Home > Statistics > Structure of Earnings > 2007 > Pay differentials largest in Uusimaa, smallest in Etelä-Savo

Published: 24 April 2009

Pay differentials largest in Uusimaa, smallest in Etelä-Savo

According to Statistics Finland's Structure of Earnings statistics, the average monthly earnings of all full-time wage and salary earners were EUR 2,734 in the last quarter of 2007 and the median earnings¹ were EUR 2,428. The earnings of the best paid tenth (9th decile) of wage and salary earners exceeded EUR 4,047 while the lowest paid tenth (1st decile) earned less than EUR 1,748. Thus, the best paid decile earned at least 2.32 times more than the decile with the lowest earnings.

Average earnings were highest in Uusimaa at EUR 3,059. No other region achieved the level of average earnings for the whole country. The regions with the lowest earnings were Etelä-Savo (EUR 2,411) and South Ostrobothnia (EUR 2,433). In Uusimaa, the best paid decile earned at least 2.59 times more than the decile with the lowest earnings. Etelä-Savo was the region with the smallest pay differential of only 2-fold between these deciles. The differentials in earnings between the regions are mostly caused by structural differences in their wage and salary earning populations.

Over the year, the pay differential between the highest and lowest paid decile grew by approximately three percentage points. Most of the growth was due to faster development of earnings among well-paid wage and salary earners than among low pay earners. During the year, the differential between the best paid decile and earners of median pay grew by 1.1 percentage points but the differential between the lowest paid decile and earners of median pay only increased by 0.4 percentage points.

These data derive from Statistics Finland's Structure of Earnings statistics, which cover all employer sectors. Monthly earnings for total hours worked are only calculated for full-time wage and salary earners. Besides earnings for regular working hours, the earnings also include pay for any possible overtime and working hour supplements but not one-off performance-based bonuses.

Average monthly earnings and dispersion of earnings of full-time wage and salary earners by region in 2007

Region	Total earnings, EUR / month
	Mean	1st decile	Median	9th decile
Total	2,734	1,748	2,428	4,047
01. Uusimaa	3,059	1,827	2,682	4,738
02. Varsinais-Suomi	2,587	1,720	2,321	3,774
04. Satakunta	2,565	1,706	2,340	3,699
05. Kanta-Häme	2,505	1,714	2,286	3,544
06. Pirkanmaa	2,649	1,728	2,400	3,842
07. Päijät-Häme	2,520	1,698	2,302	3,546
08. Kymenlaakso	2,631	1,741	2,397	3,762
09. South Karelia	2,613	1,743	2,407	3,659
10. Etelä-Savo	2,411	1,675	2,218	3,334
11. Pohjois-Savo	2,554	1,726	2,320	3,617
12. North Karelia	2,440	1,695	2,230	3,412
13. Central Finland	2,589	1,733	2,350	3,668
14. South Ostrobothnia	2,433	1,665	2,220	3,399
15. Ostrobothnia	2,666	1,766	2,428	3,843
16. Central Ostrobothnia	2,506	1,677	2,278	3,622
17. North Ostrobothnia	2,582	1,712	2,321	3,702
18. Kainuu	2,504	1,734	2,299	3,543
19. Lapland	2,589	1,733	2,384	3,616
20. Itä-Uusimaa	2,718	1,748	2,421	4,077

 

Distribution of monthly earnings of full-time wage and salary earners in 2007

¹ Fifty per cent of the wage and salary earners earn more, and fifty per cent less, than the median earnings.

Source: Structure of Earnings 2007. Statistics Finland.

Inquiries: Mr Antti Katainen +358 9 1734 2347, Mr Jussi Ritola +358 9 1734 2580

palkkarakenne@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mr Kari Molnar

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Last updated 24.4.2009