EU wages rise 4.3%, but sharp pay gaps persist across borders

The average annual full-time adjusted salary in the EU rose to €41,500 in 2025, up 4.3% from €39,800 in 2024.

The measure reflects average pay per employee, adjusted to a full-time basis so that countries with more part-time work can be compared more consistently, Eurostat explained in a release on Friday.

Luxembourg recorded the highest average annual full-time adjusted salary among EU countries at €85,600, according to Eurostat. Denmark followed on €73,500, with Ireland at €64,400.

Lowest pay levels recorded in Bulgaria, Greece and Hungary

Bulgaria had the lowest average annual full-time adjusted salary in the bloc at €16,200. Greece recorded €18,800 and Hungary €20,100.

The data comes from Eurostat’s national accounts dataset on full-time equivalent pay per employee.