Salaries, Information Technology and Armed Forces with the biggest increase

Wages have increased at an accelerated pace in the last two years, reflecting both the labor shortage in many sectors and their revision in the Public Administration.

The average salary in the economy reached 70.5 thousand ALL per month in 2023, with an increase of 14% compared to the previous year.

Indexed for inflation, real average wages in the economy rose 8.8%, the biggest improvement since 2015, when the data were reported.

Among the professions that pay the most, IT comes in second place for the first time

"Administrative and commercial managers" is the profession group that has the highest salary in the country, with 194 thousand ALL per month. Compared to the previous year, their salary has increased by 15 thousand ALL, or 8.6%.

For the first time, the second highest paid profession in the country is "Information and Communication Technology Specialists", with an average salary of 144,000 ALL per month. IT professionals received an average of 16 thousand ALL, or 12.6% more in 2023.

The orientation of businesses towards technology, accompanied by the lack of specialists in this sector because it is one of the professions that is emigrating the most.

"Managers of production and specialized services" became the third highest paid profession, with an average salary of almost 144 thousand lek per month, with an increase of 9.2% (+12 thousand lek).

The achievement of NATO standards and the lack of qualified personnel is rapidly increasing the salaries of "Officers of the Armed Forces". This group saw the highest salary increase in 2023, both in value (+17.5 thousand ALL) and in percentage (+19%). On average, an Armed Forces officer was paid 110,000 Lek per month in 2023.

The salary reform in the state started last year and is continuing this year. "Legislators, senior civil servants and executive directors" saw in 2023 a salary increase of 12.5% ??(+12 thousand ALL), reaching 104 thousand ALL. This was also the fifth highest paid profession group in the country. (for the full ranking see the chart at the bottom).

"Health specialists" were paid an average of 89,000 ALL, with an increase of 14.5%, or 11,000 ALL more.

For "Teaching Specialists", whose salary increase was at the center of the government's plan, the average salary in 2023 reached 79,000 ALL, with an increase of 7,000 ALL, or almost 10%.

For "office workers", the increase was higher than that of teachers, with 11 thousand ALL more (+19.4%), reaching 67 thousand ALL.

The salaries of those working in agriculture, construction, auxiliary services have also increased at double-digit rates, as a result of the lack of labor in the respective sectors.

Compared to 2014, the highest increase in wages in percentage was recorded for professions that do not require many skills, such as "Workers for sales and various services on the street" (+64%); Producers of agricultural, livestock and fishing products for family needs (+54%).

In terms of value, the highest increase compared to 2014 is for "Administrative and commercial managers" (+70 thousand ALL) and "Specialists of information and communication technology" (+64 thousand ALL).