06.03.2025

Wage Differences between Women and Men in Austria from 2011 to 2023

WIFO Research Brief in the Run-up to International Women's Day

In 2011, the average gross hourly wage for women was 19.6 percent lower than the average gross hourly wage for men; by 2023, this difference had narrowed to 13.9 percent. The adjusted pay gap also decreased – from 7.8 percent in 2011 to 6.3 percent in 2023.

The wage differences are largely due to differences in wage-relevant characteristics such as professional experience, career and industry choice as well as vertical segregation in the labour market. The narrowing of the pay gap can largely be explained by the equalisation of these characteristics. At the same time, the proportion of unobservable factors that contribute to wage differences – such as systematic differences in wage negotiations or the systematic underpayment of women – has also decreased, albeit to a lesser extent.

In a recent WIFO Research Brief, René Böheim, Marian Fink and Christine Zulehner analyse the gender pay gap in Austria in the period from 2011 to 2023 based on data from the microcensus.