The median salary in Estonia in the second quarter of 2026 was €1,840, which is 6.1% – or €196 – higher than in the second quarter of 2025.
The median of gross wage is the wage level at which half of the employees earn less than that level and half earn more than that level.
“The trends for median wages are similar to the trends for average gross wages both by county and by economic activity,” Krista Vaikmets, a leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, the country’s official statistics agency, said in a statement.
The average monthly gross wages were €2,243 in the second quarter of 2026. Compared with the second quarter of 2025, the average gross wages and salaries increased by 5.5%, or €117.
Vaikmets said that there was a year-on-year increase in average monthly gross wages in all counties, but the extent of the wage growth varied regionally.
Average salary the highest in Tallinn
“The increase in average gross wages was the biggest in Ida-Viru County (8%) and Hiiu County (7%) and somewhat more modest in Põlva, Jõgeva and Valga counties, where the rise in wages was around 4%,” she said.
At the county level, the average monthly gross wages and salaries were still the highest in Harju County (€2,488), followed by Tartu County (€2,285). In both of these counties, average wages grew by 5% in the second quarter year on year.
“In Tallinn, the average gross wages were €2,611 in the second quarter and increased by about 5.3% compared with the second quarter of last year, when the average wages in Tallinn were €2,479,” noted Vaikmets.
The economic activity with the highest average gross wages was information and communication where average gross wages were €3,837 in the second quarter.
The average gross wages in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply grew by 19.6% year on year and were €3,783 in the second quarter.
Most people work in manufacturing
The lowest average gross wages were again registered in accommodation and food service activities (€1,389). In other service activities, the average monthly wages were €1,430 in the second quarter.
Looking at other larger activities, average gross wages grew by 6% in manufacturing, by 5.7% in trade and by 5.1% in construction.
There were 588,710 employees in the second quarter, down by 5,183 from the year before. In the second quarter of 2026, the largest number of employees – 101,085 – worked in manufacturing, representing 17% of all employees.
This was followed by wholesale and retail trade with 85,548 employees, education with 64,578 employees, and human health and social work activities with 48,619 employees.
Compared with the first quarter, the number of employees was up by 8,611.
