The latest official data put Romania’s average gross monthly earnings at RON 9,483 in May 2026, while average net monthly earnings were RON 5,684, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS) May earnings release. Gross earnings fell 2.6% and net earnings 2.7% from April, largely because bonuses and other occasional payments had been awarded in earlier months.
These are observed monthly averages, not estimates and not a forecast for the whole of 2026. The RON 9,251 figure in the original article was incorrectly described as a 2024 annual average. It has been replaced throughout with the latest official monthly observation and its correct reference period.
Romania remains a comparatively fast-changing wage market, but nominal wage growth no longer guarantees higher purchasing power. Average net earnings in May 2026 were 3.2% above May 2025, while the real earnings index was only 93.1, meaning average net pay bought about 6.9% less than a year earlier.
This guide explains average salaries in Romania, take-home pay, industry differences, regional evidence, the current minimum wage and recent salary trends.
Average Salary in Romania — Key Numbers
| Metric | Amount | Reference period |
|---|---|---|
| Average gross monthly earnings | RON 9,483 | May 2026 |
| Average net monthly earnings | RON 5,684 | May 2026 |
| Net as a share of gross averages | 59.9% | May 2026 |
| Standard illustrative net from RON 9,483 gross | RON 5,547.56 | No personal deductions or exemptions |
| Latest comparable official median | €5.60 gross per hour | October 2022, limited Eurostat coverage |
| Statutory national minimum wage | RON 4,325 gross per month | From 1 July 2026 |
| Employee pension contribution (CAS) | 25% | Standard rate |
| Employee health contribution (CASS) | 10% | Standard rate |
| Income tax | 10% of the taxable salary base | Standard rate |
| Nominal net earnings growth | +3.2% | May 2026 year on year |
| Real earnings change | −6.9% | May 2026 year on year |
Romania does not publish a current national monthly median in its monthly earnings release. The latest comparable official benchmark is €5.60 gross per hour in October 2022, reported in Eurostat’s Structure of Earnings Survey results. It covers employees other than apprentices in enterprises with at least 10 employees and excludes agriculture and public administration. It must not be converted into or presented as a 2026 national monthly median.
Calculate your exact net salary in Romania with our Net Salary Calculator.
Gross vs Net — Understanding Your Take-Home Pay
Gross earnings include the amounts paid before employee contributions and income tax. Net earnings are what remains after compulsory employee social contributions and the corresponding income tax.
Under Romania’s standard payroll rules, employees generally pay:
- Pension contribution (CAS): 25%;
- Health contribution (CASS): 10%;
- Income tax: 10% of taxable salary income after compulsory contributions and applicable deductions.
These rates are set by Romania’s Fiscal Code, notably the provisions governing salary income, CAS and CASS. A simplified calculation for a worker with RON 9,483 gross and no personal deduction, dependants, exemptions or special treatment is:
| Step | Illustrative amount |
|---|---|
| Gross salary | RON 9,483.00 |
| CAS, 25% | −RON 2,370.75 |
| CASS, 10% | −RON 948.30 |
| Taxable base before any other deduction | RON 6,163.95 |
| Income tax, 10% | −RON 616.40 |
| Estimated net salary | RON 5,547.56 |
The worker keeps about 58.5% of gross pay in this deliberately simplified example. The official May averages show RON 5,684 net, or 59.9% of the gross average, because INS measures the average of actual payroll results across workers. Personal deductions, exemptions, differing employee populations and rounding mean the national gross and net averages should not be treated as one universal payslip.
From 1 January 2025, the former income-tax facilities for software creation, construction, agriculture and food production were removed by Emergency Ordinance No. 156/2024. Workers who previously qualified may therefore have a different net-to-gross relationship than before 2025.
For a detailed breakdown of Romanian payroll taxes, see our Romania Tax Guide.
Typical Salary Levels by Industry in Romania
The commercial ranges in the original article were not official national statistics and have been removed. INS’s latest monthly release provides directly comparable net averages for selected high- and low-paying activities:
| Activity | Average net monthly earnings | Reference period |
|---|---|---|
| National economy | RON 5,684 | May 2026 |
| Computer programming and IT consultancy | RON 13,150 | May 2026 |
| Extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas | RON 12,405 | May 2026 |
| Fishing and aquaculture | RON 2,863 | May 2026 |
| Other service activities | RON 2,895 | May 2026 |
Programming and IT consultancy recorded the highest net average in May, followed by crude-petroleum and natural-gas extraction. Fishing and aquaculture and other service activities recorded the lowest averages.
Monthly sector figures can move sharply when annual, quarterly, performance or holiday bonuses are paid. The official INS monthly net-earnings database by economic activity should therefore be read with the month and activity definition attached, rather than treated as a fixed salary offer for a particular occupation.
Actual pay still varies by job, experience, hours, employer, collective agreement and location. An activity average is not the same as an entry-level salary or a guaranteed sector rate.
Salary Levels by Region
Romania has substantial territorial wage differences, but the city ranges in the original article were secondary estimates rather than official 2026 regional averages. They have been removed.
INS publishes annual gross and net earnings by macroregion, development region and county. The latest complete annual regional series currently refers to 2024, not 2026:
| Official regional dataset | Coverage | Latest complete annual period |
|---|---|---|
| Gross monthly earnings | Macroregions, development regions and counties | 2024 |
| Net monthly earnings | Macroregions, development regions and counties | 2024 |
The official INS gross regional earnings table and the separate INS net regional earnings table allow users to select an activity, sex, territory and year. These annual datasets should not be mixed with the May 2026 national monthly figure or relabelled as current city salaries.
