732K)
- Top IC outliers (1M) reaching Lead/Staff minimums
Market characteristics
- Strong Mid-level (38.64%) and Senior IC (34.09%) representation
- More compressed ranges compared to other markets
- Relatively high Junior IC minimum (315K)
Analysis based on 44 respondents, with particularly sparse data in leadership roles (<5 responses combined for Lead+ positions). Findings should be considered directional for Thai market patterns rather than definitive benchmarks.
Compensation Mix
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Data suggests traditional Southeast Asian compensation structure with gradual shift towards variable pay at senior levels, though still base-salary dominant across all roles.
Notable
- Steady decline in base proportion with seniority (90.5% → 83.7%)
- Sharpest drop at Manager level (84.3%)
- Junior and Mid-level ICs heavily base-focused (>90%)
- Stock grants increase significantly at leadership (4.3% for Heads vs 1.8% for Senior)
- Bonus percentage peaks at Head level (11.3%)
- Management roles show more diverse compensation mix
- Notable jump in stock at Lead/Staff level (3.6%)
- Director/VP showing unexpected compensation mix (more base-heavy than Manager)
Other Benefits Breakdown
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Data suggests traditional benefit structure with emerging adaptation to modern work arrangements, though still focused on fundamental health and leave benefits.
Notable
- Strong emphasis on healthcare but gaps in comprehensive coverage (including dental)
- Combined flexibility benefits (schedule + remote) total 43%
- Yet relatively low equipment/home office support (10.7%)
- Gap between traditional (health, leave) and modern benefits (flexibility, wellness)
🎙️ Commentary
When it comes to pay and benefits
- In Indonesia, design salaries vary widely, often based on how much companies value design and their practice of basing offers on previous pay
- Managers typically earn more than individual designers, unlike Western companies that often have special tracks for senior designers
- Office return policies are affecting what benefits companies offer
- While remote work is growing, most people (97%) are still paid in their local currency
What This Means For You
If you're a designer:
- Understand how your company rewards deep design expertise versus management skills
- Consider how you plan your career path based on impact as compared to just going up the career ladder
If you're leading a team:
- Think about creating career paths for designers who want to stay hands-on rather than manage
- Be ready to show how your design team adds value to justify good pay
If you're running an organisation:
- Check if your design team structure and pay matches how important design is to your business
- Review if your pay ranges help you keep good designers
Questions Worth Exploring
- Will we keep paying managers much more, or will we create better-paid roles for senior designers?
- How does basing new job offers on previous salary (plus 20%) affect the industry long term?
- What happens when managers must both lead and do design work themselves?
- How can companies pay fairly across different countries when teams work remotely?
Additional reading and references
Jump to
Overview
DemographicsRoles and ExperiencesCompensationCompanySentiments and Perceptions
Offer and NegotiationCareer ProgressionValue of DesignJob Market and OpportunitiesSupport this community initiative
Help grow our impact:
- Share this report with your networks and tag us at #DesignPayAsia
- Share your story on social media using #DesignPayAsia
- Contribute to our open pay database, especially if you're based in Southeast Asia
- Take part in future research to strengthen our understanding of the regional design industry
Your input helps create transparency and enables better career decisions for designers across the region.
