Pay & benefits
Our pay scale is among the highest in Micronesia. Salaries vary by department and depend on the specifics of your contract, so ask us about the position you're interested in.
Benefits with a 2-year contract
- $10,000 relocation bonusA one-time payment when you sign a 2-year contract.
- Flights to Saipan paidYour airfare to Saipan is covered (employee only).
- Health & vision insuranceThrough Aetna International.
- 403(b) and 457 retirement plansEmployer-sponsored plans through ASC Trust.
- 26 days of paid vacationPlus paid sick leave.
- 14 paid holidaysFederal and CNMI holidays.
- Paid CME leavePaid time off for continuing medical education.
The CNMI tax advantage
For many people, the biggest financial benefit of working on Saipan is how income is taxed. Once you are a bona fide resident of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), here is how it works:
- You file with the CNMI, not the IRS. Residents file a CNMI income tax return under the Northern Marianas Territorial Income Tax (NMTIT), a “mirror” of the U.S. tax code with the same brackets.
- A local wage & salary tax. Wages are taxed at 2% to 9%, depending on income. This is credited against your NMTIT.
- A tiered rebate. The CNMI rebates part of the income tax that's left: 90% of the first $20,000, 70% of the next $80,000, and 50% of anything above $100,000. It is not a flat 90%.
- No separate state income tax on top. Social Security and Medicare apply as they do everywhere in the U.S.
To be a bona fide resident you generally need to meet the IRS presence test (for example, 183 days in the CNMI during the year), have your tax home in the CNMI, and have a closer connection to the CNMI than to the U.S. The year you move is usually a part-year, and it is taxed differently. See IRS Publication 570 for the details.
How far does your salary go on Saipan?
Enter a salary and choose a U.S. state (or type in your own state and city tax rates) to compare estimated take-home pay there with the same salary on Saipan.
Estimates only, not tax advice. See the disclaimer at the bottom of the calculator. Open the calculator in its own page.