Average Salary in Poland in 2024

The average monthly gross salary in Poland is 8604,72 PLN (Polish zloty), which equals about $2,230 USD (Source: GUS). In this article, you will get a full overview of the average salaries in Poland by region, age, occupation, educational level, and gender.

All data in this article are based on official statistics and reports. See below for sources.

Please note:

• Sources: All data in this article are based on official statistics and reports. See below for sources.
• Exchange rate: Exchange rates change daily. For this article, 0.2597 PLN/USD has been used.
• Gross salary: All values in this article are gross amounts before taxes and other deductions (i.e. health insurance).

Summary

• Average salary in Poland (gross): 8604,72 PLN, which equals ~$2,230 USD.
• Median salary in Poland (gross): 6549,22 PLN, which equals ~$1698 USD.
• Minimum monthly wage (gross): 4,300 PLN, which equals ~$1,060 USD.
• Minimum hourly rate (gross): 28.10 PLN, which equals ~$7 USD.
• Gender pay gap: 7.8%

Average salary in Poland

In March 2024, the average monthly salary in Poland was 8,604.72 PLN, which is about $2,230 USD.

For men, the average was higher, at 8,885.90 PLN ($2,307 USD), which accounted for 103.3% of the overall average wage. On the other hand, women had a lower average wage of 8,311.91 PLN ($2,158 USD), which was 96.6% of the general average.

When looking at age groups, the highest average wage was found in the 45-54 age group, amounting to 9,192.88 PLN ($2,387 USD). Additionally, the highest average income by company size was in businesses with 1,000 or more employees, where it reached 10,036.60 PLN ($2,606 USD).

(Source: GUS)

Median salary in Poland

In March 2024, the median salary in Poland was 6,549.22 PLN, or approximately $1,698 USD. This median represents the middle value, where half of the workforce earned less and the other half earned more.

• In comparison, the median gross monthly wages were 23.9% lower than the average gross monthly wages. This shows a notable difference between the middle value and the average earnings within the national economy.

• Further analysis revealed that men had a higher median wage of 6,770.08 PLN (approximately $1,758.91 USD), exceeding the women’s median by 412.64 PLN (around $106.48 USD).

• The highest median wage of 6,885.05 PLN (about $1,786.12 USD) was found among employees aged 35-44.
• Companies with 1,000 or more employees reported the highest median wage, reaching 7,941.18 PLN (approximately $2,060.45 USD).

(Source: GUS)

Key factors affecting the average salary in Poland

• Regional differences: Salaries vary by region. Cities like Warsaw offer wages almost 28% higher than the national average, while rural areas have lower pay.
• Age: Salaries increase with age. Workers aged 45-54 had the highest average salary at 9,192.88 PLN (about $2,382 USD), with younger and older workers earning less.
• Industry: Pay differs by industry. The Information and Communication sector had the highest median salary at 10,558.90 PLN (about $2,737 USD), while jobs like cleaning and food services paid much lower wages.
• Education level: Higher education leads to higher pay. People with a master’s degree in engineering earned about 8,100 PLN (about $2,103 USD), while those with basic vocational training earned less.
• Gender pay gap: Poland has one of the smallest gender pay gaps in the EU, at 7.8%. In 2024, men earned an average of 8,885.90 PLN (about $2,305 USD), while women earned 8,311.91 PLN (about $2,157 USD).
• Company size: Bigger companies pay more. Those working in companies with over 1,000 employees earned an average of 10,036.60 PLN (about $2,603 USD), higher than the national average.

Salary by region

Salaries in Poland vary based on location, with significant differences between major cities, urban centers, and rural regions. According to October 2022 data:

• The highest average salaries were found in the capital city, Warsaw. In this region, wages were nearly 28% higher than the overall national average. Other larger cities such as those in Lower Silesia, Pomerania, and Lesser Poland also reported higher-than-average salaries.
• Conversely, four regions had average salaries not exceeding 6,000 PLN (approximately $1,558 USD). These lower-wage areas included Podkarpacie, Świętokrzyskie, Warmia-Masuria, and Kuyavia-Pomerania, which are more rural than the larger cities.

• In March 2024, the salary differences continued to reflect these regional variations. The gap between the highest and lowest median wages in different municipalities was just under 6,000 PLN (about 1,558 USD). About 24% of municipalities had a median wage of 5,000 PLN (approximately $1,298 USD) or less.
• However, when considering the place of residence of employees, only 0.5% of municipalities had a median wage at or below 5,000 PLN, with the wage gap in these areas exceeding 4,700 PLN (around $1,220 USD).

These findings underscore how salaries can vary based on whether one lives in major cities or more rural regions, with larger cities and urban centers generally offering higher wages compared to less densely populated areas.

(Source: GUS)

Average salary by age

Based on data from GUS as of October 2022, average salaries in Poland vary significantly across different age groups.

• Individuals aged 65 and older earn more than one-third above the overall average salary. For example, their average salary is higher than the overall average, which is 8,604.72 PLN (approximately $2,230 USD).

• The next highest average salaries are for those aged 35-44. This group earns approximately 9,192.88 PLN, which equals about $2,380 USD. In contrast, employees aged 45-64 have average salaries closer to the overall average, reflecting typical earnings within this age range.

