Distribution of earnings changes in Hungary, Q1–Q3 2025
Released: 13 February 2026
In the first three quarters of 2025, the average gross earnings of full-time employees rose by 9.1% in nominal terms compared to the same period of the previous year1; however, the growth rate was nearly 5 percentage points lower 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 branches. As a result of more moderate wage growth and higher inflation than last year, the purchasing power of earnings rose by 4.4%, 5.1 percentage points below last year's value.
Figure 1
There were significant differences behind the growth at the economy-wide level2. More than four-fifths of full-time job holders saw their gross earnings increase compared to the same period of the previous year, and more than half of them saw increases of 5.0% to 24.9%. The more subdued wage growth is reflected in the decline in the share of employees whose salary increased by at least 15% over a year, which fell by 16.6 percentage points compared to the first nine months of 2024, while the share of those receiving a 5–14.9% wage increase rose by 5.7 percentage points.
Compared to the first half of the year, the share of those experiencing earnings increases within the distribution of earnings changes strengthened further in the third quarter: people with earnings increasing by 0–14.9% rose slightly, while those experiencing declining earnings decreased; at the same time, the share of those with increases over 25% also fell.
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. The distribution of wage changes in the first three quarters of 2025 was shaped by the more moderate growth in its two main components: regular and non-regular income (rewards, bonuses, and 13th and subsequent monthly payments).
Figure 2
Sectoral differences were also clearly reflected in the distribution of earnings changes. As a result of the increase in teachers’ salaries in January and the performance-based wage increase implemented in September, the education sector continued to record the largest wage rises, affecting the highest number of employees. 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 employees whose wages went up by more than 15% was higher. In water supply and waste management, pre-scheduled wage increases also enhanced the proportion of employees whose wages rose by more than 15%. The slowdown in the gross earnings growth in manufacturing is reflected by the fact that this sector recorded one of the highest rates of employees with declining earnings, as well as one of the lowest rates of wage increases over 15%. In public administration and defence, pre-scheduled wage increases in the field of general public administration reduced the share of employees with declining earnings by nearly 4 percentage points compared to the first half of the year; however, the group affected was narrower than a year earlier. Besides, non-regular earnings were lower in nominal terms compared to the same period of the previous year, meaning that this sector continued to record the highest proportion of employees with decreasing earnings.
Figure 3
By the end of the third quarter, the growth in the average net earnings exceeded the average gross earnings, thanks to the first phase of the family tax benefit increase in July. Its effect was also visible cumulatively from the beginning of the year, although the difference in growth was not significant throughout the first nine months. The increase in tax benefits contributed to a nearly 2-percentage-point decrease in the share of employees with declining net earnings and to an almost 3-percentage-point increase in the share of those experiencing earnings growth of 5.0–24.9% compared to the first half of the year.
Figure 4
Compared to the same period of the previous year, the proportion of employees whose net earnings decreased in real terms rose from 18.7% to 30.2%. More than half of the employees experiencing a decline in purchasing power saw their wages go up nominally, but by less than the inflation. The decline in nominal earnings was mainly due to the reduction or absence of non-wage benefits (e.g., supplements and bonuses), which could not be offset by the more subdued wage outflow compared to the previous year. At the same time, the share of employees experiencing decreasing earnings fell in the third quarter compared with the first half of the year. Overall, 41.3% of employees saw their real earnings increase by at least 5%, and nearly every fifth experienced an increase of at least 15%.
Figure 5
Expected next release of data for the whole year of 2025: March 2026
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: 13 February 2026
In the first three quarters of 2025, the average gross earnings of full-time employees rose by 9.1% in nominal terms compared to the same period of the previous year1; however, the growth rate was nearly 5 percentage points lower 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 branches. As a result of more moderate wage growth and higher inflation than last year, the purchasing power of earnings rose by 4.4%, 5.1 percentage points below last year's value.
There were significant differences behind the growth at the economy-wide level2. More than four-fifths of full-time job holders saw their gross earnings increase compared to the same period of the previous year, and more than half of them saw increases of 5.0% to 24.9%. The more subdued wage growth is reflected in the decline in the share of employees whose salary increased by at least 15% over a year, which fell by 16.6 percentage points compared to the first nine months of 2024, while the share of those receiving a 5–14.9% wage increase rose by 5.7 percentage points.
Compared to the first half of the year, the share of those experiencing earnings increases within the distribution of earnings changes strengthened further in the third quarter: people with earnings increasing by 0–14.9% rose slightly, while those experiencing declining earnings decreased; at the same time, the share of those with increases over 25% also fell.
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. The distribution of wage changes in the first three quarters of 2025 was shaped by the more moderate growth in its two main components: regular and non-regular income (rewards, bonuses, and 13th and subsequent monthly payments).
Sectoral differences were also clearly reflected in the distribution of earnings changes. As a result of the increase in teachers’ salaries in January and the performance-based wage increase implemented in September, the education sector continued to record the largest wage rises, affecting the highest number of employees. 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 employees whose wages went up by more than 15% was higher. In water supply and waste management, pre-scheduled wage increases also enhanced the proportion of employees whose wages rose by more than 15%. The slowdown in the gross earnings growth in manufacturing is reflected by the fact that this sector recorded one of the highest rates of employees with declining earnings, as well as one of the lowest rates of wage increases over 15%. In public administration and defence, pre-scheduled wage increases in the field of general public administration reduced the share of employees with declining earnings by nearly 4 percentage points compared to the first half of the year; however, the group affected was narrower than a year earlier. Besides, non-regular earnings were lower in nominal terms compared to the same period of the previous year, meaning that this sector continued to record the highest proportion of employees with decreasing earnings.
By the end of the third quarter, the growth in the average net earnings exceeded the average gross earnings, thanks to the first phase of the family tax benefit increase in July. Its effect was also visible cumulatively from the beginning of the year, although the difference in growth was not significant throughout the first nine months. The increase in tax benefits contributed to a nearly 2-percentage-point decrease in the share of employees with declining net earnings and to an almost 3-percentage-point increase in the share of those experiencing earnings growth of 5.0–24.9% compared to the first half of the year.
Compared to the same period of the previous year, the proportion of employees whose net earnings decreased in real terms rose from 18.7% to 30.2%. More than half of the employees experiencing a decline in purchasing power saw their wages go up nominally, but by less than the inflation. The decline in nominal earnings was mainly due to the reduction or absence of non-wage benefits (e.g., supplements and bonuses), which could not be offset by the more subdued wage outflow compared to the previous year. At the same time, the share of employees experiencing decreasing earnings fell in the third quarter compared with the first half of the year. Overall, 41.3% of employees saw their real earnings increase by at least 5%, and nearly every fifth experienced an increase of at least 15%.
Expected next release of data for the whole year of 2025: March 2026
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.) ↩