Compared to the rest of Europe, our country seems to be positioned in the lowest places. What is the average salary in Italy? Let’s clarify all aspects. Let’s find out which are the best paid jobs at the moment.
On several occasions the Eurostat body – the Statistical Office headed by the European Union – has published the data relating to the average salary in Italy, which were among the lowest in the EU. In terms of hourly counting, the Bel Paese stands at € 12.5 against € 13.2 in the rest of Europe. These averages are to be interpreted considering a set of factors, among which the crisis is only partially involved. First of all, the Italian production structure in which small businesses occupy the majority of the sector pays low wages because the salary increases according to the increase in productivity itself. There is also the fact that tax evasion weighs on the Italian economy. In fact, it is not unusual for a part of the salary to be paid “off the books” and consequently the averages calculated by the bodies in charge do not reflect the reality.
A final consideration – but equally important – is that entry wages, that is those expected for the youngest, are lower than other countries and also in the seniority trend over time we are behind the European averages. Basically, an Italian worker too often starts from lower levels and struggles to evolve and increase its status. The classic example is that of a recent PhD graduate who “flees” abroad. Pay for the same job is on average greater than € 500 more in countries outside Italy, whereas tens of years of work are needed to increase the paycheck in our country by € 500. This is a gap that, despite years of analysis and appeals issued by the various competent bodies, has not yet been able to fill.
Average salary in Italy: this is how much you really earn
The net paycheck of a worker is also low due to the deductions made by the state. Taking for example a gross salary of € 1,866.99, once taxes are removed, the net total is lowered to € 1,417.00. The tax burden in recent years has only seen increases: in 2020 (ISTAT data) it was 42.8% with a + 0.8% compared to the previous year. All of this weighs heavily on an employee. Furthermore, reading a paycheck is not even an easy task and those who want to obtain information on what actually goes to pay are faced with incomprehensible rumors.
Finally, the latest studies published by portals such as Infojobs, just to name one of the best known, reveal that in 2019, the average gross salary in Italy was € 29,235. Figures that are down compared to € 29,601 in 2018, and that the Covid pandemic has given a further blow to the salaries of 2020. The GDP, according to estimates by the European Commission, has suffered a sharp drop of 9.9% .
ISTAT, however, reassures us. According to one of the latest reports, “The average hourly wage, compared to the second quarter of 2020, grew by 0.6%. The hourly contractual wages index also increased: by 0.2% compared to May 2021 and by 0.6% compared to June 2020. In particular, the trend increase was 1.2% for employees of the industry, by 0.7% for those of private services and was nil for those of the public administration. The sectors with the highest trend increases are those of wood, paper and printing (+ 2.3%), electricity and gas (+ 2.2%), credit and insurance (+ 2.0%) . On the other hand, the increase is zero for the food sector, for the textile, clothing and leather processing sectors, the chemical industries, trade, private pharmacies and the public administration. “
The sectors where you earn the most in Italy
By comparing the ISTAT data and the average Italian salaries, it can be certified that the highest pay envelopes belong to the financial sector, with an average of € 41,800 per year. In the industry sector we are around € 30-31,000, followed by trade with € 28,500, services with € 27,900, construction with € 26,490 and finally agriculture with just over € 23,000.
Does a doctor or a mechanic earn more money? The answer is not obvious
The salary in the paycheck is the final result of a series of very different factors. They include regional and state taxes, duties, seniority, but also specializations, ages and career levels. Taking for example the working life of a doctor and a mechanic. Let’s analyze the average salaries for both. You can come to some really interesting conclusions.
The earnings of a mechanic who starts working at a very young age
Let’s say that a mechanic starts working at 19-20 years old, that is, immediately after the end of high school. After a few training internships and a bit of apprenticeship, he gets to get a net monthly salary of around € 1,200. After 4 or 5 years he has gained much more experience and can earn as much as € 1,600 per month. At the age of 29 and with a ten-year training baggage that can be defined as complete, the mechanic can also start his own business and see his salaries soar. Or he can find work as a subordinate and earn up to € 2,000 per month. Having started working at a very young age, the mechanic may have saved up a lot of savings. He can think of building a family and a more than satisfying life.
A doctor’s earnings: the difference is after 30 years of age
By analyzing a different figure such as that of a general practitioner and comparing it to the working life of the mechanic, important differences immediately emerge. First of all, the doctor, for obvious reasons related to the more complex type of study, will not be able to start working at a young age but will have to wait for the qualification to the profession of doctor. In Italy it usually arrives after 10 years of hard study. It starts with 6 years of experience at the University of General Medicine, and then continues with 3 years of specialization – in which you can receive a basic salary of € 2-3,000 per month. Finally, there is a year to pass the exam with consequent registration in the Register of Doctors. We are therefore already at an average age of 30 and a salary, in practice, similar to that of the mechanic. The mechanic, however, in the meantime had the possibility, hypothetically, to save and put on a “nest egg” for his future. After the age of 30, the general practitioner can earn up to € 4,600 per month, according to national averages. Figures that will increase up to € 5,000 and more per month. There are, however, the years of sacrifices dedicated to study to be considered. Unlike a mechanic who started very young, a general practitioner has to wait longer to start a family or to invest money.
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Prestige work is not always more advantageous
At the end of his career, the doctor unquestionably earns more. The young mechanic, however, if he has been resourceful and prudent, will be able to enjoy a peaceful old age economically. Even having done one of those jobs that are not considered “prestigious”. The variables are really many. This small example provides a starting point for reflection on the labor system in Italy. Well-being is not just a matter of final salary. It really depends on possibilities and lifestyles that can make it seem paradoxical difference in the paycheck of two completely different professional figures.
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