Over the past five years, the relative gap between men’s and women’s average pension-insured earnings have narrowed by three percentage points. In median earnings, the gap has narrowed by four percentage points.

The average gap in earnings between men and women appears to have narrowed slightly in nearly all age groups and both in the private and the public sector.

“In recent years, the rising municipal wages and the harmonisation of the wages in the wellbeing services counties have contributed to a narrowing gap in earnings between men and women. The workforce in the municial sector and the wellbeing services counties is predominantly female”, explains Marjo Kaasila, statistics planner at the Finnish Centre for Pensions.

Women’s median monthly wage €850 lower than men’s in the private sector

In 2025, the pay gap between tmen and women among insured employees was smallest in the municipal sector and the well-being services counties, where women’s median earnings were 8% (or €260/month) lower than those of men.

The largest pay gap is in the private sector, where women’s median monthly earnings were one quarter smaller than men’s. In money, that translates to €850 per month.

Differences in earnings are partly explained by the high degree of gender segregation in the labour market.

“Women and men often work in different fields and professions. In addition, women work part-time more often than men. Women are also more likely than men to take family leave, which affects their earnings progression”, Kaasila assesses.

Women accrue pension more often than men for childcare, sickness allowances and completed degrees

In addition to earnings from work and incomes from self-employment, pension accrues for unsalaried periods, such as periods of childcare, unemployment, sickness and completed degrees.

In 2025, nearly one people accrued earnings-related pension benefits for unsalaried periods. Slightly more than half of them were women. Most benefit recipients under motor liability and occupational accident insurance were men. The share of men in unemployment benefits was also higher. For all other benefits, most recipients were women.

By far the most benefits for unsalaried periods are recorded on the basis of unemployment. In 2025, unemployment benefits were paid to nearly 580,000 people and daily sickness allowances to 160,000 individuals. This was 7% less than in 2024.

Around 180,000 people received benefits for childcare and 120,000 for completed degrees.

The statistics released are based on earnings insured under the earnings-related pension scheme

The Finnish Centre for Pensions’ statistics on pension insurance are based on all insured earnings from work, including those from sporadic work that may be for a short period or part-time.

Statistics Finland publishes structural statistics on earnings in Finland.

Read more:

Statistics: Persons insured for an earnings-related pension in Finland