The net average wage in Romania increased by 13.4% YoY to RON 4,182 (EUR 850) in the last quarter (Q4) last year, the statistics office INS announced. The average gross wage was RON 6,750 (EUR 1,365).

The increase covered a large part of the 15.6% YoY inflation in Q4 but was not evenly distributed across sectors.

Notably, the wages in sectors where the earnings were significantly below average have advanced the most: by 38% YoY in the sectors of agriculture and food processing and by 28% in the chemical industry. Where the wages were already high (IT and telecom, finance), the advance was in line with the overall average (10%-15%).

The sector of tobacco remains an exception, as the wages were already high and rose above significantly average: by 22% YoY to RON 8,450 (twice the average) in Q4.

The oil refining industry pays among the highest wages – actually the highest salaries in December, when yearend bonuses pushed up the average net wage in the sector above that in IT (where the highest wages are traditionally paid).

iulian@romania-insider.com

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