$Who Earns What

How much does a public health nurse make in Japan?

Public Health Nurses

Answer: The average public health nurse in Japan makes $36,759 (¥5.51M) a year (monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).

Average yearly pay of people doing this job in Japan
$36,759 (¥5.51M)

Monthly pay $2,407 × 12 + bonus $7,879. Average age 42.4; about 15,000 people work in this job. About the same as the Japan-wide average ($33,720).

Public health nurse pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex)

Public health nurse pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex) — Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025
Company sizeEveryoneMenWomenAge
Any size$36,759$32,609$36,90942.4
Big company$39,954$30,540$40,62341.1
Mid-size$35,190$36,341$35,17942.8
Small company$31,391$43,151$30,96147.1

Why does pay differ?

In Japan, pay can change with experience, rank, location, and the type and size of employer. Full-time or part-time hours, night or weekend duties, and specialist work or extra responsibility can also make a difference.

What if you were…

In Japan, age and company size matter most

Pick a company size, sex or age to see that group's average here.

How it changes with age

Tap an age to update the number above (Any company size, men and women combined)

How it changes with company size

Any size$36,759
Big company$39,954
Mid-size$35,190
Small company$31,391
Men$32,609
Women$36,909

What does a public health nurse do?

What's a typical day like?

After checking health-screening notes, a public health nurse may talk with residents or visit a family at home. They might run a baby checkup or health class, coordinate help with doctors, and write follow-up notes.

How to get this job

In Japan, students study nursing after high school, complete an approved public-health course, and pass both national exams; some universities combine the courses. Many begin work in their early 20s and learn through guided visits with senior nurses.

Did you know?

After major disasters, Japanese public health nurses can be sent to affected areas and help people at shelters and through home visits.

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Sources and data

Source: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 (regular workers, by occupation) (e-Stat). Yearly pay = monthly contractual cash earnings × 12 + annual bonus. Averages for regular workers at firms with 10+ employees. Public employees (teachers, police, firefighters) and company executives are not in this survey. e-stat.go.jp

Pages used for the text

Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY