Home > Statistics > Structure of Earnings > 2011 > Average pay of those with lower university level degrees has contracted compared to other levels of education in the 2000s

Published: 5 April 2013

Average pay of those with lower university level degrees has contracted compared to other levels of education in the 2000s

Corrected on 7 May 2013. The correction is indicated in red. Was previously EUR 3,108.

According to Statistics Finland’s Structure of Earnings statistics, in the last quarter of 2011 the average monthly earnings of all full-time wage and salary earners were EUR 3,109 and the median earnings EUR 2,774. Divided by level of education, those with the lowest level tertiary qualifications were closest to the average monthly earnings for the whole country, with average monthly earnings of EUR 3,177. In lower levels of education than this, the average income was lower than the average for the whole country and in higher levels of education the income was in turn higher.

Development of average monthly pay of full-time wage and salary earners in 2000s by levels of education

The monthly earnings of full-time wage and salary earners have developed fairly evenly in the 2000s apart from those with lower university level degrees. The nominal monthly earnings of this group grew only by 27 per cent between 2000 and 2011 and the average pay of the group fell close to the level of those with lowest degree level tertiary education. The small growth percentage is explained by the increase in wage and salary earners with lower university level degrees and their placement in jobs with lower competence requirements than before. Lower-degree level tertiary education comprises, for instance, polytechnic degrees and lower university degrees.

In other levels of education, average monthly earnings grew by nearly forty per cent between 2000 and 2011. The biggest growth was seen among those with lowest degree level tertiary education, 49 per cent. Wage and salary earners with doctorate level degrees earned on average EUR 5,256 per month in 2011, which is approximately twice as much as the average pay of those with lower secondary education. This ratio has remained nearly unchanged throughout the 2000s.

Average monthly pay of full-time wage and salary earners and dispersion of earnings by levels of education in 2011

Educational level	Total earnings, EUR / month
	Mean	1st decile	Median	9th decile	Change in earnings 2000-2011, %
Lower Secondary Education	2 605	1 760	2 405	3 638	40,7
Upper Secondary Level Ed.	2 681	1 887	2 500	3 681	40,7
Lowest Level Tertiary Ed.	3 177	2 188	2 895	4 500	48,8
Lower-Degree Level Tert. Ed.	3 302	2 200	3 020	4 764	26,7
Higher-Degree Level Tert. Ed.	4 328	2 720	3 900	6 446	38,0
Doctorate Level Tertiary Ed.	5 256	3 314	4 721	7 636	45,6
Total	3 109	1 972	2 774	4 602	46,0

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.

Source: Structure of Earnings 2011, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Sampo Pehkonen 09 1734 3452, Mika Idman 09 1734 3445, palkkarakenne@stat.fi

Director in charge: Hannele Orjala

Publication in pdf-format (273.7 kB)

Reviews

• Pay differentials also within educational levels between fields of education (5.4.2013)

Tables

Tables in databases

Pick the data you need into tables, view the data as graphs, or download the data for your use.

• Database tables and their variables
• Archived tables

Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Average monthly earnings of full-time wage and salary earners and dispersion of earnings by main class of industry (TOL 2008) in 2011 (5.4.2013)

---

Updated 7.5.2013