Average monthly gross wages and salaries were €1,894 in Q1
According to Statistics Estonia, the average monthly gross wages and salaries in the first quarter of 2024 were €1,894, which is 8.8% higher than in the same quarter the year before. The median wages were €1,553 in the first quarter of this year and €1,424 in the same quarter of 2023.
Liina Kuusik, analyst at Statistics Estonia, noted that, in the first quarter, the average monthly gross wages and salaries were the highest in information and communication (€3,393), financial and insurance activities (€3,114), and public administration and defence and compulsory social security (€2,517). “The biggest increase in average wages and salaries was registered in human health and social work activities (16.7%) and in agriculture, forestry and fishing (13.7%),” Kuusik pointed out.
The average monthly wages and salaries were the lowest in accommodation and food service activities (€1,217), other service activities (€1,258), and real estate activities (€1,322).
The average monthly gross wages and salaries in the first quarter were the highest in Tallinn (€2,247), followed by Harju county (incl. Tallinn) with €2,139, and Tartu county (€1,888). The lowest average wages were seen in Valga (€1,376) and Saare (€1,430) counties. Year on year, the biggest growth in wages and salaries was recorded in Hiiu (12.1%) and Ida-Viru (12%) counties. Compared with the first quarter last year, the growth in wages was the most modest in Lääne (6.8%) and Rapla (7.1%) counties.
Median wages, i.e. the point at which half of employees earn more and half earn less, were €1,553 in the first quarter of 2024.
By economic activity, median wages were the highest in information and communication (€2,873) and financial and insurance activities (€2,555). The lowest median wages were recorded in real estate activities (€917) and other service activities (€984).
We also recommend that you check Statistics Estonia's updated earnings application, which provides more information on wages and salaries in various occupations and also allows you to view wage data by age group: https://palgad.stat.ee/en.
Since the first quarter of 2023, Statistics Estonia uses data from the employment register of the Tax and Customs Board and the income and social tax declarations to publish the average wages and salaries. People working under employment contracts, the Civil Service Act (excl. employees in the areas of governance of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of the Interior), and service contracts are included.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
See also the dedicated section on wages and salaries and labour costs.
When using Statistics Estonia’s data and graphs, please indicate the source.
For further information:
Heidi Kukk
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9181
press [at] stat.ee (press[at]stat[dot]ee)