Gross average salary gain down by 341 RON in January; net average down by 5.6pct

The gross average salary stood at 8,910 RON in January 2025, 341 lei below the value in December 2024, while the net average stood at 5,328 RON, down 5.6%, according to data published on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).Compared to January 2024, the net average salary increased by 9.7% in the first month of this year.Overall, in January 2025, the highest values of the average net salary were recorded in information technology service activities (including IT service activities) - 11,437 RON, and in the manufacture of coke oven products and products obtained from crude oil processing (10,877 lei), and the lowest in the manufacture of clothing (3,292 RON) and in hotels and restaurants (3,321 RON)."During the year, fluctuations in salary earnings are recorded, mainly determined by the granting of annual awards and holiday bonuses, especially in the months taken as a basis for comparison (December, March/April). These influence increases or decreases depending on the period in which they are granted, ultimately leading to the blurring of monthly salary fluctuations throughout the year," the INS states.According to the same source, in January 2025, in most activities in the economic sector, the level of net average earnings decreased, compared to December 2024, as a result of the granting in the previous months of occasional bonuses (quarterly, annual bonuses, for winter holidays, for special performances or the 13th salary), rights in kind and cash aid, amounts from net profit and other funds (including securities).Also, the decreases in net average earnings in January were determined by the application of legal provisions that eliminated tax facilities previously granted in certain economic activities, by production failures or lower receipts (depending on contracts/projects), as well as by the hiring of personnel with lower earnings than average, in some economic activities.Compared to December 2024, in January 2025, the increases in average net earnings were due to the application of legal provisions, the granting of occasional bonuses (annual bonuses or for special performances), rights in kind and cash aid, amounts from net profit and other funds (including securities), as well as production achievements or higher receipts (depending on contracts/projects).In the budgetary sector, the average net salary recorded slight increases, compared to the previous month, in health and social assistance (+1.5), respectively in education (+0.6%).INS data reveal that, in public administration, the average net salary decreased slightly in January 2025, compared to the previous month (-0.8%).