From the minimum wage to the tech sector premium, what you earn varies wildly depending not just on your job title but also on which side of which border your office is located.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in the United States amounted to $1,118, translating to an annual median of approximately $58,136.
- The average annual wage in the United States for all occupations in 2022 was $59,428 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
- In 2023, the national average salary in the UK was £35,908, with London workers earning an average of £45,330.
- In the United States, the federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2009.
- California's state minimum wage as of January 1, 2024, is $16.00 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees.
- The UK's National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £11.44 per hour as of April 2024.
- In the US, women earned 82.7 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2023.
- The gender pay gap in the UK was 7.9% median hourly earnings in 2023.
- In Germany, women earned 18% less than men on average in 2022.
- In the US, real median weekly earnings grew by 0.8% from 2022 to 2023.
- UK regular pay growth was 6.6% in the year to April 2024.
- Germany's nominal wage growth was 6.3% in 2023.
- US software developers earned a median annual wage of $130,160 in 2023.
- In the US, registered nurses had a median wage of $86,070 annually in 2023.
- US construction laborers median wage was $40,750 in 2023.
The blog post highlights significant international wage variations and persistent pay gaps.
Gender Wage Gaps
- In the US, women earned 82.7 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2023.
- The gender pay gap in the UK was 7.9% median hourly earnings in 2023.
- In Germany, women earned 18% less than men on average in 2022.
- Australia's gender pay gap stood at 13.4% in full-time ordinary time earnings in 2023.
- France's gender pay gap was 15.7% in 2022 for mean gross hourly wages.
- Japan's gender pay gap was 22.3% in scheduled cash earnings in 2022.
- Canada's gender pay gap was 12.1% in hourly wages in 2022.
- Brazil's gender wage gap was 20.2% in 2022 according to IBGE.
- South Africa's gender pay gap averages 23% with women earning less.
- Mexico's gender pay gap was 14.3% in 2022 formal sector.
- Sweden's unadjusted gender pay gap was 11.2% in 2022.
- Italy's gender pay gap was 5.5% median in 2022.
- Spain's gender wage gap was 11.6% in 2022.
- Netherlands' gender pay gap was 14.3% in 2022 full-time equivalent.
- Switzerland's gender pay gap was 12.5% median in 2022.
- Norway's gender pay gap was 12.6% in 2022.
- Denmark's hourly gender pay gap was 6% in 2022.
- Finland's gender pay gap was 16.6% average in 2022.
- Austria's gender pay gap was 19.1% in 2022.
- Belgium's gender pay gap was 6.2% adjusted in 2022.
- Portugal's gender pay gap was 14.1% in 2022.
- Greece's gender wage gap was 10.6% in 2022.
- Poland's gender pay gap was 11.5% mean in 2022.
- Czech Republic's gender pay gap was 20.6% in 2022.
- Hungary's gender pay gap was 16.2% in 2022.
- Slovakia's gender pay gap was 19.3% in 2022.
- Ireland's gender pay gap was 9.6% median hourly in 2022.
Gender Wage Gaps Interpretation
From Japan's stark 22.3% to Italy's deceptively narrow 5.5%, the persistent global reality is that, even when metrics vary wildly, women's work is still systematically valued less than men's.
Industry Wages
- US software developers earned a median annual wage of $130,160 in 2023.
- In the US, registered nurses had a median wage of $86,070 annually in 2023.
- US construction laborers median wage was $40,750 in 2023.
- UK finance and insurance sector average weekly pay was £885 in 2023.
- Germany's manufacturing sector average monthly wage was €4,650 in 2022.
- Australia's mining industry average weekly earnings were $3,028 in 2022.
- France's information and communication sector average gross hourly wage was €32.50 in 2022.
- Japan's financial services average monthly wage was 452,000 yen in 2023.
- Canada's public administration hourly wage averaged $41.22 in 2023.
- Brazil's petroleum extraction sector average wage was R$12,500 monthly in 2022.
- South Africa's finance sector average monthly wage was R45,000 in 2023.
