Newsroom
Despite gradual improvements, women in Cyprus continue to earn less than men on average, according to the latest data from the Statistical Service for 2024. The disparity is particularly noticeable in higher-paying sectors, although some lower- and mid-level brackets show smaller or even reversed gaps.
Overall, 12.6% of women earned less than €1,000 per month, slightly above the 12.4% of men in the same bracket, signaling that the lowest-paid women and men are relatively similar. In the €1,000–€1,999 range, women actually outnumber men, accounting for 47.6% compared to 41.7%. However, the gap widens at higher salary levels: among employees earning €2,000–€3,999, men represent 30% while women account for 27.6%, and in the top tiers of €4,000 and above, men dominate with 15.7% versus 12.2% for women.
Examining sector-specific earnings highlights stark inequalities:
- In traditionally male-dominated fields like Mining and Quarrying, men earn €3,462 on average, compared to €2,673 for women.
- Financial and Insurance activities show one of the largest gaps: €5,619 for men versus €3,887 for women.
- In Education and Human Health and Social Work, women lag far behind men, earning €1,945 and €1,884 respectively, while male salaries are €3,201 and €2,819.
Some sectors show more balanced pay. For instance, Construction reports identical averages for men and women (€1,805), and in Agriculture, Hunting, and Forestry, women slightly outperform men (€1,028 vs. €920).
Overall, while women are increasingly represented in mid-range salary brackets, high-paying positions remain dominated by men. The disparities are most pronounced in finance, information and communication, and technical sectors, underscoring the persistent structural challenges in achieving pay equity.
