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According to Eurostat, the average annual, full-time adjusted salary per employee in the European Union ranged from €13,503 in Bulgaria to €81,064 in Luxembourg, with the EU average standing at €37,863, in 2023.

Nine member states reported salaries above the EU average, while 17 countries fell below. The Netherlands is not included in the data due to differences in methodology.

Apart from Luxembourg, the adjusted average salary was above €50,000 in five other EU countries. They included: Denmark (€67,604), Ireland (€58,679), Belgium (€57,989), Austria (€54,508) and Germany (€50,988).

Finland, Sweden, and France are also ranked above the EU average.

At the bottom, Bulgaria is followed by Hungary (€16,895), Greece (€17,013), Romania (€17,739), Poland (€18,054), and Slovakia (€19,001), all with annual salaries below €20,000.

Italy and Spain fall below the EU average, with annual salaries of approximately €32,500.

According to Eurostat, average salaries in purchasing power standard (PPS) provides a fairer comparison as living costs, particularly housing expenses, vary significantly across European countries. For example, in nominal terms, the highest average salary was six times the lowest, whereas this ratio decreases to 2.5 times when adjusted for PPS.
 
Greece holds the lowest rank in PPS.