TAIPEI (CNA) — The semiconductor sector paid the highest non-manager salaries of any industry represented on Taiwan’s main stock exchange and over-the-counter (OTC) market in 2018, according to the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC).

The tourism sector averaged the lowest non-manager salaries among all sectors on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, and the plastics sector was at the bottom in wages among companies listed on the OTC market, data compiled by the FSC, Taiwan’s top financial regulator, showed.

Integrated circuit companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange paid an average of about NT$1.23 million (US$39,222) in salary to their non-manager level employees and those listed on the OTC market paid an average of NT$972,000 to take the top spot on the two exchanges in 2018.

Those salaries paid by Taiwan’s semiconductor sector beat the average compensation of NT$1.008 million paid by all listed companies on the Taiwan Stock Exchange and the average of NT$729,000 on the OTC market last year, the FSC said.

The computer and computer peripheral sector ranked second on the Taiwan Stock Exchange for average salaries to non-managers in 2018 at NT$1.20 million, followed by the plastics sector (NT$1.172 million), the utility sector (NT$1.17 million) and other electronics companies (NT$1.16 million).

On the OTC market, the financial sector ranked second in average salary for non-managers at NT$834,000, ahead of the building material/construction sector (NT$812,000), the information service sector (NT$807,000), and the computer and computer peripheral sector (NT$769,000).

Tourism companies averaged the lowest salaries to non-managers of any sector on the Taiwan Stock Exchange at NT$552,000, while the plastics sector pulled up the rear among sectors represented on the OTC market with average salaries of NT$455,000, the FSC said.

Companies listed on stock markets in Taiwan have been required since June to disclose the average compensation paid to non-manager employees on the Taiwan Stock Exchange website to give investors a better idea of whether listed companies are reasonably compensating their employees and fulfilling their social responsibility, the FSC said.

By Liu Pei-cheng and Frances Huang