What is a good salary in Finland? How to compare your pay with the statistics

Median or average

The median total earnings of full-time employees were €3,615 and the average €4,070 per month in 2024. The median means that half earn more and half less. The average is higher than the median because it is pulled up by individual very high salaries. For comparing your own pay, the median therefore tells you better where you stand in the distribution.

According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, average monthly earnings in April–June 2026 were about €4,300. Pay by occupation for 2025 will be published on 24.11.2026.

Where you are in the distribution

Pay deciles show the extremes of the distribution. In 2024 the tenth of earners with the lowest pay earned at most 2 483 euros a month, and the tenth with the highest pay at least 6 119 euros. If your total earnings exceed 6 119 euros, you are in the top decile of full-time employees.

Lowest decile: up to 2 483 €/month
Median: 3 615 €/month
Average: €4,070/month
Top tenth: at least €6,119/month

Field and region matter a lot

Differences between industries are large. In 2024, the median earnings in information and communication were EUR 4,990, while in accommodation and food service activities they were EUR 2,720. Pay dispersion was greatest in finance and insurance: the lowest decile earned at most EUR 2,854 and the highest at least EUR 8,444.

Among the regions, the median was highest in Uusimaa, 3 967 euros, and lowest in South Ostrobothnia, 3 286 euros. The difference is partly explained by the occupational structure varying between regions. So compare primarily with your own occupation and only then with the region.

Examples of occupations

The median total earnings of full-time employees in 2024 were, for example, €8,067 for general practitioners, €5,020 for software developers, €4,180 for primary school teachers, €3,587 for nurses, €3,222 for practical nurses, €2,858 for security guards and €2,805 for sales assistants. You can find the average, median and spread for your own occupation in Statistics Finland's StatFin database.

How to find the figures for your own profession

Statistics Finland's StatFin database table 15au contains the earnings of full-time employees by occupational group. Select the occupation at the most precise level possible, the sector and, as indicators, the mean, the median and the lower and upper decile. This shows where in the distribution of your occupation you are placed.

Note that occupation names follow Statistics Finland's occupational classification. For example, software developers are found under application designers and early childhood education teachers under kindergarten teachers. In small occupational groups the figures can vary a lot from year to year, so look at the development over several years.

Compare total earnings with total earnings and basic pay with basic pay
Use the median, not the average
Take experience, responsibility and region into account
Check the minimum wage in the collective agreement

Total earnings are not basic pay

The total earnings in the statistics include, in addition to pay for regular working hours, supplements and overtime compensation, among other things. If you work shifts or overtime, compare your total earnings. If, on the other hand, you compare the base pay in a job advertisement or employment contract, the statistic may look too high.

Pay should also be considered over time. According to the wage and salary earnings index, earnings rose by 3,4 % year on year in April–June 2026, and real earnings grew by 1,6 %. If your pay has not risen in a year, your purchasing power has weakened relative to others.

Pay discussion and pay transparency

A collective agreement contains the sector's minimum wages and agreed increases. For example, in the municipal sector pay rises on 1.4.2027 with a general increase of 2.00%, and in retail on 1.5.2027 with a general increase of 2.4%.

According to the Government, the average gender pay gap between women and men in Finland is 15,4 %. Under the pay transparency proposal, employers with at least 100 employees would report pay gaps, and the time limit for claims concerning pay discrimination would be extended to three years. The law is not yet in force, so check the final content before relying on it.

The government has proposed that the pay transparency act enter into force on 1.1.2027. According to the proposal, a job applicant must be told the starting salary or salary range in advance, and an employee can request in writing information on the average pay, broken down by sex, of people doing the same or equivalent work. Salary Radar gathers occupational pay and the latest earnings figures in one place.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average salary in Finland?

The average total earnings of full-time employees were €4,070 and the median €3,615 per month in 2024.

What salary puts you in the top ten per cent?

In 2024 the top decile earned at least €6,119 a month (full-time, total earnings).

When are the 2025 salary statistics published?

Statistics Finland publishes the 2025 wages by occupation on 24.11.2026.

How much are salaries rising now?

The earnings level rose 3,4 % year on year in April–June 2026, and real earnings grew 1,6 % (Statistics Finland).

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Sources

The article is general information and does not replace the guidance of an authority, a lawyer or an adviser. Check up-to-date information from the sources.