Wage, salary drop from last month, increase Y-on-Y in May

The working day adjusted wages and salaries sum of the whole economy was 2.3 per cent higher in May 2026 than in May 2025, according to Statistics Finland.

The seasonally adjusted wages and salaries sum of the whole economy decreased by 0.6 per cent in May from the previous month.

The working day adjusted wages and salaries sum was 2.2 per cent higher in the private sector in May than twelve months earlier and 2.0 percent higher in the public sector.

In the private sector, the seasonally adjusted wages and salaries sum decreased by 0.7 per cent and in the public sector by 1.0 per cent in May from the month before.

The wages and salaries sum grew in May 2026 in majority of main industries but decreased in the industries of private health and social work, private education and trade compared to May 2025. The wages and salaries sum increased significantly in the industry of manufacturing (6.8%).

The growth was moderate in the finance and insurance (3.5%), construction (3.1%) and industries of other services (1.5%).

At the same period the working day adjusted wages and salaries sum decreased in the industries of private health and social work (1.6%), private education (0.5%) and trade (0.1%).