Distribution of earnings changes in Hungary, 1st half 2025
Released: 11 November 2025
In the first half of 2025, the average gross earnings of full-time employees rose by 9.2% in nominal terms compared to the same period of the previous year1; however, the growth rate was nearly 5 percentage points slower than a year earlier. The wage growth was largely driven by the 9% increase in the minimum wage and 7% increase in the guaranteed minimum wage, as well as by the pre-scheduled wage rises in public service sectors, especially by the second stage of the teachers’ wage increase implemented in public education. The wage-pushing effect of additional labour demand was still significant in some economic sectors. As a result of more moderate wage growth and higher inflation than last year, the purchasing power of earnings rose by 4%, 5.7 percentage points below last year's value.
Figure 1
There were significant differences behind the growth at the economy-wide level2. In the second quarter, and thus in the first half of the year as a whole, the distribution of earnings changes was more favourable than in the first quarter, compared to the same period of the previous year. In the first six months, the proportion of those who experienced an increase in earnings of 0-14,9% was slightly higher, while the proportion of those having their earnings decreased and achieving an increase of more than 25% lowered. The gross earnings of more than four-fifths of those with full-time jobs rose compared to the same period of the previous year, more than half of them by between 5.0 and 24.9%. At the same time, the more subdued wage growth is explained by the fact that the proportion of those whose salary rose by at least 15% in one year decreased by 17.3 percentage points compared to the first half of 2024, while the proportion of those receiving a wage rise of 5–14.9% increased by 6.3 percentage points.
The change in earnings is not only driven by the change in the basic wages, but is also significantly influenced by, for example, the direct remuneration, the number of hours worked, the amount of allowances, bonuses and premiums and their timing or non-payment. In addition, changes in workers' responsibilities, jobs and employers also affect their earnings. In the first half of 2025, the distribution of earnings changes was determined by the more moderate growth of the two main components - regular and non-regular income (premiums, bonuses, 13th month and additional monthly payments).
Figure 2
Sectoral differences also appeared markedly in the distribution of earnings changes. As a result of the increase in teachers’ salaries in January, the largest wage rise, affecting the largest number of employees continues to be experienced in the education sector. In contrast, in sectors with high average earnings – such as the energy industry, financial activities, mining, information and communication, as well as scientific and technical activities – the proportion of those whose wages went up by more than 15% was higher. In the water supply and waste management sector, pre-scheduled wage increases enhanced the proportion of those whose wages rose by more than 15%. The slowdown of the gross earnings growth in manufacturing is well reflected in the fact that this sector had one of the highest rates of employees with decreasing earnings, and also one of the lowest rates of those with wage increases over 15%. In the public administration and defence sector - similarly to the first quarter - nearly a quarter of full-time employees saw their earnings fell, in connection with the fact that the average of non-regular earnings also decreased nominally over a year, and the range of pre-scheduled wage increases was also narrower than in the same period of the previous year.
Figure 3
The growth in the average net earnings adjusted for benefits at the national level lagged behind the increase in the average gross earnings, as some of the tax and contribution benefits – including the family tax benefit, which is the most significant support – have reached their maximum, and therefore do not follow the growth in gross earnings in direct proportion.
Figure 4
The proportion of those whose net earnings decreased in real terms increased from 19.9% to 32.7%, compared to the same period of the previous year. Although nearly half of the employees who experienced a decrease in the purchasing power of their earnings saw their wages go up nominally, they did so at a rate lower than the inflation. At the same time, the proportion of those who experienced a decrease in their earnings fell in the second quarter compared to the previous quarter, as a result of the slowdown in the rate of inflation.
