Mynavi Releases 'May 2026 Part-Time and Contract Worker Average Hourly Wage Report'

Mynavi Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Shunsuke Awai) has released the 'May 2026 Part-Time and Contract Worker Average Hourly Wage Report.' This survey compiles job advertisement data posted on Mynavi's part-time job listing site 'Mynavi Baito' (https://baito.mynavi.jp/).

＜TOPICS＞

◆ The average hourly wage in May 2026 was 1,301 yen, slightly below the same month last year. The 'Sales, Customer Service, and Services (1,241 yen)' and 'Creative & Editing (1,419 yen)' categories reached record highs. [Figures 1, 2]

◆ By region, 'Kanto (1,365 yen)' had the highest level, while 'Kyushu-Okinawa (1,201 yen)' was the lowest. Meanwhile, 'Chugoku-Shikoku' improved its ranking from last year's lowest position. [Figure 3]

◆ The average hourly wage in Japan's three major metropolitan areas was 1,334 yen, unchanged for the second consecutive month. 'Leisure & Amusement' reached 1,340 yen, setting a new record high. [Figures 4, 5]

◆ [This Month's Topic] Focus on Okinawa Prefecture, home to a large theme park celebrating its first anniversary in July. Okinawa's average hourly wage was 1,159 yen, reaching the highest level among tourism-related industries. [Figures 6, 7]

【Survey Overview】

◆ The average hourly wage in May 2026 was 1,301 yen, slightly below the same month last year. 'Sales, Customer Service, and Services (1,241 yen)' and 'Creative & Editing (1,419 yen)' reached record highs.

The national average hourly wage in May 2026 was 1,301 yen (unchanged from the previous month, down 5 yen year-on-year), maintaining the 1,300-yen range for the second consecutive month since April, though slightly below the same month last year.

By job category (broad classification), 'Creative & Editing' reached 1,419 yen (up 34 yen from the previous month, up 173 yen year-on-year), setting a new record high.

Additionally, 'Sales, Customer Service, and Services (1,241 yen)' also updated its record high, matching last month's peak. This is likely due to talent acquisition efforts aimed at the summer peak season, driven by inbound tourism and post-holiday consumer demand.

Compared to the previous month, 9 out of 16 job categories increased, 5 decreased, and 2 remained unchanged. Year-on-year, 11 categories increased and 5 decreased. [Figures 1, 2]

[Figure 1]

[Figure 2]

◆ By region, 'Kanto (1,365 yen)' had the highest level, while 'Kyushu-Okinawa (1,201 yen)' was the lowest

Meanwhile, 'Chugoku-Shikoku' improved its ranking from last year's lowest position

Regionally, the 'Kanto' area, including Tokyo, had the highest average hourly wage at 1,365 yen, while 'Kyushu-Okinawa' had the lowest at 1,201 yen.

In the same month last year, 'Chugoku-Shikoku (1,199 yen)' was the lowest, but this month it ranked 4th out of 7 regions at 1,227 yen, indicating a significant increase compared to the previous year. [Figure 3]

[Figure 3]

◆ The average hourly wage in Japan's three major metropolitan areas was 1,334 yen, unchanged for two consecutive months. 'Leisure & Amusement' reached 1,340 yen, updating its record high

The average hourly wage in Japan's three major metropolitan areas※1 was 1,334 yen, unchanged from the previous month and down 4 yen year-on-year. In 2026, the overall pace of wage increases has stabilized compared to 2025.

By job category (broad classification), 'Leisure & Amusement' reached 1,340 yen (up 17 yen from the previous month, up 110 yen year-on-year), setting a new record high. This may reflect hiring efforts in anticipation of the upcoming summer vacation and Obon holiday peak seasons.

Compared to the previous month, 10 out of 16 job categories increased, 6 decreased, and 2 remained unchanged. Year-on-year, 11 categories increased and 5 decreased. [Figures 4, 5]

※1: Refers collectively to the capital region, Tokai, and Kansai, where Japan's three major cities (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka) are located.

[Figure 4]

[Figure 5]

◆ [This Month's Topic] Focus on Okinawa Prefecture, home to a large theme park celebrating its first anniversary in July. Okinawa's average hourly wage was 1,159 yen, reaching the highest level among tourism-related industries

Okinawa Prefecture, where a large theme park that opened last summer is approaching its first anniversary, recorded an average hourly wage of 1,159 yen, down 2 yen from the previous month but up 19 yen year-on-year. By job category (broad classification), 'Food & Beverage (1,103 yen)' and 'Apparel & Fashion (1,151 yen)' reached record highs. Additionally, 'Sales, Customer Service, and Services (1,145 yen)', including the hotel industry, remained near record highs. This trend may be influenced by the minimum wage revision at the end of 2025, rising tourism demand, and related hiring activities. [Figures 6, 7]

[Figure 6]

[Figure 7]

【Survey Analyst Comment】

The average hourly wage in May 2026 was 1,301 yen, down 5 yen from the same month last year. The upward trend seen previously has slightly stabilized, with signs of slowing growth.

By job category, 'Creative & Editing' surpassed 1,400 yen, setting a new record high. Regionally, 'Kyushu-Okinawa' had the lowest level among the seven regions, but Okinawa has shown rising hourly wages since January, right after the minimum wage revision. This suggests that minimum wage revisions are affecting advertised wages.

The Central Minimum Wage Council, scheduled around July, is expected to discuss guidelines for this year's minimum wage revision. Differences in regional levels and revision timing could significantly impact future wage trends, which we will continue to monitor.

Mai Mi Kajishima, Researcher, Career Research Lab

'May 2026 Part-Time and Contract Worker Average Hourly Wage Report'

【Survey Period】 May 1, 2026 (Fri) – May 31, 2026 (Sun)

【Data Aggregation】 Job postings listed on our part-time job site 'Mynavi Baito' during the month, excluding the following:

※ Excluded: Non-hourly wage listings, wages over 3,001 yen, employment types other than part-time or contract

【Target Regions】 All 47 prefectures of Japan

Kanto: Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma

Kansai: Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, Shiga, Nara, Wakayama

Tokai: Aichi, Shizuoka, Gifu, Mie

Hokkaido-Tohoku: Hokkaido, Miyagi, Aomori, Iwate, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima

Koshinetsu-Hokuriku: Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Nagano

Chugoku-Shikoku: Hiroshima, Okayama, Tottori, Shimane, Yamaguchi, Kagawa, Tokushima, Ehime, Kochi

Kyushu-Okinawa: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Okinawa

【Survey Organization】 Internal survey

※ For detailed results, visit:

(https://career-research.mynavi.jp/reserch/20260616_111717/)