Average wages and salaries rise by 8.1 pct on year in 2024

The average monthly gross wages and salaries in 2024 stood at 1981 euros. Photo: Marko Saarm / Sakala

The average monthly gross wages and salaries in 2024 stood at 1,981 euros, which is 8.1 percent higher than in 2023, according to Statistics Estonia.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the average monthly gross wages and salaries were 2,062 euros, which is 8.3 percent higher than in the same quarter of 2023.

Sigrid Saagpakk, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that the average monthly gross wages and salaries in 2024 were the highest in Tallinn at 2,325 euros and in Harju County, 2,218 euros, and Tartu County, 1,995 euros.

«Compared with 2023, the biggest increase in wages and salaries was seen in Hiiu County, 9.9 percent, and East-Viru County, 9.7 percent. Wages and salaries rose by more than 6.5 percent in all Estonian counties,» the analyst stated.

The highest average wages and salaries in 2024 were found in information and communication, at 3,484 euros.

«This was followed by financial and insurance activities, 3,127 euros, and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, 2,697 euros,» said Saagpakk.

The lowest average wages and salaries last year were observed in accommodation and food service activities, 1,264 euros. The highest wage increases were recorded in human health and social work activities, 11.9 percent, and in other service activities, 9.8 percent.

Median of gross wages is the wage level at which half of the employees earn less than that level and half earn more than that level. Both average and median wages have been rising in recent years, but wage growth slowed in 2024.

«The median wages were 1,628 euros last year. Compared with 2023, when the median wages stood at 1,501 euros, the wage increase was 8.5 percent,» the analyst noted.

In 2024, the largest number of employees -- 101,400 people, accounting for 17 percent of all employed persons -- was recorded in manufacturing. This was followed by wholesale and retail trade, including repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, with nearly 90,000 employees, education with almost 65,000, and human health and social work activities with close to 48,000 employees.

The average monthly gross wages and salaries in the fourth quarter of 2024 were 2,062 euros, which is 8.3 percent higher than in the same quarter of 2023. The median wages in the final quarter of last year were 1,699 euros.

The highest average monthly gross wages and salaries in the fourth quarter of 2024 were recorded in Tallinn -- 2,407 euros.

«The average wages and salaries in both Harju and Tartu counties were above the Estonian average, at 2,299 euros and 2,092 euros respectively,» Saagpakk explained, adding that the lowest wage level in the last quarter was seen in Valga county, 1,507 euros. The average wages and salaries were below 1,600 euros also in Saare County, 1,584 euros, and Lääne County, 1,586 euros.