site.btaAverage Wage in September Reaches BGN 2,072

The average gross monthly salary for September was BGN 2,072, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) reported. In July it was BGN 1,973, and in August - BGN 1,957. In the third quarter of the year, the average monthly salary was BGN 2,000 and increased by 2.2% compared to the second quarter, NSI said. The largest increase was registered in the Government sector (by 13.4%), in Education (by 12.2) and in Agriculture, forestry and fisheries (by 7.5%).

Compared to the third quarter of 2022, the average monthly salary increased by 14.7%, with the largest increase in Education (by 20.3%), in the Production and distribution of electric and thermal energy and gaseous fuels (by 19.6%), and in the Hospitality and restaurant industry (by 18.3%).

The highest average monthly remuneration of employed persons for the period was registered in Creation and distribution of information and creative products; telecommunications (BGN 4,670); Production and distribution of electric and thermal energy and gaseous fuels (BGN 3,055) and Financial and insurance activities (BGN 2,894).

The lowest paid were those employed in the Hotel and restaurant industry (BGN 1,265), Water supply; sewage services, waste management and recovery (BGN 1,480) and Other activities (BGN 1,259).

Compared to the same period of the previous year, the average monthly salary in the third quarter of 2023 in the public sector increased by 15.3%, and in the private sector by 14.5% statistics show.

As of the end of September, employed persons under labour and service legal contracts decreased by 34.1 thousand, or by 1.5%, compared to the end of June, reaching 2.30 million according to preliminary NSI data. Compared to the second quarter of the year, the largest decrease in employed persons was observed in the Hospitality and restaurant industry (by 15.8%), in Administrative and auxiliary activities (by 2.7%), and in the Manufacturing industry (by 1.4%). The largest increase in the number of persons employed under labour and service legal contracts was registered in Human healthcare and social work (by 1.1%).

The relative share of those employed in the Manufacturing industry (19.9%) and in Trade, repair of cars and motorcycles (16.7%).

At the end of September, year-on-year, the persons employed under labour and service legal contracts increased by 22.1 thousand or by 1%. The largest increase was observed in Human health care and social work (by 17.4 thousand), in the Hospitality and restaurant industry (6.8 thousand), and in Creation and dissemination of information and creative products; telecommunications (4 thousand), while the biggest decrease was in the Manufacturing industry (by 9 thousand), and in Administrative and auxiliary activities (by 8.2 thousand). In percentage terms, the increase was most significant in Human healthcare and social work (10.4%), in the Hospitality and restaurant industry (7.2%) and in Creation and distribution of information and creative products; telecommunications (3.4%). The biggest decrease was registered in Administrative and auxiliary activities (by 6.7%), and in the Extractive industry (by 2.1%).