How much does a care worker make in Japan?
Answer: The average care worker in Japan makes $25,868 (¥3.88M) a year (monthly pay × 12 plus bonus, 2025, Japan's Basic Survey on Wage Structure).
Monthly pay $1,851 × 12 + bonus $3,652. Average age 45.3; about 1.2 million people work in this job. Below the Japan-wide average ($33,720).
Care worker pay in Japan (2025, averages by company size and sex)
| Company size | Everyone | Men | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any size | $25,868 | $27,891 | $24,752 | 45.3 |
| Big company | $26,685 | $28,243 | $25,737 | 43.5 |
| Mid-size | $26,473 | $28,570 | $25,325 | 45 |
| Small company | $24,523 | $26,583 | $23,439 | 46.5 |
Why does pay differ?
In Japan, pay can rise with experience and care qualifications, and can differ by facility type, employer size, and region. Full-time versus part-time hours, night-shift allowances, and added responsibility can also change pay.
What if you were…
In Japan, age and company size matter mostPick 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
What does a care worker do?
What's a typical day like?
A shift often starts with reading notes and hearing a handover, then helping residents wash, dress, use the toilet, eat, and move safely. Workers plan activities, chat with residents, record changes, and brief the next shift.
How to get this job
Japan’s facility care workers can start without a required degree or license and learn on the job. Certification requires an approved school or welfare high school, or three years’ experience, practical training, and the national exam.
Did you know?
Japan’s seal-shaped robot PARO was tested in six dementia group homes; frequent resident-led sessions lowered caregivers’ reported burden compared with weekly sessions.
What about the US?
Nearly the same jobJapan's figure is the average and the US figure is the median. Prices and exchange rates matter too, so it's a rough comparison.
Similar jobs
Healthcare and welfare jobsEarn more in the same field
Healthcare and welfare jobs that pay a bit moreSources 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
- shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/Occupation/Detail/134
- www.sssc.or.jp/kaigo/shikaku/
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/saikin/hw/kaigo/jyujisya/24/dl/r06gaiyou.pdf
- www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/list/chinginkouzou_b.html
- japancwg.com/1482
- www.tmu.ac.jp/news/topics/38475.html
Data: MHLW Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY