52.5% of Kuwaitis in the public sector are university graduates

“Al-Shaal” addressed the latest statistics issued by the Central Statistical Organization regarding the number of workers in Kuwait as of the end of the first quarter of 2026, classified by headcount, gender, nationality, wages, ages, and more. The data showed that the workforce size reached approximately 2.281 million workers, excluding domestic workers, representing an increase of 3.1 percent (from 2.212 million workers at the end of the first quarter of 2025). When adding domestic workers and those in similar roles—the family sector, numbering approximately 783,900 workers—the total rises to about 3.065 million workers (2.957 million at the end of the first quarter of 2025). Consequently, domestic workers accounted for approximately 25.6 percent of the total workforce in Kuwait as of the end of the first quarter of 2026 (25.2 percent at the end of the first quarter of 2025). It is worth noting that we publish these figures and attribute them to their source without verifying their accuracy.

According to the details in “Al-Shaal,” the average monthly wage for Kuwaiti male workers in the public sector was approximately 1,929 dinars (1,918 dinars at the end of the first quarter of 2025), while that for Kuwaiti female workers was approximately 1,414 dinars (1,390 dinars at the end of the first quarter of 2025), a difference of about 36.4 percent in favor of male wages. The average monthly salary for non-Kuwaiti male workers in the public sector was approximately 649 dinars (599 at the end of the first quarter of 2025), while that for non-Kuwaiti female workers was approximately 811 dinars (694 at the end of the first quarter of 2025, with no explanation provided for the increase during the mentioned period). This resulted in a difference of about 25.0 percent in favor of females.

The average monthly wage for Kuwaitis of both genders in the public sector was approximately 1,625 dinars (1,602 at the end of the first quarter of 2025), while the same rate for non-Kuwaitis was approximately 729 dinars (641 at the end of the first quarter of 2025), a gap of about 122.9 percent in favor of Kuwaitis.

The average monthly wage for Kuwaiti males in the private sector was approximately 1,681 dinars (1,662 at the end of the first quarter of 2025), remaining about 12.8 percent lower than the average wage for Kuwaiti males in the public sector. For Kuwaiti females in the private sector, this rate was approximately 1,140 dinars (1,070 at the end of the first quarter of 2025), which is about 19.4 percent lower than that of their counterparts in the public sector. National employment support allowances continue to play a role in bridging these gaps. The average monthly wage for non-Kuwaiti males in the private sector was approximately 314 dinars (314 at the end of the first quarter of 2025), which is about 48.4 percent of the level of their non-Kuwaiti counterparts in the public sector. The average monthly wage for non-Kuwaiti females in the private sector was approximately 420 dinars (419 at the end of the first quarter of 2025). This is about 33.8 percent higher than the average wage for non-Kuwaiti males in the private sector, but about 48.2 percent lower than that of their counterparts in the public sector.

If the public and private sectors are combined, the average monthly wage for Kuwaiti males is approximately 1,877 dinars (1,865 at the end of the first quarter of 2025), and for Kuwaiti females, it is approximately 1,376 dinars (1,348 at the end of the first quarter of 2025), with a difference in favor of males of about 36.4 percent. The average monthly wage for non-Kuwaiti males is 327 dinars (324 at the end of the first quarter of 2025), and for non-Kuwaiti females, it is approximately 512 dinars (472 at the end of the first quarter of 2025), resulting in a difference in favor of females of about 56.7 percent.

The average monthly salary for Kuwaiti nationals, both male and female, across both sectors stands at approximately 1,592 Kuwaiti dinars (1,567 dinars at the end of the first quarter of 2025), while for non-Kuwaitis it is around 352 dinars (344 dinars at the end of the first quarter of 2025). It is important to reiterate that these figures do not include domestic workers, whose inclusion would significantly lower the average wage rates for non-Kuwaitis. Furthermore, these figures do not account for the labor support allowances provided to Kuwaitis employed in the private sector.

According to the same source, the number of Kuwaiti workers in the public sector amounted to approximately 362,100, representing a decline of 4.0 percent (377,200 at the end of the first quarter of 2025). In the private sector, their numbers reached about 73,500 (73,000 at the end of the first quarter of 2025). Consequently, Kuwaiti workers are distributed as approximately 83.1 percent in the public sector and 16.9 percent in the private sector.

Among Kuwaiti nationals working in the public sector, 52.5 percent hold university degrees, 5.2 percent hold postgraduate qualifications, 12.8 percent possess secondary education certificates below the university level, and 18.5 percent hold secondary school certificates or their equivalents. Thus, approximately 89.1 percent of Kuwaiti public sector employees hold educational qualifications ranging from secondary school to doctoral degrees. However, the high level of education in the public sector has a weak correlation with actual sectoral needs. There is a significant skew toward easy and undesirable specializations, including forged and manipulated certificates. This distortion is strongly linked to the practice of tying higher salary levels to the possession of academic credentials according to the official civil service pay scale.