Salaries in Austria: Industries and Professions

According to Austrian Social Insurance, nearly 4 million employees were registered in Austria in February 2024, of which 994,216 were foreigners. Sectors with the highest number of immigrants include manufacturing, hospitality, food services, and retail.

In this article, we will discuss average salaries in Austria across various factors, whether there is a minimum wage in the country, and how much foreigners earn compared to locals.

Previously, we wrote about obtaining Austrian residence permits.

The average gross income for all employed persons (workers and employees) in Austria is €31,407 per year or €2,243 per month, according to the General Income Report 2022 by the Court of Audit.

Compensation in Austria significantly increased in 2023 due to high inflation. During collective bargaining negotiations, it was generally agreed to raise the minimum wage by approximately 9%.

A more recent salary report by Stepstone (a job search platform) published in 2024 highlights factors influencing salary formation in the country. Salaries increase with education and work experience in the industry. The sector of employment and the region where the company is located also play a significant role.

According to Stepstone, the average salary for full-time employees in Austria in 2023 was €51,731 gross per year. The monthly gross salary was €4,123 or €2,744 net (after taxes and other deductions).

The median salary for the same year was €50,633 per year. About a quarter of workers earned less than €39,667 per year, while 25% earned more than €66,330 per year.

In Austria, many companies provide a 13th and 14th salary. These payments are known as holiday (May/June) and Christmas (November/December) bonuses. Taxes are withheld from these additional payments at a lower rate than from the main salary.

When taking a job in Austria, consider annual bonuses in your total salary; you should divide the amount by 14, not 12. Otherwise, monthly compensation might be lower than expected. This is not a concern if the monthly salary is discussed during the interview.

Although bonuses are common, they depend on the employer’s discretion (especially if bonuses are not specified in the collective agreement). It is advisable to ask in advance if the company offers such additional payments.

The region where one works often determines the level of compensation.

The highest average salary in Austria is in Vienna — €56,980 per year. The lowest is in Carinthia — €46,667.

The gender pay gap in the country is one of the largest in the European Union, at 15.5%. According to Stepstone, women employed full-time earned an average of €45,500 gross in 2023. Men earned €8,340 more in the same year.

Part of the gap is explained by men being more likely to work full-time than women, but this factor does not fully account for the disparity.

The Stepstone salary report ranks the pharmaceutical industry highest, with an average salary of €66,547 per year. Following are the aerospace sector and banking.

Employees in the chemical, petroleum refining industries, or the media and IT services sector, can also expect solid compensation for their labor.

Source: kununu, 2024

For popular professions, the salary ranges for:

per month in Austria, according to the job aggregator Salary Explorer.

The least rewarded jobs are in the hospitality and catering industry — only €38,000 gross per year. High earnings should not be expected in marketing, advertising, PR, transportation, and logistics either — these sectors also have low salaries.

Source: kununu, 2024

There is no legally established minimum wage in Austria. Employers are free to decide how much to pay their employees. However, this does not mean there are no limits.

The Austrian government has requested social partners to agree on a minimum wage applicable across all sectors. As a result, the de facto minimum wage in Austria is €1,500 per month.

Certain sectors have a minimum hourly rate based on fixed collective agreements. In some regions, wage rates are also applied. Candidates are advised to find out in advance if the amount matches the industry average and the expectations of the prospective employee.

Job seekers should thoroughly check contracts for salary amounts before signing. Unclear questions should be clarified with HR:

Managers often ask about the desired salary level. It is important to be cautious to avoid asking for too much or too little — candidates should stick to the industry average.

In Austria, this is a widespread practice. Often, when looking for a job, one can see offers for salary based on a collective agreement. Essentially, a collective agreement is a minimum wage for a specific position or field where a lower salary is not allowed.

Usually, collective agreement pay changes yearly to account for inflation. This does not mean that an employee cannot negotiate a higher salary, but in such cases, the responsibility for a pay raise request lies with the worker.

Income tax is progressive — the more an employee earns, the higher the rate.

Employers (and the self-employed) also pay a municipal tax at a rate of 3%.

According to Statista, the employment rate in Austria in 2023 averaged 75.6% for Austrians and 68.7% for foreigners. Many who move to Austria for work settle in Vienna, which is not surprising — it offers the highest salaries.

Thanks to the development of various industries, including IT, tourism, and various services, the capital attracts expats. However, other regions can also offer interesting job opportunities. Innsbruck has a bustling tourism industry, and Salzburg hosts international companies.

People from the EU/EFTA region earn more than migrants from other countries. However, if a person works in an international company in the financial services sector, they can expect a salary above the average regardless of their origin. Overall, Austria strives to prevent workplace discrimination and offers salaries comparable to local wages.

Austria ranks high in global quality of life indices, attracting foreigners seeking better living conditions.

Many move to financially support their families back home, and the Korona app can be useful for this purpose.

Korona offers money transfers to over 50 countries with minimal exchange rate markups and no conversion fees. The app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.

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