Wage growth recovered last year following the slowdown of 2020, reaching the pre-pandemic levels, the state agency Statistics Estonia reported. The average monthly gross wages and salaries across all sectors in Estonia stood at EUR 1,548 in 2021, up by 6.9% YoY.
Argo Tarkiainen, Statistics Estonia analyst, said that, last year so far as sectors go, the average monthly gross wages and salaries were again the highest in ICT (EUR 2,804), financial and insurance activities (EUR 2,568) and energy (EUR 2,128).
Of the lower-averaged sectors, these included those hit hardest by the pandemic.
Tarkiainen said: “Average gross wages were the lowest in real estate activities (EUR 1,132 euros) and accommodation and food service activities (EUR 916)”.
The increase in average wages and salaries was the highest in human health and social work activities (13.1%) and in trade (10.7%). There was a slower growth in wages in the education (2.5%) and energy (0.5%) sectors.
Regionally, the average monthly gross wages and salaries were still the highest in Harju County (EUR 1,694) and Tartu County (EUR 1,550) and the lowest in Voru County (EUR 1,192) and Hiiu County (EUR 1,194). Year on year, the average monthly gross wages and salaries increased the most in Laane County (+13.2%) and Hiiu County (+12.3%), while average gross wages decreased in Polva County (-1.8%).
In the fourth quarter of 2021, average monthly gross wages and salaries stood at EUR 1,625, up by 7.3%. (ERR/Business World Magazine)