What are the average salaries, and how does yours compare?

Quick Overview

The average wage provides an indication of earnings across the entire economy, but it does not, on its own, tell you how much a person in your profession typically earns. Salaries for teachers, healthcare workers, and police officers are governed by different rules than wages in private companies. For employees, it’s also important to distinguish between monthly wages, salary, and average earnings, which are used, for example, when calculating vacation pay, wage compensation, or severance pay.

Do you need to verify whether your employer has correctly calculated your wages, wage compensation, severance pay, or termination pay? An available attorney will review your employment documents online and recommend the next steps.

Wage vs. Salary

From a legal standpoint, the main difference is that a salary is paid to government employees or public sector employees. This salary is determined based on pay scales, which are divided into individual pay grades and pay levels. On the other hand, wages are paid to employees in the private sector. In everyday language, however, these two terms are commonly used interchangeably, and we will treat them the same way in this article.

For the purposes of calculating wage compensation, sick pay, or vacation pay, the so-called average hourly earnings are often used. This is calculated based on the actual hours worked and the wages earned during the relevant period (usually the previous calendar quarter). This figure differs from the monthly salary and provides a more accurate picture of the actual cost of an employee’s labor.

In practice, it is precisely the average hourly earnings that are often the source of errors. If your employer miscalculates your wage compensation, vacation pay, severance pay, or termination bonus, the difference could amount to thousands of crowns. Not sure about the calculation? Have your employment documents reviewed by a lawyer —online, quickly, and without unnecessary back-and-forth with your employer.

In practice, we often see that employees don’t address the issue of their wages until they receive a notice of termination, a termination agreement, or their final pay stub. That’s when it becomes clear that the problem isn’t just the amount agreed upon in the contract, but also an incorrectly calculated average earnings figure, unpaid bonuses, or improperly accounted-for incentives.

Average Wages by Occupation

Before we look at individual fields, it’s helpful to know the baseline figure. According to the Czech Statistical Office, the average salary in the Czech Republic in the first quarter of 2025 was 45,661 CZK. However, this figure does not account for differences between regions or individual professions.

The main differences in average wages can be found among different types of professions. We’re basing our analysis on a survey by the Platy.cz portal, which uses current data no older than 12 months. We will focus on the most sought-after professions and analyze them in greater detail.

Average Teacher Salary

With the exception of private schools, teachers are government employees. Their salaries are therefore determined based on pay scales. Salaries vary significantly among individual teachers. A teacher with thirty years of experience and additional responsibilities will earn a much higher salary. On the other hand, a new teacher won’t earn much. The specific range varies from 29,000 crowns gross per month to 57,000 gross. Kindergarten teachers and teaching assistants earn the least. School principals, their deputies, and some university professors are the highest earners. For these groups, salaries exceeding 60,000 korunas gross are not uncommon.

In private schools, salaries vary even more widely. In some places, teachers receive only a guaranteed minimum wage, while in others they can earn up to twice what they would receive at a public school.

Average Salaries for Nurses and Doctors

There are significant differences in nurses’ salaries, as not all jobs are the same. For example, the work of a nurse in a private dental office will be evaluated differently than that of a nurse in the pulmonary department of a public hospital. The salary for general nurses ranges from 30,000 to 61,000 crowns. Head nurses can earn up to 79,000 crowns.

Specialized healthcare professions generally have higher salaries, such as midwives (29,000–64,000 korunas), dental hygienists (28,000–80,000 crowns), or optometrists (35,000–60,000 crowns).

Even doctors’ salaries vary across a relatively wide range. Entry-level doctors, in particular, don’t earn much and, on top of that, are often burdened with a lot of overtime. This year, their starting salary is 42,780 korunas. On the other hand, medical specialists earn significantly more. On average, the salaries of all doctors exceed 80,000 korunas.

The most common mistake when evaluating professions with round-the-clock operations is underestimating the value of various allowances. For healthcare professionals, social service workers, or employees working shifts, it is therefore not enough to compare only the base salary. It’s also important to check for allowances for night shifts, weekend work, holidays, overtime, or working in difficult conditions.

Average Police Officer Salary

Average salaries for police officers vary primarily depending on whether they work for the state or municipal police. Allowances for two-shift, three-shift, or round-the-clock operations also play a role. The average gross monthly salary for state police officers is around 56,000. The average gross monthly salary for a municipal police officer is around 46,000 crowns.

