Overview
- Average gross hourly pay reached €25.88 in the second half of 2025, up 3.9% from a year earlier, according to the IAB Lohnmonitor.
- Median wages rose 5.2% while the ninth decile increased 3.7%, pointing to a smaller spread between mid-level and top earnings.
- Hourly pay for workers without vocational qualifications climbed to €18.05 from €15.68 over two years, reflecting gains linked to minimum wage increases.
- Apprentices’ collectively agreed wages rose 6.7% in 2025 to €1,209 per month on average, led by the public sector at €1,329 after a 7.7% jump, with craft trades at €1,093.
- IAB economist Enzo Weber cautioned that rising pay in helper jobs could weaken incentives to train, noting that 13% of under‑35s lack a completed vocational qualification.