Wages and salaries and labour costs

For work, people receive pay, or wages and salaries, which is agreed compensation for fulfilling work tasks. In addition to the sum that the employer pays to the employee, the employer pays labour taxes on that sum, which together with the wages constitute labour costs.

Wages are an important source of income, and their main purpose is to cover expenses on dwelling, food, transportation and other basic needs. This is why the law regulates the minimum an employee could be paid for full-time work. The minimum wage is set to protect the well-being of employees.

The statistics on wages and salaries and labour costs provide the following information:

  • what are the average monthly and hourly gross wages in different economic activities;
  • how much the wages differ in counties;
  • whether jobs with higher pay are in the private or public sector;
  • what are hourly wages of employees by occupation, economic activity, level of education, age group, length of employment or type of contract;
  • what are the components of employers’ costs on employees and what is the share of each of these in the total costs;
  • how many vacant posts there are in Estonia, and how many people have changed jobs;
  • how many labour strikes have taken place in Estonia, how long these lasted, and how many people participated;
  • how wide is the gender pay gap in different economic activities.

Statistics on wages and salaries are used to measure labour productivity, observe trends, assess changes in the labour market and make decisions on the national economy.

Median wage 1,424.0 euros
14.8%
2023 Q1
Average monthly gross wages and salaries 1,685 euros
8.9%
2022
14.9 %
2021
Number of occupied posts 619,536
2.7%
2022 Q4
Number of job vacancies 11,289
1.7%
2022 Q4
Average monthly gross wages | 1st quarter 2021 – 1st quarter 2023
Unit: euros
1st quarter 2021 2nd quarter 2021 3rd quarter 2021 4th quarter 2021 1st quarter 2022 2nd quarter 2022 3rd quarter 2022 4th quarter 2022 1st quarter 2023
Average monthly gross wages (salaries), euros 1,406 1,476 1,463 1,548 1,536 1,667 1,641 1,735 1,741

Median wage | 1st quarter 2021 – 1st quarter 2023
Unit: euros
1st quarter 2021 2nd quarter 2021 3rd quarter 2021 4th quarter 2021 1st quarter 2022 2nd quarter 2022 3rd quarter 2022 4th quarter 2022 1st quarter 2023
Total - all activities 1,158 1,199 1,200 1,270 1,240 1,354 1,349 1,429 1,424

Average monthly labour cost per employee | 4th quarter 2018 – 4th quarter 2022
Unit: euros
4th quarter 2018 1st quarter 2019 2nd quarter 2019 3rd quarter 2019 4th quarter 2019 1st quarter 2020 2nd quarter 2020 3rd quarter 2020 4th quarter 2020 1st quarter 2021 2nd quarter 2021 3rd quarter 2021 4th quarter 2021 1st quarter 2022 2nd quarter 2022 3rd quarter 2022 4th quarter 2022
Total - all activities 1,855 1,798 1,900 1,870 1,974 1,876 1,815 1,933 2,032 1,960 2,033 2,078 2,179 2,139 2,263 2,247 2,382

News

Changes in the methodology of average wages and salaries

Since the first quarter of 2023, Statistics Estonia uses the 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*, and service contracts are included.
Read more 26. May 2023
News

Growth in number of job vacancies slowed in the fourth quarter

According to Statistics Estonia, in the fourth quarter of 2022, there were 11,289 job vacancies in the enterprises, institutions and organisations of Estonia. This is 1.7% more than in the same quarter of 2021. Fewer than 7,000 persons left their job at the initiative of the employer.
Read more 8. March 2023