With a stable economy and political environment and two cities ranking as the top cities in the Middle East to live and work, it comes as no surprise that the UAE offers some of the highest salaries in the world. And while salaries in the UAE are above regional levels, 64% of respondents in the Bayt.com Middle East Salary Survey 2015 believe that salaries in the UAE are increasing. As for the factors causing salaries in the UAE to jump, respondents believe that these include the rising cost of living, as well as opportunity and economic growth. But did you ever wonder what the best paid jobs in the UAE are, and what it is like to have one of them? Here, we provide a list of the top 50 salaries in the UAE and what you need to get there. The list shows the salary range and average (mean) salary of a sample of employed professionals who carry out the highest paid jobs in the UAE. The data is taken from Bayt.com’s leading salary comparison tool, Bayt.com Salaries. So which jobs offer the highest pay? The answer below.

1. CEOs

Includes: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and presidents
Average pay: AED 105,000 Pay range: AED 70,000 – AED 200,000
How to get there: Typical requirements are an MBA, extensive experience, and good connections.

2. C-suites

Includes: Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Information Officer (CIO), Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Legal Officer (CLO), Chief Risk Officer (CRO)
Average pay: AED 90,600 Pay range: AED 70,000 – AED 150,000
How to get there: Typical requirements are a postgraduate degree in the relevant field, experience in the same field, and advantageous connections.

3. Engineering

Includes: Construction Director, Construction Manager, Power Plant Manager, Engineering Manager
Average pay before tax: AED 48,750
Pay range: AED 23,000 – AED 70,000
How to get there: The larger roles will typically require a combination of experience and a relevant degree; often an MBA is helpful.

4. Sales, Marketing and Advertising

Includes: Public Relations Director, Executive Director, Advertising Creative Director Average pay before tax: AED 48,330
Pay range: AED 35,000 – AED 68,000
How to get there: Most directors in this field have degrees, but these don’t have to be in marketing or business. Many start off as graduate trainees at a large company and move up the career ladder.

5. Banking and finance

Includes: Finance Director, Treasurer, Audit Manager, Financial Controller
Average pay before tax: AED 48,250
Pay range: AED 28,000 – AED 85,000 How to get there: Have a background and experience in banking or the financial sector.

6. Technology

Includes: Director of Information Technology, Development Manager, Enterprise Architect, Product Manager
Average pay before tax: AED 44,500
Pay range: AED 33,000 – AED 75,000
How to get there: The larger roles will typically require a combination of experience and a relevant degree; often an MBA helps getting there.

Here they are, the top 55 salaries in the UAE for 2015:

1. Chief Executive Officer (AED 105,000)
2. Chief Financial Officer (AED 95,000)
3. Chief Information Officer (AED 92,000)
4. Chief Legal Officer (AED 91,000)
5. Chief Risk Officer (AED 90,000)
6. Chief Technology Officer (AED 85,000)
7. Managing Director (AED 82,000)
8. Director (AED 77,000)
9. Construction Director (AED 65,000)
10. Finance Director (AED 65,000)
11. Vice President (AED 55,000)
12. Chief Security Officer (AED 55,000)
13. Legal Manager (AED 55,000)
14. Director Information Technology (AED 55,000)
15. Head of HR (AED 55,000)
16. Head of Sales (AED 52,500)
17. Public Relations Director (AED 50,000)
18. Executive Director (AED 50,000)
19. Head of Marketing (AED 47,000)
20. Advertising Creative Director (AED 45,000)
21. Treasurer (AED 45,000)
22. Construction Manager (AED 45,000)
23. Power Plant Manager (AED 45,000)
24. Audit Manager (AED 43,000)
25. HR Director (AED 40,000)
26. Head of Recruitment (AED 40,000)
27. Engineering Manager (AED 40,000)
28. Financial Controller (AED 40,000)
29. Solutions Architect (AED 38,000)
30. Creative Director (AED 35,000)
31. IT Manager (AED 35,000)
32. Finance Manager (AED 35,000)
33. Chief Accountant (AED 35,000)
34. Operations Manager (AED 33,000)
35. Corporate Communications Manager (AED 31,000)
36. Sales Manager (AED 30,000)
37. Business Director (AED 30,000)
38. Production Manager (AED 30,000)
39. Network Manager (AED 30,000)
40. HR Manager (AED 27,000)
41. Compensation and Benefits Manager (AED 27,000)
42. Marketing Manager (AED 27,000)
43. Plant Manager (AED 26,000)
44. Business Development Manager (AED 25,250)
45. Publishing Editor (AED 25,000)
46. Security Engineer (AED 25,000)
47. Payroll Manager (AED 25,000)
48. Credit Manager (AED 25,000)
49. Tax Manager (AED 25,000)
50. Architect (AED 24,500)
51. Account Director (AED 23,000)
52. Business Analyst (AED 22,500)
53. Civil Engineer (AED 22,000)
54. Network Engineer (AED 22,000)
55. Financial Analyst (AED 21,000)
    
    

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