• Despite the generally higher salaries with increasing age, women, on average, earn less than men across all age groups. However, in the 60-64 age bracket, women’s average earnings exceed those of their male counterparts in both the public and private sectors.

(Source: GUS)

Median salary by industry

Wages in Poland vary significantly by industry type:

• In March 2024, the highest median wage was in the Information and Communication sector, reaching 10,558.90 PLN (approximately $2,737 USD). This sector, which includes roles like software developers and other information technology positions, offers some of the most competitive salaries due to the growing demand for specific skills.
• In most sectors, men’s median wages are higher than women’s. For instance, in the Financial and Insurance sector, men’s median wages are 43.7% higher, reflecting higher salaries for men in these roles. However, in three sectors, women earn more on average. The most notable difference is in the Construction sector, where women’s median wages are 32.6% higher than men’s. In the other two sectors where women earn more, the difference is less than 4%.

Highest paying jobs

Lowest paying jobs

Average salary in Poland by education level

Average salary growth in Poland

Here is how the average monthly salary in Poland has been changing over the years:

Minimum wage in Poland

Since July 2024, the Polish minimum monthly wage has been set at 4,300 PLN gross (approximately $1,115 USD), translating to around 3,261 PLN net (about $845 USD) after deductions. This increase of 700 PLN (approximately $181 USD) represents a 19.4% rise compared to the average minimum salary from the previous year.

The minimum wage has steadily grown, now standing 146% higher than in 2015, with an increase of 2,550 PLN (approximately $662 USD) over the years.

Additionally, the minimum hourly rate for certain contract workers is now 28.10 PLN (about $7.29 USD) as of July 2024.

(Source: gov.pl)

Gender gap in Poland

The gender pay gap is a measure that shows the difference between the average gross hourly earnings of men and women as a percentage of men’s earnings. This “unadjusted” pay gap does not take into account education, age, hours worked or job type, it shows raw differences in pay.

In Poland, the gender pay gap is influenced by many factors. Some are objective, like differences in education, work experience, and job choices. Others are structural, like job market segregation and societal roles.

For example, maternity leave plays a significant role, as women often take more time off work to care for children, which can impact their career progression and income. Women in Poland also undervalue their job opportunities and have lower salary expectations than men, even among younger workers under 30 and the unemployed.

Between 2012 and 2022 the gender pay gap in Poland grew by 1.4 percentage points. In 2022, Eurostat reported a gap of 7.8%, which puts Poland in the top 5 EU countries with the lowest pay gap. Despite this, inequalities still exist, especially in leadership positions where women hold 43% of management positions compared to 57% held by men.

(Source: EUROSTAT)

Main characteristics of the Polish job market

• EU membership: Being part of the European Union has had a big impact on the Polish labor market. It has given more opportunities to Polish workers and businesses, opened up more markets, allowed more movement of workers and contributed to Poland’s economic growth.
• Economic growth and salaries: Poland has been growing economically, and salaries have been rising in recent years. Salaries in Poland are generally lower than in Western Europe but rise as the economy grows and Poland’s role in the EU grows.
• Skilled talent pool and high demand: Poland has a well-educated workforce, especially in the fields of technology and engineering. However, there is a high demand for specific skills and sometimes gaps between job requirements and available talent. Multinational companies in Poland often look for Polish employees for their specific skills.
• Logistics infrastructure: Poland is in the heart of Europe and is a logistics hub with good transportation networks. This infrastructure helps both Polish and international companies to move goods and manage supply chain.
• Growing gig economy: The gig economy in Poland is on the rise, and more people are taking on freelance and short-term contract work. This trend is a shift towards more flexible work arrangements which affects job stability and traditional employment patterns.
• Regional disparities: There are big regional disparities in the Polish labor market. Major cities like Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław have more job opportunities and higher salaries than rural areas which leads to differences in income and employment access across the country.

Compared to other European countries

Compared to other European countries, the average salaries in Poland are lower. The average monthly salary in Poland is 8,604.72 PLN, which is around $2,230 USD. This is lower than in Western Europe, for example in France average net monthly salary is around €3,316 (around $3,155 USD) and in Germany around €4,187.50 (around $3,902 USD).

In Eastern Europe, countries like Romania have slightly lower average salaries than Poland. Romania’s average salary is 8,355 RON, which is around $2,169 USD.

Despite lower salaries, Poland also has a lower cost of living, which makes purchasing power comparable to some Western European countries. Overall Poland’s salaries are lower than in many Western European countries, but the growing economy and lower cost of living give it an edge in the Central European labor market.

Sources

• GOV
• https://www.gov.pl/web/premier/min-stawka-godzinowa-2024
• https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Gender_pay_gap_statistics#Gender_pay_gap_higher_in_the_private_sector
• https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Gender_pay_gap_statistics#Gender_pay_gap_higher_in_the_private_sector
• https://stat.gov.pl/obszary-tematyczne/rynek-pracy/pracujacy-zatrudnieni-wynagrodzenia-koszty-pracy/struktura-wynagrodzen-wedlug-zawodow-za-pazdziernik-2022-roku,4,11.html
• https://wynagrodzenia.pl/kategoria/zarobki-wg-ogolnopolskiego-badania-wynagrodzen-obw
• https://www.zus.pl/baza-wiedzy/skladki-wskazniki-odsetki/wskazniki/przecietne-wynagrodzenie-w-latach

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