According to the report of the National Institute of Statistics, in December 2023 the average net salary was 5,079 lei, an increase of 314 lei compared to the previous month and exceeding 1,100 euros. Compared to December last year, the net salary increased by 15.5%.

The increase also depends on severance pay

According to the INS, the amount of salary can fluctuate during the year. They are mainly determined by the provision of holiday bonuses, especially in the months taken as a basis for comparison (December, March/April).

They affect the increase or decrease depending on the period in which they are provided, and ultimately lead to the smoothing of monthly wage fluctuations to the level of the whole year. The increase was also influenced by the granting of periodic bonuses (quarterly, annual bonuses, bonuses for the winter holidays, for excellent work results or the 13th salary), the right to in-kind and material assistance, amounts from net profit and from other funds (including value tickets).

Areas with the greatest growth

The biggest growth was recorded in the oil refining industry, where net salaries reached almost 13,000 lei at the end of last year. Coal production also increased by more than 57%.

Also, the average salary in the production of crude oil and natural gas increased by almost 35%. It is also about an increase of almost 33% in the production and supply of electricity and thermal energy, hot water, air conditioning, and gas.

At the opposite pole, the lowest salaries are recorded in the HoReCa industry. Employees of hotels and restaurants received a salary of no more than 3,000 lei net.

Reduction of the average gross salary

A decrease was observed in mechanical engineering and equipment production, as well as in metal ore mining by 8.8% and 6.2%, respectively.

In addition, there was a decrease of 1.0%-3.5% in such activities as courier or post. A similar decline was experienced by those engaged in activities such as furniture production or motor vehicle production.

In the budgetary sphere

In December 2023, budget workers experienced an increase in the average net salary compared to the previous month by approximately 5 percent. This is mainly due to the provision of the outstanding difference in wages, which refers to the months of 2023.

The average salary of health care and social workers increased by almost 3%.

In education, receipts fell by more than 2 percent after teachers’ hourly pay was cut during the school holidays.