Bucharest–Ilfov is structurally the highest-paying development region in the official series, but comparisons involving Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Iași or Constanța must use county data rather than unsupported city ranges. Rural South and East is not an official statistical territory and has therefore been removed from the table.
For a complete picture of purchasing power, compare wages with housing and living expenses in our Cost of Living in Romania guide.
Minimum Wage in Romania
Romania’s national gross minimum wage increased to RON 4,325 per month from 1 July 2026. Government Decision No. 146/2026 sets the amount for an average normal schedule of 166.667 hours per month, equivalent to RON 25.949 per hour. It replaced the RON 4,050 general minimum that applied before July.
For qualifying full-time employees whose basic salary equals the statutory minimum, RON 200 per month is excluded from income tax and compulsory social-contribution bases from July through December 2026, provided monthly gross income excluding specified meal and holiday benefits does not exceed RON 4,600. The conditions are set out in Emergency Ordinance No. 89/2025.
A single universal “net minimum wage” would be misleading because the result depends on eligibility for this exclusion, the personal deduction, age, dependants and other payroll circumstances. The statutory figure is therefore presented as RON 4,325 gross; workers should calculate net pay using their own deduction status.
The construction-sector minimum was RON 4,582 from January 2025 under the sector rule in Emergency Ordinance No. 156/2024. Employers must check which statutory minimum and later amendments apply to the worker’s activity and reference month.
Salary Trends — Is Romania Keeping Up with Inflation?
Average net earnings in May 2026 were 3.2% higher than in May 2025, but the real earnings index was 93.1. In other words, after consumer-price changes, average net earnings were approximately 6.9% lower in real terms than a year earlier.
INS also reported that May’s average gross earnings fell 2.6% and net earnings fell 2.7% from April. Such monthly declines do not necessarily mean contractual salaries were cut: occasional, quarterly, annual and Easter-related bonuses had lifted previous months. Romania’s official real earnings index series is the appropriate source for separating nominal pay changes from consumer-price effects.
The latest harmonised measure confirms that inflation remained exceptionally high. Romania’s HICP rate was 9.2% year on year in June 2026, the highest in the EU, according to Eurostat’s final June 2026 inflation release.
The current evidence therefore does not support the original claim that wage growth was comfortably outpacing inflation. Nominal pay was still growing in May, but average purchasing power was lower than one year earlier.
Compare salaries and purchasing power across all 27 EU countries on our interactive EU Country Comparison Map.
Is Romania a High-Salary Country?
Romania is not a high-salary country by Western European nominal standards. Eurostat’s latest structural median—€5.60 gross per hour in October 2022—was among the lowest in the EU, although exchange rates and national price levels affect cross-country comparisons.
Within Romania, high-paying activities such as IT programming and oil and gas extraction earn far more than the national average, while low-paying service activities remain close to the wage floor. Location, occupation and employer therefore matter considerably.
Gross salary alone does not determine living standards. Net pay, household composition, housing costs and local prices all affect what a salary can actually buy.
Average Salary in Romania — Bottom Line
The latest official observation is RON 9,483 gross and RON 5,684 net per month in May 2026. These are monthly averages, not full-year 2026 forecasts. The official net average already measures actual take-home earnings across the surveyed workforce.
For a simplified employee with no deductions or exemptions, RON 9,483 gross produces about RON 5,547.56 net under standard 25% CAS, 10% CASS and 10% income-tax rates. An individual payslip can differ, so the illustrative result must not be described as the official average net wage.
The national minimum wage is RON 4,325 gross from 1 July 2026. Romania has no current official national monthly median; the latest comparable Eurostat benchmark is €5.60 gross per hour for October 2022 with limited coverage.
Nominal net earnings increased 3.2% year on year in May, but real earnings fell about 6.9%, while HICP inflation reached 9.2% in June. Romania’s wages were therefore not keeping pace with inflation at the latest available dates.
Disclaimer
The salary, tax and net income figures in this article are provided for general informational purposes only. Actual take-home pay may vary depending on personal circumstances, tax allowances, social security status, family situation, place of residence, bonuses, special payments and other individual factors. Some net salary figures and effective deduction rates may be estimates based on publicly available data and simplified calculations. They should not be considered tax, legal, financial or employment advice. Before making financial, employment or relocation decisions, consult an official authority, qualified tax adviser, payroll specialist or other relevant professional.
Average salary in Romania
Matias Buće has a formal background in administrative law and more than ten years of experience studying global markets, forex trading, and personal finance. His legal training shapes his approach to investing — with a focus on regulation, structure, and risk management. At Finorum, he writes about a broad range of financial topics, from European ETFs to practical personal finance strategies for everyday investors.
Sources & References
EU regulations & taxation
- European Commission / Taxation & Customs — final June 2026 inflation release
- Structure of Earnings Survey results
Additional educational resources
- Insse.ro — National Institute of Statistics (INS) May earnings release
- Legislatie.just.ro — Emergency Ordinance No. 89/2025
- Emergency Ordinance No. 156/2024
- Fiscal Code
- Government Decision No. 146/2026
- Statistici.insse.ro — INS gross regional earnings table
- INS monthly net-earnings database by economic activity
- INS net regional earnings table
- real earnings index series