Paylab latest CEE Salary Press Release - How Much do TOP Managers Earn in the Central Europe, Balkan and Baltics? What are the Average Salaries in the Capital Cities in the Central Europe, Balkan and Baltics? Are There Big Salary Differences Among Countries in CEE region?

1. Top managers’ salaries in CEE countries show
major variations
October 18th
, 2016 - Over the last couple of decades CEE country capital cities have
become appealing destinations for foreign investments. International and local companies
in the capitals usually offer higher-than-average salaries. The salaries of top managers
across CEE also show major differences. In September 2016, the Paylab international salary
survey analysed the salaries of senior management in nine CEE countries over the last 12
months, it found that the top managers in Prague and Bratislava have the highest pay
cheque. In contrast, managers in the Baltic countries have the lowest income.
Employees in capitals consistently have higher salaries. Among the countries surveyed, employees
have the highest earnings in Bratislava, where the average gross salary is €1,400. Slovakia also has
the highest difference (as much as 20%) between average national earnings and average earnings in
the capital of the surveyed countries. Significant differences have also been found in the Czech
Republic, Croatia, Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where staff in the respective capitals earn
15 to 18% more than the country average. The smallest differences are in the Baltic capitals Tallinn,
Riga, and Vilnius, where people in the capital cities earn only around 7% more than the average in
each country. In Belgrade, Serbia, salaries are about one tenth higher than outside the capital.
Belgrade also ranked last among the surveyed capitals, with an average gross salary of €736.

2. The survey monitors the average salaries of top management of all types of companies in the
capitals, differentiated by company size and industry, and the salaries also include any bonuses.
Among the countries surveyed, bosses in Prague have the highest income, with an average gross
salary of €3,980, which is almost three times the average income in Prague. The Czech Republic
shows the biggest difference between the average salary of top managers and the average salary in
the capital of the surveyed countries. The capital with the second highest income of company
managers is Bratislava, with an average of €3,702, which is 2.6 times more than the average salary in
the city. The third capital is Zagreb, with an average of €3.131. Zagreb has achieved the best position
among the surveyed Balkan countries. Fourth place is Budapest with €3,036. Top managers have the
lowest pay cheque in Vilnius, Lithuania, with only around €1,567. Their colleagues in Riga, Latvia,
achieved a slightly better result with an average of €1,610. Of the three Baltic States, Tallinn, Estonia,
has the highest income in general, with the top managers earning an average of €2,010. It is
interesting that of the countries surveyed, the Baltic countries show the smallest vertical difference
between average salary in the capital and the income of top management: the average salary of
managers is only 1.7 times higher than the average salary in the capital. By way of comparison, top
managers in the Balkan capitals Zagreb, Sarajevo, and Belgrade earn about 2.5 times more than the
average in the capital. The highest difference is in Prague, where the average salary of top managers
is three times higher than the average salary in the city.
About the survey
The Paylab salary survey included nine capital cities: Belgrade (Serbia), Bratislava (Slovakia),
Budapest (Hungary), Prague (Czech Republic), Riga (Latvia), Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina),
Tallinn (Estonia), Vilnius (Lithuania), and Zagreb (Croatia). The analysis of top managers’ income
examined the following positions: Country Manager / Director, Economic / Financial Manager,
General Manager, Marketing Manager, Sales Manager, HR Manager, Operations Manager, Director
of the Security Service, Head of IT, Head of Quality and ISO, Logistics Director, Branch Director,
School Principal, Director of Publishing, Director of Medical Facility, Technical Director, Executive
Director, and Production Director
About Paylab
Paylab is an international salary survey platform that collects information on the incomes and
bonuses of employees in various positions. Paylab uses a unique methodology for collecting data with
a three-phase control and over eight years’ experience. Visitors to the Paylab website or partner sites
in their country can easily and anonymously complete an online questionnaire on their salary, and
compare their income with the national average for that position. The system always uses current
data for the last 12 months. The independent salary analyses are then used by companies for the
appropriate internal setting of salary levels for individual work positions.

3. Paylab’s Background
Paylab salary survey was established in Slovakia in 2007. Profesia (the largest job board in Slovakia)
created the methodology for collecting, aggregating and processing the data for Paylab. The salary
survey in Slovakia was subsequently complemented by the Balkan States (Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia), Central Europe (Hungary, Czech Republic), and the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania). Finland, Kenya are the most recent countries to have joined the Paylab salary survey.
Profesia – which launched the salary surveys – has been on the Slovak market since 1997, growing
into the biggest and most popular job portal. It also operates in the Czech Republic (Profesia.cz) and
Hungary (Workania.hu). Since November 2012, Profesia has been part of Alma Media – the Finnish
media group. Alma Media publishes several prominent Finnish newspapers, and also focuses on
digital services. As well as journalism, the company’s product range includes useful information for
lifestyles, careers and business. In addition to Profesia, Alma Media has shares in job portals in the
Visegrad countries, Baltics, and Balkan States.
Contact:
Daniela Beráková
Media and PR Specialist for Paylab
Profesia, Ldt.
Pribinova 25, 811 09 Bratislava
The Slovak Republic
Tel: +421 2 32 20 91 89
Mobile +421 907 469 314
e-mail: media@paylab.com
www.paylab.com