Plus, the fastest-growing and highest-earning sectors revealed

With record numbers of people moving to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE, the job market across the UAE is increasingly competitive.

And to give an indicator of which sectors are most popular – and what roles are salaried at, Michael Page has released its UAE salary guide 2026.

The outlook is promising, as per some of their key takeaways. In 2025, the UAE’s economy grew by around 4%. That’s forecast to grow by a further 4.5% in 2026, led by non-oil sectors like finance, technology, and professional services.

The workforce has grown by 9%, with new business formations up 14%, and over half of the workforce now made up of youth talent.

Interestingly, the report also states that while 52% of UAE employees are satisfied with their current salary, almost two-thirds would consider changing jobs next year. Driving factors include work-life balance and career growth, but salary remains the top driver.

The 2026 salary guide

The Michael Page 2026 UAE salary guide is broken down into 17 industries and then by position, providing a wide scope of understanding so you can see what your role – or the roles you’re looking to move into – typically earn.

For example, under banking and financial services, accountants can expect to earn between Dhs20,000 and Dhs27,000 per month, while mid-level associate roles across investments typically take between Dhs50,000 to Dhs60,000.

Those in legal can expect to enter as a paralegal on an average salary of Dhs22,500, while associates and senior associates average Dhs48,000 and Dhs65,000 respectively.

In human resources, entry level salaries average Dhs25,000 per month for talent acquisition specialists, L&D training officers and HR coordinators, while top level roles typically sit between Dhs60,000 and Dhs80,000 depending on the title.

In sales and marketing, a PR and comms manager may earn between Dhs30,000 and Dhs65,000 as per the report, while sales and marketing director salaries sit at an average of Dhs70,000.

Salaries in data and engineering begin at an average of Dhs25,000 per month, increasing to Dhs35,000 to Dhs45,000 for mid level roles, and upwards of Dhs80,000 for senior roles across data science, analytics and AI.

View the full salary guide here.

Where are salaries rising fastest?

Some key sectors saw salary increases of between four and six per cent in 2025. Unsurprisingly, AI engineering was one of the areas with the sharpest increase in pay, but those in product management, compliance and renewable energy also saw average salaries rise.

The strongest momentum, per Arabian Business, for rising salaries is in the banking and financial services sector, as well as digital and data, construction and real estate, and energy.