The monthly wage gap between large and small companies in Kanagawa widens from ¥7,000 for workers aged 20–24 to ¥136,100 for ages 55–59. If the age-group averages are simply connected from age 22 to 59, the cumulative difference in scheduled monthly wages is about ¥35.83 million. This should be read as a limited estimate that excludes bonuses and retirement benefits.
Kanagawa wages by company size and age (2023, men and women combined, ¥1,000)
| Age | Large companies (1,000+ employees) | Medium companies (100–999) | Small companies (10–99) | Large-small gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–24 | 259.4 | 257.8 | 252.4 | +7.0 |
| 25–29 | 310.7 | 306.4 | 293.9 | +16.8 |
| 30–34 | 361.2 | 349.8 | 318.4 | +42.8 |
| 35–39 | 408.6 | 389.3 | 344.7 | +63.9 |
| 40–44 | 451.3 | 421.6 | 358.6 | +92.7 |
| 45–49 | 487.2 | 452.8 | 372.4 | +114.8 |
| 50–54 | 509.8 | 471.3 | 381.2 | +128.6 |
| 55–59 | 521.4 | 483.7 | 385.3 | +136.1 |
Simple lifetime wage estimate using scheduled monthly pay only
| Age period | Monthly gap (large-small) | Assumed duration | Approx. cumulative gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20s (ages 22–29) | ¥12,000 | 8 years | About ¥1.15 million |
| 30s | ¥53,000 | 10 years | About ¥6.36 million |
| 40s | ¥104,000 | 10 years | About ¥12.48 million |
| 50s | ¥132,000 | 10 years | About ¥15.84 million |
| Total | — | 38 years | About ¥35.83 million |
Nearly 80% of the cumulative gap emerges in the 40s and 50s
The cumulative gap is about ¥1.15 million in the 20s, ¥6.36 million in the 30s, ¥12.48 million in the 40s, and ¥15.84 million in the 50s. Of the roughly ¥35.83 million total, about ¥28.32 million arises in the 40s and 50s.
The difference becomes much larger later in a career as raises, job grades, management positions, and specialist tracks accumulate. However, this is a synthetic estimate created by connecting cross-sectional averages for different age groups to an imaginary individual. It is not an actual lifetime-earnings measure.
Large-company career structures in Yokohama, Kawasaki, and Atsugi continue to widen pay later in life
Large-company operations in Kanagawa associated with Nissan, Fujitsu, NEC, Sony, and other employers often have formal grade systems and long-term pay progression for managers, advanced specialists, and engineers. Smaller companies may offer responsibility earlier, but the number of management positions, pay scales, and retirement-benefit systems vary widely by employer.
Company size clearly separates average pay curves, but individual outcomes can differ greatly by occupation, industry, job changes, promotions, and employment continuity. The result should not be read as meaning that every large-company employee will earn exactly ¥35.83 million more.
How to read this estimate
The estimate simply extends monthly differences in scheduled wages over a 38-year period. It excludes bonuses, overtime, retirement benefits, periods with no raises, job changes, unemployment, work after age 60, present-value adjustments, taxes, and social insurance. These are cross-sectional averages by company size, not forecasts for an individual.
Summary: The main company-size gap appears in the wage curve of the 40s and 50s
In this simple estimate, the cumulative scheduled-wage difference between large and small companies is about ¥35.83 million, with most of the gap emerging in the 40s and 50s. When evaluating an employer, pay progression, specialist and management tracks, and retirement benefits matter more than starting salary alone.
- 20s: about ¥1.15 million
- 30s: about ¥6.36 million
- 40s: about ¥12.48 million
- 50s: about ¥15.84 million
- Total: about ¥35.83 million (limited simple estimate)
Source: Published statistics listed in the Analysis notes at the end of this article
📊 Analysis notes
This article is based on the following statistical data.
- Statistics used: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Basic Survey on Wage Structure (Table ID: 0003426933, view on e-Stat)
- Area: Kanagawa Prefecture
- Data retrieved: June 6, 2026
- Notes: The article is organized primarily around figures from published statistics. Because industry mix, company-size mix, occupation mix, and other factors outside the article also matter, numerical values directly observable in the statistical tables should be distinguished from interpretation.
Chart and table values have been independently aggregated and visualized from the statistical data above.
Table values have been organized from the statistical data above.