The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) explains that the difference amounts to insignificant figures (ranging from 60 lei in the education sector to 216 lei in the transportation and warehousing sectors).
While there are no issues regarding education, the statistics presented for last year regarding typically “male-dominated” sectors of the economy are surprising but do not reflect a shift in gender priorities in the labor market.
Experts believe that this is largely due to the structure of employment and workforce qualifications: women in these sectors more often hold administrative and professional positions requiring a college degree, while men are frequently employed in lower-paying technical roles.
Nationwide, a gender pay gap persists. On average, women earn about 15–16% less than men. Men earn an average of 16,975 lei, while women earn 14,360 lei.
Men earn higher wages than women in most economic sectors. The greatest disparities are observed in the following areas:
- Information and communications – 36.6% (16,913.9 lei) higher;
- Financial and insurance activities—36.0% (13,098.4 lei) higher;
- Health and social assistance—28.1% (6,314.8 lei) higher.
Nominal and Real Wages
According to NBS data, in 2025 the average gross monthly wage in the public sector was 13,341.7 lei, and in the private sector—16,279.4 lei (22.0% higher than in the public sector).
The statistics also show a clear correlation between the size of a company and the average income of its employees. Moreover, this correlation strengthens as the size of the company increases. The difference can be as much as one and a half times.
On an annual basis, growth in average wages was recorded across all economic sectors (ranging from 8.0% to 54.6%).
The highest average gross monthly wages were traditionally recorded in:
- Information and communications – 39,378.6 lei (2.5 times higher than the national average);
- Financial and insurance activities – 27,681.7 lei (77.5% higher than the national average);
- Electricity, Heat, Gas, Hot Water, and Air Conditioning Production and Supply – 23,954.9 lei (53.6% higher than the national average).
Mandatory payroll taxes and contributions (personal income tax and mandatory health insurance contributions) accounted for 15.2% of an employee’s total gross income, remaining at the previous year’s level.
However, labor costs per employee are rising faster than real wages. Real wages increased by 3.4% in 2025, while the cost per employee rose by 11.4% (19,356.3 lei). The average net monthly wage was 13,226.8 lei, according to official statistics.
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