Over the course of the year, the wage gap between industries has widened.
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It’s not for nothing that they say that oil is black gold! At least it can definitely make you rich. After all, it was the oil and gas industry workers who earned the most in Russia in the first half of 2024 – 215.9 thousand rubles a month (before income tax). This was calculated by experts of the FinExpertiza auditing and consulting network based on data from Rosstat. Top managers and management consultants, as well as programmers, are not far behind (for more details, see “Just the numbers”).
At the opposite end of the wage scale are employees of the light industry engaged in the production of clothing. This industry has the lowest wages, an average of 37.7 thousand rubles.
Here, of course, the reader will have a logical question: after all, import substitution reigns here, garment production is growing, so shouldn’t the wages of workers in light industry be increased? We answer: and they are increasing! For example, in the first half of last year, wages in light industry increased by a third. Growth has slowed this year, but still outstrips inflation.
However, for oil workers, IT specialists and other leaders on the list, incomes are growing even faster. Hence another sign of the current times: wage dissonance is growing in the country.
– Over the year, the wage gap between industries has increased: if in the first half of 2023 it was 5.2 times, then this year, over the corresponding period, the wage gap between industries increased to 5.7 times (this is exactly how much higher the wages of oil workers are than those of clothing manufacturers – Ed.). This dynamics is primarily due to the slowdown in wage growth in the lowest-paid industry – clothing production. In the first half of 2024, the wage indexation rate in the industry fell to 12.7%. At the same time, the labor income of wage leaders, i.e. oil and gas workers, increased by a quarter, says Elena Trubnikova, President of FinExpertiza.
NUMBERS ONLY
10 industries with the highest salaries in Russia
Scope – Average salary in the first half of 2024
Oil and gas production: 215,900
Management and management consulting – 208,838
Software development: 198,584
Finance and Insurance – 190 590
Air transport – 171 111
Production of tobacco products – 162,876
Pipeline transport – 149,839
Fishing and fish farming – 144,246
Metal ore mining – 130,253
Research and development – 127,501
…and with the lowest incomes
Scope – Average salary in the first half of 2024
Clothing production – 37,685
Cafes and restaurants – 45,473
Postal and courier activities – 47,025
Production of leather and leather products – 49,220
Furniture production – 49,418
Veterinary activities – 49,474
Security services, security systems – 50,499
Production of textile products – 51,399
Cleaning and landscaping – 53,189
Agriculture, livestock, hunting – 53,624
According to FinExpertiza.
