Average Monthly Income of Ghanaian Workers
The Ghanaian economy has greatly benefited from oil production in the past few years, but most workers in the country still don’t earn enough money to support themselves and their families comfortably.
According to Statista, the individual living wage in Ghana in 2019 was GHS 900 per month which is around $ 61 of the time of writing this article.
The gross salary range for people working in Ghana is typically from GHS 867 which is the minimum to GHS 4,618 which is the maximum. Salaries can vary drastically among different job categories.
The above explained is the salary cap for government workers in the country. For private workers, if goes far below the minimum and for the maximum, it goes a bit higher.
Below is a table of estimated salary and their attached categories for an individual in Ghana.
Estimated salary and their attached categories for an individual in Ghana
| Working category | Average monthly salary (by survey in GHS) |
|---|---|
| Administration | 1873 |
| Agric, Food Industry | 1725 |
| Arts & Culture | 1916 |
| Banking | 2840 |
| Car Industry | 2208 |
| Chemical Industry | 2310 |
| Commerce | 2223 |
| Construction & Real Estate | 2472 |
| Customer Support | 1965 |
| Economy, Finance, Accountancy | 2492 |
| Education, Science & Research | 2076 |
| Electrical & Power Engineering | 2434 |
| General Labour | 1690 |
| Human Resources | 2604 |
| Information Technology | 3474 |
| Insurance | 2348 |
| Journalism, Printing Arts & Media | 2053 |
| Law & Legislation | 2857 |
| Leasing | 3338 |
| Management | 3774 |
| Marketing, Advertising, PR | 2489 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 2274 |
| Medicine & Social Care | 2029 |
| Mining, Metallurgy | 2414 |
| Pharmaceutical Industry | 2607 |
| Production | 2102 |
| Public Administration, Self-Governance | 2351 |
| Quality Management | 2586 |
| Security & Protection | 1970 |
| Service Industries | 1687 |
| Technology, Development | 3123 |
| Telecommunications | 2722 |
| Textile, Leather, Apparel Industry | 1437 |
| Top Management | 5292 |
| Tourism, Gastronomy, Hotel Business | 1702 |
| Translating, Interpreting | 2202 |
| Transport, Haulage, Logistics | 1944 |
| Water Management, Forestry, Environment | 2181 |
| Wood Processing Industry | 1881 |
Who are the Ghanaian workers?
Ghanaian workers are one of the most hard-working people in the world. They often work for long hours and yet, barely make enough to live off. This is because wages are determined by seniority, experience, and location within the company.
If a worker is new or does not have much experience, they will likely be paid more than someone who has more experience or has been with the company for years.
How much do they make?
Workers in Ghana can broadly be divided into two groups. The formal and the informal sector workers.
For the formal sector which includes public and private sector workers, their average salary is equivalent to GHS 800 which is around $ 54.42 per month.
Wages in the informal sector vary across the length and breadth of the country. Agriculture employs the largest in their sector.
The average earner in that sector would be about GHS 500 per month which is around $ 34.01. The government is the largest employer in the formal sector.
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What is the cost of living in Ghana?
The cost of living in Ghana is low, but it can be higher depending on where you live in the country. For example, Accra, the capital city, has a higher cost of living than other parts of the country.
Accra is where most businesses and jobs are concentrated, so this means that salaries for many working in Accra is also higher.
How does this compare to other countries in Africa?
Ghana is one of the most prosperous countries in Africa, boasting of GDP per capita higher than most of African countries. Average monthly income is not high by western standards, but they exceed those in many other African countries.
What are the implications of this data?
This data implies that the average monthly wage in Ghana is less than $100. This is actually not enough to provide for an individual.
This is especially true when one considers that in the past and next years, food prices have and will increase. Those living on the minimum wage, they can’t afford to feed themselves let alone their family.
Conclusion
Even though the average monthly wage is Ghana is low, it is still better than living in poverty. Some jobs are better paying than others, but even manual labor can result in a higher wage.
The best way to increase your earning potential as a worker is to get an education, as this will help you have more opportunities for employment and promotions.