Real-Life Example: Average Earnings Determined the Severance Pay Amount

An employee contacted Dostupný advokát after receiving severance pay calculated solely on the basis of his base salary following the termination of his employment. The employer did not include regular bonuses and certain allowances that the employee had actually received during the relevant period in the calculation. After reviewing the documents, it turned out that the average earnings should have been higher, and therefore the severance pay should have been higher as well. Similar situations must always be assessed based on the specific employment contract, pay stubs, and method of compensation.

The Most Promising Careers and Average Salaries

If you’re just starting to think about your future career or planning to retrain for a new field, you might find it helpful to learn about the prospects for various professions. The job market is constantly changing, and we mustn’t forget the development of artificial intelligence, which may very well replace some professions over time. So let’s take a look at the professions that are likely to be around for a long time to come:

Healthcare Professions

Healthcare professionals aren’t easily replaced . Moreover, with an aging population, the demand for these professions will only increase. This is also linked to a growing demand for workers who provide care for the sick or elderly. The salaries of these caregivers range from 25,000 to 42,000 gross.

There is also a growing demand for mental health professionals, as mental illnesses are on the rise. Consequently, more and more people are likely to seek help from psychiatrists, psychologists, and various therapists. The average salary for a clinical psychologist ranges from 33,000 to 76,000 crowns.

IT Fields

Information technology is a perennial favorite among the most promising professions. There are still plenty of job openings, yet there is a shortage of qualified professionals. However, some specific IT professions stand out. The first is an artificial intelligence specialist, a field that is currently experiencing tremendous growth. As more and more activities shift to the online environment, cybersecurity is also gaining in importance.

Not only is a job in IT virtually guaranteed, but the average salaries are also quite attractive. IT professions consistently rank among the highest-paying, and in addition to excellent salaries, IT companies typically offer extensive employee benefits. An IT security specialist earns an average of 49,000 to 125,000 crowns gross. A software engineer earns 56,000–148,000 gross, and an IT architect earns 66,000–157,000 gross.

Energy Sector

The energy industry is going through a truly turbulent period. Not only are we forced to switch to renewable energy sources due to environmental degradation, but the current global situation isn’t helping matters either. As a result, the demand for experts in renewable energy sources will grow.

There will be a need not only for renewable energy system developers but also for technical staff responsible for their maintenance and proper operation. Moreover, these are relatively well-paid positions; for example, the average salary for a service engineer ranges from 41,000 to 79,000 crowns. Energy facility operators, on average, earn between 27,000 and 69,000 in gross pay.

Skilled Trades

The final group of promising professions consists of trades. After all, there’s nothing like skilled Czech craftsmanship, and this is becoming increasingly evident, especially in certain fields. There is a severe shortage of certain tradespeople. It’s no wonder, then, that a good tradesperson is worth their weight in gold these days.

There is a particular shortage of tradespeople in the construction sector. However, there is also a shortage of cooks, welders, painters, carpenters, and plumbers. These are professions that people often pursue as self-employed tradespeople. That’s why it’s difficult to pinpoint their exact average wages. However, when employed full-time, their salaries are roughly as follows: a roofer earns an average of 25,000–69,000 crowns, a painter 24,000–71,000 crowns, a construction worker 26,000–81,000 korunas, a welder 31,000–73,000 korunas, a mason 23,000–59,000 korunas, electricians 27,000–59,000 korunas, carpenters 25,000–50,000 korunas, and cooks 21,000–48,000 korunas.

Summary

Average wages and average salaries serve mainly as a rough comparison, because actual earnings always depend on the profession, region, length of experience, shift work, bonuses, specialization, and type of employer. In the public sector, salaries are governed by pay scales, while in the private sector, wages are negotiated. Teachers, healthcare workers, police officers, IT specialists, and skilled tradespeople can therefore fall within very different income ranges. However, for employment-related entitlements, the average earnings as defined by the Labor Code are often more important, as they affect, for example, wage compensation, vacation pay, or severance pay. If you have concerns about your pay stub, bonuses, severance pay calculations, or documents related to the termination of your employment, it’s worth having them reviewed before you sign anything.