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EARNINGS

How much money do people earn in Austria – and which jobs are the best paid?

Austria is well-known for having high salaries and a high quality of life. But how much do people actually earn? And what are the best and worst paid jobs in Austria?

Published: 16 February 2021 11:21 CET
Updated: 22 February 2021 11:06 CET
How much money do people earn in Austria - and which jobs are the best paid?
Mowing the lawn is a great way to work on your suntan, but is on the lower end of the pay spectrum. Image: AFP

Like most countries, professions like doctors, lawyers and psychologists are well paid.

These jobs also require many years of university education, which is reflected in the salaries as people progress in their career.

Then there are tradespeople, such as carpenters, electricians and agricultural workers. These professions are typically not in the same salary bracket as the doctors and lawyers.

However, some specialised workers can still earn a high income in Austria.

Other well-paid jobs in Austria are marketing and PR roles, project managers, engineers and business development managers.

It’s worth noting that there isn’t a legal minimum wage in Austria.

Instead there are collective agreements in place with social partners to pay workers a minimum of €1,500 gross (before tax) per month. 

What do the statistics say?

The latest official Statista figures show that in 2019 the average annual salary in Austria was €44,689. 

According to Statistics Austria, the lowest incomes in 2020 were for blue collar jobs with a median salary of €21,961. The highest earners were civil servants with a median annual salary of €59,145.

Not surprisingly, some of the highest earners are in management, technology development, IT, law and banking.

The Lohnspiegel, a salary comparison website, states the average monthly salary for a lawyer in Austria is €4,100, and for an IT manager it’s €3,891. 

On the other side of the fence, some of the lowest paid workers are in the hotel and hospitality industry.

The average monthly salary for a waitress is a €1,610, but the minimum rate is just €1,303.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz earns €316,652 gross per year – or €22,618 per month. Photo: AFP.

Regional differences

The average salary can vary between the different regions in Austria, depending on the cost of living and the types of industry operating in the area.

Workers can expect the highest salaries in Vienna, Innsbruck in Tyrol and St Pölten in Lower Austria. In fact, most metropolitan areas have higher salaries than rural regions.

On a regional basis, the lowest salaries can be found in Tyrol, where tourism is a key industry. The highest salaries can be found in Lower Austria, where the main industries are manufacturing and healthcare. 

What about the gender pay gap?

The gender pay gap has long been a topic of discussion in Austria, which stands at 19.9 per cent in favour of men. This is above the EU average of 14.1 per cent. 

This means that women in Austria are roughly earning 80 per cent of what men earn.

A big part of this is the division of the labour market between male and female dominated roles, with “male” jobs earning significantly more.

For example, women are more likely to work in the hospitality industry than men, which is one of the lowest-paying professions in the country.

Motherhood and household duties also play a part with most women switching to part time work as they take care of the family and the men become the main household earner.

What about the pandemic?

A lot has happened in the past 12 months. Most notably, coronavirus swept the globe and caused economic upheaval, which forced some companies to lay off staff.

In pre-pandemic times (2019), unemployment levels in Austria were decreasing on a monthly basis with the average unemployment rate at 4.5 per cent.

Since then, the tourism and hospitality industries have taken a big economic hit due to the ongoing coronavirus restrictions. This resulted in the unemployment rate rising to 11.4 per cent in January 2021.

It’s not all bad news though. The construction sector is still performing well and Economics Minister Margarete Schramböck said industry has created 450,000 jobs in Austria in recent months.

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WORKING IN AUSTRIA

First steps: What to do when searching for a new job in Austria

Whether you have just arrived in Austria or have worked here before but are now unemployed, this is how you should start your job search.

Published: 17 January 2024 16:05 CET
Updated: 4 April 2024 14:11 CEST
First steps: What to do when searching for a new job in Austria

Austria is known for its welfare or social system, and even people who do not have a job can receive assistance – but the full entitlement depends on factors such as previous work in the country, for example. 

If you are moving to Austria or have lost your job, there are tools you can use to help you get into the labour market again – especially with the help of the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS). Here’s what you need to know.

Registering as unemployed

The first step is registering as an unemployed job seeker with the AMS. It’s not a mandatory step, but the AMS can give you professional counselling from a personal advisor. You can also be recommended courses and get job adverts that fit your profile. 

A person can register as an unemployed job seeker with the AMS regardless of any entitlement to a benefit from the unemployment insurance scheme, so even if you have just arrived in Austria. Here’s a list of the regional offices of the AMS.

READ ALSO: Unemployment benefits in Austria: Who is eligible and how much can you get?

If you are entitled to unemployment benefits (for that, you need to have contributed to the social system in Austria), then you must register with the AMS by the first day of unemployment. If you register online before the start of unemployment, you have ten days after the start of unemployment to confirm the registration at an AMS office in person. 

Even if you are not at first entitled to benefits from the unemployment insurance scheme, some circumstances may entitle you to several forms of help from the agency. 

This is why it is recommended that you reach out to the AMS regardless of your situation.

AMS’s chatbot

Austria’s AMS also recently launched a new AI bot that usesChatGPT technology – and information from AMS – to help people looking for jobs and training in Austria, as The Local reported.

The bot uses ChatGTP knowledge and AMS’s sources to help users. It can also ask further questions to get specifics on each case, creating a dialogue and exchange of information.

The bot can give answers on training, salary, careers, visas, and more to anyone asking questions. It also provides links to the pages with the source information – all in whichever language you choose to interact with it. 

READ ALSO: How useful is Austria’s new AI tool for foreign job-seekers?

Looking for jobs

Besides the assistance of your advisor at the AMS, you can also use the agency’s job search tool to find employment. Several positions are advertised there, especially for service and trade jobs. It’s possible to narrow down the search based on work hours, place of work and state, among others.

READ ALSO: Six official websites to know if you’re planning to work in Austria

Besides the official site, people in Austria also use other ways of finding jobs online, including websites like LinkedIn and even posts on FB Groups (though be careful with false advertisements if you are in doubt when it comes to employment and work contracts, you can always reach out to your local Chamber of Labour).

In Austria, two sites are also popular among job seekers: Karriere.at and Xing.com. You can also use sites with classified ads such as Der Standard or Willhaben, for example. The Local has a page with English-language jobs in Austria as well.

It’s often common to find jobs through personal contacts in Austria, where the “friendship culture” is prevalent. 

READ ALSO: What is the ‘friendship economy’ in Austria and how does it work?

Even the official government website says, “Personal contacts should also not be ignored when it comes to successful job placement. It can be very helpful to ask around among family, friends and acquaintances for vacancies.

“The more people who know about the job search, the greater the chance of success”, it added.

You will also need to prepare a CV and, depending on the job, even a motivational letter – your AMS advisor can typically help adapt and write both documents. 

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