In 2022 women earned 17.1 % less than men

Provisional estimate of the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSB) shows that in 2022 the average hourly gross earnings of women were 17.1 % lower than those of men. Compared to the year before, the unadjusted gender pay gap has grown by 2.5 percentage points.

In line with the European Union methodology the indicator is estimated based on the results of the Structure of Earnings Survey conducted once in four years (the last one in 2018). In years when the survey is not conducted, a provisional indicator is calculated using the data on the first quarter of the year submitted in statistical report on labour.

The gap in earnings of males and females is affected by various social and economic factors – the number of men and women in a specific economic activity, their occupation and work duties, educational attainment, age, service increment, number of hours worked, as well as labour supply and demand trends and structural changes in the labour market. The indicator is calculated without excluding the effect of these factors, which might explain the reasons for the gap.

In 2022 the largest unadjusted gender pay gap was observed in arts, entertainment and recreation – 37.2 % (denoting that women on average earn 37.2 % less per hour than men) as well as information and communication – 34.0 %. Unadjusted gender pay gap exceeding 20 % was registered in seven more economic activities (where it varied between 28.9 % and 20.2 %): financial and insurance activities; professional, scientific and technical activities; mining and quarrying; wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; manufacturing; administrative and support service activities; as well as other service activities. In six other economic activities the indicator varied between 7.2 % and 19.5 %. Whereas public administration as well as transportation and storage had a gap of just 0.6 % and 1.7 %, respectively. In electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, in turn, women earned 6.1 % more than men.

* All activities, except for agriculture, forestry, fishing as well as public administration, based on Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE Rev. 2).

In terms of sectoral breakdown, gender pay gap in private sector was 2.8 percentage points larger than in public (18.1 % and 15.3 %, respectively). Women working full time earned 20.0 % less than men, while among those working part time the gender gap was smaller – 12.4 %.

As regards age, the smallest gender gap in hourly earnings was recorded among elderly, namely, people aged 65 and over (11.0 %) and in the age group under 25 (11.1 %) while the largest in age group 35–44 (24.8 %) and among people aged 25–34 (20.9 %).

Unadjusted gender pay gap by age group

(per cent)

Women in the EU on average earned 12.7 % less than men

In 2021, the EU average unadjusted gender pay gap constituted 12.7 %. The largest gap was recorded in Estonia (20.5 %) and Austria (18.8 %).

* Ireland – 2020 data, Greece – 2018 data.

Reference metadata about statistics for hourly and monthly gender pay gap are available in official statistics portal metadata sections Gender pay gap, hourly earnings and Gender pay gap, monthly gross.

Methodological explanations

Unadjusted gender pay gap is one of the EU sustainable development indicators calculated based on the Eurostat methodology and used for international comparisons. The indicator is used to monitor progress towards the gender equality.

CSB is also publishing a monthly gender pay gap that is an indicator used for annual comparisons of earnings received by both genders in Latvia. This indicator differs from the unadjusted gender pay gap in terms of both calculation methodology and target population.

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on data:
Lija Luste
Wage Statistics Section
E-mail: Lija.Luste@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366917