- Mexico's automotive industry average daily wage was 450 pesos in 2023.
- Sweden's IT sector average monthly salary was 52,000 SEK in 2023.
- Italy's banking sector average annual wage was €48,000 in 2022.
- Spain's tourism sector average monthly wage was €1,500 in 2022.
- Netherlands' tech sector average wage was €65,000 annually in 2023.
- Switzerland's pharmaceutical industry median monthly wage was CHF 9,500 in 2022.
- Norway's oil and gas sector average annual wage was 1,200,000 NOK in 2023.
- Denmark's healthcare sector hourly wage averaged 285 DKK in 2023.
- Finland's forestry industry average monthly wage was €4,200 in 2023.
- Austria's tourism average monthly wage was €2,800 gross in 2022.
- Belgium's chemical industry average annual wage was €65,000 in 2023.
- Portugal's call center sector average monthly wage was €1,200 in 2023.
- Greece's shipping industry average wage was €3,500 monthly in 2023.
- Poland's automotive sector average monthly wage was 7,500 PLN in 2023.
Industry Wages Interpretation
While the numbers reveal that skill, industry, and geography are the ultimate arbiters of pay, it’s clear that telling a computer what to do in Silicon Valley beats telling a tourist where to go on the Algarve coast.
Minimum Wages
- In the United States, the federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2009.
- California's state minimum wage as of January 1, 2024, is $16.00 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees.
- The UK's National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £11.44 per hour as of April 2024.
- Germany's statutory minimum wage increased to €12.41 per hour on January 1, 2024.
- Australia's national minimum wage is $23.23 per hour as of July 1, 2023.
- France's minimum wage (SMIC) is €11.65 gross per hour as of 2024.
- Japan's minimum wage average across prefectures was 1,004 yen per hour in 2023.
- Canada's federal minimum wage is $16.65 per hour as of December 31, 2023.
- Brazil's national minimum wage in 2024 is R$1,412 per month.
- South Africa's national minimum wage is R25.42 per hour as of March 1, 2024.
- Mexico's general minimum wage increased to 248.93 pesos per day in 2024.
- Sweden has no statutory minimum wage but sector-wide agreements average around 180 SEK per hour.
- Italy lacks a national minimum wage, with sector agreements averaging €9-10 per hour.
- Spain's minimum wage (SMI) is €1,134 gross per month in 2024 for 14 payments.
- The Netherlands' minimum wage for adults over 21 is €13.27 gross per hour as of July 2024.
- Switzerland's minimum wages vary by canton, e.g., Geneva at CHF 24.48 per hour in 2024.
- Norway's minimum wages are set by tariffs, e.g., retail at 205.65 NOK per hour.
- Denmark has no statutory minimum wage; agreements average 110-130 DKK per hour.
- Finland's minimum wages via collective agreements average €11-12 per hour.
- Austria sets minimum wages by sector, e.g., construction at €1,908 monthly.
- Belgium's minimum wage for 2024 is €2,029.87 gross monthly for private sector.
- Portugal's minimum wage is €820 per month in 2024.
- Greece's minimum wage is €830 gross monthly as of April 2024.
- Poland's minimum wage is 4,242 PLN gross monthly from January 2024.
- Czech Republic's minimum wage is 18,900 CZK monthly in 2024.
- Hungary's minimum wage is 266,800 HUF gross monthly in 2024.
- Slovakia's minimum wage is €750 gross monthly from January 2024.
- Ireland's minimum wage is €12.70 per hour as of January 1, 2024.
Minimum Wages Interpretation
While the federal American worker is still clocking in at a rate that feels like a historical artifact, their counterparts in much of the developed world are navigating economies with wages that, at the very least, acknowledge the current century.
National Average Wages
- In 2023, the median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in the United States amounted to $1,118, translating to an annual median of approximately $58,136.
- The average annual wage in the United States for all occupations in 2022 was $59,428 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
- In 2023, the national average salary in the UK was £35,908, with London workers earning an average of £45,330.
