Wage, salary drop in August from last month, rise from previous year

The working day adjusted wages and salaries sum of the whole economy was 1.0 per cent higher in August 2025 than the stipulated period of the previous year, according to Statistics Finland.

The seasonally adjusted wages and salaries sum of the whole economy decreased by 0.1 per cent in August from the previous month.

The wages and salaries sum was 0.3 per cent higher in the private sector in August than twelve months earlier but in the public sector it was 2.7 per cent higher.

The seasonally adjusted wages and salaries sum decreased by 0.8 per cent and increased in the public sector by 0.3 per cent in August from the month before.

The wages and salaries increased in August in majority of main industries but decreased in the industries of construction, private education and private health and social work compared to August 2024.

The working day adjusted wages and salaries sum increased significantly in the industry of finance and insurance (4.8%). The growth was moderate in the industries of manufacturing (2.7%), trade (1.1%) and other services (0.3%).

At the same period the working day adjusted wages and salaries sum decreased in the industries of construction (1.5%), private education (1.1%) and private health and social work (0.9%).