Figure 5
Expected next release of data for the whole year of 2024: December 2025
Footnotes
-
Official statistical data. ↩
-
The purpose of experimental statistics is to supplement and expand the information content of the change in average earnings published as official statistics by showing the distribution behind the change in the average, too. The statistics look at the change in earnings of individuals with full-time jobs, i.e. how the total earnings of the employee have changed (basic wages, direct remuneration, payments for days not worked, bonuses, premium, 13th and additional monthly pay together, compared to the same period of the previous year, regardless of whether the job or employer has changed). No specific information is available for each pay element.) ↩
Released: 11 November 2025
In the first half of 2025, the average gross earnings of full-time employees rose by 9.2% in nominal terms compared to the same period of the previous year1; however, the growth rate was nearly 5 percentage points slower than a year earlier. The wage growth was largely driven by the 9% increase in the minimum wage and 7% increase in the guaranteed minimum wage, as well as by the pre-scheduled wage rises in public service sectors, especially by the second stage of the teachers’ wage increase implemented in public education. The wage-pushing effect of additional labour demand was still significant in some economic sectors. As a result of more moderate wage growth and higher inflation than last year, the purchasing power of earnings rose by 4%, 5.7 percentage points below last year's value.
There were significant differences behind the growth at the economy-wide level2. In the second quarter, and thus in the first half of the year as a whole, the distribution of earnings changes was more favourable than in the first quarter, compared to the same period of the previous year. In the first six months, the proportion of those who experienced an increase in earnings of 0-14,9% was slightly higher, while the proportion of those having their earnings decreased and achieving an increase of more than 25% lowered. The gross earnings of more than four-fifths of those with full-time jobs rose compared to the same period of the previous year, more than half of them by between 5.0 and 24.9%. At the same time, the more subdued wage growth is explained by the fact that the proportion of those whose salary rose by at least 15% in one year decreased by 17.3 percentage points compared to the first half of 2024, while the proportion of those receiving a wage rise of 5–14.9% increased by 6.3 percentage points.
The change in earnings is not only driven by the change in the basic wages, but is also significantly influenced by, for example, the direct remuneration, the number of hours worked, the amount of allowances, bonuses and premiums and their timing or non-payment. In addition, changes in workers' responsibilities, jobs and employers also affect their earnings. In the first half of 2025, the distribution of earnings changes was determined by the more moderate growth of the two main components - regular and non-regular income (premiums, bonuses, 13th month and additional monthly payments).
Sectoral differences also appeared markedly in the distribution of earnings changes. As a result of the increase in teachers’ salaries in January, the largest wage rise, affecting the largest number of employees continues to be experienced in the education sector. In contrast, in sectors with high average earnings – such as the energy industry, financial activities, mining, information and communication, as well as scientific and technical activities – the proportion of those whose wages went up by more than 15% was higher. In the water supply and waste management sector, pre-scheduled wage increases enhanced the proportion of those whose wages rose by more than 15%. The slowdown of the gross earnings growth in manufacturing is well reflected in the fact that this sector had one of the highest rates of employees with decreasing earnings, and also one of the lowest rates of those with wage increases over 15%. In the public administration and defence sector - similarly to the first quarter - nearly a quarter of full-time employees saw their earnings fell, in connection with the fact that the average of non-regular earnings also decreased nominally over a year, and the range of pre-scheduled wage increases was also narrower than in the same period of the previous year.
The growth in the average net earnings adjusted for benefits at the national level lagged behind the increase in the average gross earnings, as some of the tax and contribution benefits – including the family tax benefit, which is the most significant support – have reached their maximum, and therefore do not follow the growth in gross earnings in direct proportion.
The proportion of those whose net earnings decreased in real terms increased from 19.9% to 32.7%, compared to the same period of the previous year. Although nearly half of the employees who experienced a decrease in the purchasing power of their earnings saw their wages go up nominally, they did so at a rate lower than the inflation. At the same time, the proportion of those who experienced a decrease in their earnings fell in the second quarter compared to the previous quarter, as a result of the slowdown in the rate of inflation.
Expected next release of data for the whole year of 2024: December 2025
Footnotes
-
Official statistical data. ↩
-
The purpose of experimental statistics is to supplement and expand the information content of the change in average earnings published as official statistics by showing the distribution behind the change in the average, too. The statistics look at the change in earnings of individuals with full-time jobs, i.e. how the total earnings of the employee have changed (basic wages, direct remuneration, payments for days not worked, bonuses, premium, 13th and additional monthly pay together, compared to the same period of the previous year, regardless of whether the job or employer has changed). No specific information is available for each pay element.) ↩