- Germany's average gross monthly wage in 2022 was €4,105 for full-time employees.
- In Canada, the average hourly wage rate in March 2023 was $34.98.
- Australia's average weekly earnings for full-time adults in November 2022 were $1,888.80.
- France's average net monthly salary in the private sector in 2022 was €2,340.
- Japan's average monthly contractual cash earnings in 2023 stood at 314,153 yen.
- In India, the average annual salary in 2023 was approximately ₹9,45,000 in urban areas.
- Brazil's average monthly wage in 2022 was R$2,979 according to IBGE data.
- South Africa's average monthly wage in 2023 was R26,772 for formal non-agricultural sector.
- Mexico's average daily wage in 2022 was 223.46 pesos.
- In 2022, the average annual wage in Sweden was 458,300 SEK.
- Italy's average annual gross wage in 2022 was €29,746.
- Spain's average annual salary in 2022 was €25,562.
- The average monthly wage in the Netherlands in 2022 was €3,666 gross.
- In 2023, Switzerland's median gross monthly salary was CHF 6,788.
- Norway's average annual wage in 2022 was 627,000 NOK.
- Denmark's average hourly wage in 2022 was 240.5 DKK.
- Finland's average monthly earnings in 2022 were €3,647.
- In 2022, Austria's average gross monthly salary was €3,664.
- Belgium's average annual gross wage in 2022 was €52,738.
- Portugal's average monthly wage in 2022 was €1,315.
- Greece's average monthly wage in 2022 was €1,172 net.
- In 2022, Poland's average monthly gross wage was 6,709 PLN.
- Czech Republic's average monthly wage in 2022 was 40,749 CZK.
- Hungary's average gross monthly wage in 2022 was 514,100 HUF.
- In 2022, Slovakia's average monthly wage was €1,352 gross.
- Ireland's average hourly earnings in 2022 were €28.55.
- New Zealand's average hourly wage in Q3 2023 was $35.47.
National Average Wages Interpretation
The world’s paychecks show a staggering global divide, where a month's earnings in one nation buys a week's groceries in another.
Wage Growth Trends
- In the US, real median weekly earnings grew by 0.8% from 2022 to 2023.
- UK regular pay growth was 6.6% in the year to April 2024.
- Germany's nominal wage growth was 6.3% in 2023.
- Australia's wages grew by 4.0% annually in March 2024 quarter.
- France's average hourly wage increased by 4.7% in 2023.
- Japan saw 2.9% nominal wage growth in spring 2024 negotiations.
- Canada's average hourly wage rose 4.9% year-over-year in March 2024.
- Brazil's minimum wage adjusted by 6.97% in 2024.
- South Africa's formal sector wages grew 6.2% in Q4 2023.
- Mexico's wages grew 6.7% nominally in 2023.
- Sweden's wages increased by 4.7% in 2023.
- Italy's average wage growth was 2.5% in 2023.
- Spain's wage growth averaged 4.1% in 2023.
- Netherlands' contractual wage growth was 5.9% in Q1 2024.
- Switzerland's nominal wages grew 1.5% in 2023.
- Norway's wage growth was 5.3% in 2023.
- Denmark's wage growth was 5.4% in 2023.
- Finland's earnings index rose 3.8% year-on-year in March 2024.
- Austria's nominal wage growth was 6.9% in 2023.
- Belgium's wage index increased by 11.08% in 2024.
- Portugal's wages grew 6.1% in 2023.
- Greece's average wage growth was 5.2% in 2023.
- Poland's nominal wage growth was 11.5% in 2023.
- Czech Republic's wages grew 9.7% in 2023.
- Hungary's wage growth was 15.2% nominal in 2023.
- Slovakia's average wage increased 8.6% in 2023.
- Ireland's average earnings grew 6.4% in 2023.
- New Zealand's wages grew 4.2% annually in Q4 2023.
Wage Growth Trends Interpretation
While America's median earner received a polite tip of 0.8%, much of the world, led by central Europe's wage surge, was busy securing a proper raise.
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