Several sectors in Romania boost wages in 2022, study finds

Wages in medicine, hospitality, tourism, construction, and plumbing increased in 2022 relative to last year as companies vie for the best candidates. The findings are part of BestJobs’ 2022 Guide to Salaries, a major research project regarding the evolution of wages in Romania.

The study was possible because salaries are no longer the closely guarded secrets that they once were in Romania or elsewhere. Back in March, the European Commission launched a legislative proposal meant to provide transparency when it comes to wages. MEPs backed the proposal the next month and voted to enter into negotiations with EU governments on the Pay Transparency Directive. If the new measure becomes fully implemented, EU companies with at least 50 employees should be fully transparent regarding pay.

As a result, more and more Romanian employers are choosing to make pay ranges public, instead of disclosing them only to job applicants who manage to pass several interviews or tests. The BestJobs study notes that 22% of its active job offers feature a pay scale, up from 16% last year.

Aside from making pay scales public, employers have also upped the wages themselves. The average net salary in medicine (EUR 1,669), tourism and hospitality (EUR 1,125), and construction and plumbing (EUR 1,386) has increased this year relative to the previous one. In the case of the latter field, the increase amounts to approximately EUR 300.

On the other hand, salaries in agriculture, engineering, HR, marketing, management, and the financial sectors have decreased in 2022 relative to the previous year.

The highest average net salaries in Romania, according to the National Institute for Statistics, can be found in Bucharest (EUR 1,048), Cluj (EUR 953), Timisoara (EUR 895), and Sibiu (EUR 814). Medium-level salaries, between EUR 700 and 800, are most common in the counties of Alba, Olt, Bacău, Brașov, Mureș, and Gorj, while the lowest salaries are recorded in Vrancea (EUR 596), Teleorman (EUR 588), and Harghita (EUR 574).

BestJobs is one of Romania’s leading recruitment platforms.

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