18:41 5 November 2025
Public sector outpaces private pay
In May 2025, Poland’s public sector continued to outpay the private sector by a wide margin, according to new data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS). The median gross monthly wage in the national economy was PLN 7,082, equal to about PLN 5,158 net after taxes and social contributions—an effective tax rate of nearly 40%.
The median public sector salary stood at PLN 8,260, around 29% higher than the private sector’s PLN 6,467. GUS notes that the public sector employs proportionally more highly qualified workers.
Overall, the median wage was 18.4% lower than the national average of PLN 8,679, reflecting how higher earners skew the average upward. The lowest-earning 10% made up to PLN 4,666 gross, while the top 10% earned at least PLN 13,442.
Gender differences remained modest: men earned just 5.8% more than women at the median level.
