What’s the average salary in the Netherlands? (2024)

Discover the average salaries in the Netherlands, the minimum wage, your salary after tax in the Netherlands, and the factors influencing your salary.

Ivandzhelin

4 minute read

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Updated on 30 Jul 2024

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Working

High salaries are one of the pros of living in the Netherlands. With an average salary of €44,000, The Netherlands is one of the European countries with the highest salaries. In fact, the country’s average is higher than the EU average of €33,500. To help you get a better understanding of the average pay in the Netherlands, we’ll break down:

• Average salary in the Netherlands
• Minimum salary in the Netherlands
• What’s a good salary in the Netherlands?
• Average salaries across industries
• Factors influencing your salary in the Netherlands in 2024

In 2024, the gross average salary in the Netherlands is €44,000 annually (or €3,666 monthly), including holiday pay. The average salary is useful for expats planning on working in the Netherlands as it provides a good idea of where your Dutch salary will fit.

The average income in the Netherlands is based on projections by the Centraal Planbureau (CPB), considering the 6% minimum wage increase in 2024 through collective labor agreements between the private sector and the government. The Dutch government uses these projections to plan its annual budget for welfare programs and tax cuts.

What’s the salary after tax in the Netherlands?

After taxes, the average salary in the Netherlands is €35,093 annually. As a Dutch tax resident, you can be taxed at a 36.97% or 49.50% tax rate, depending on whether you make more than €75,518 annually.

While Dutch taxes are high, you also get a lot of tax credits or labor discounts, which lessen the burden of the taxes. Check out our guide to Dutch taxes to learn more.

You can use the KVK income tax calculator to calculate your own income.

As of July 2024, the minimum wage in the Netherlands €2,371.20 monthly (or around €30,730 annually) if you work 40 hours per week.

As the minimum hourly wage in the Netherlands is €13.68 per hour for employees 21 years or older, how much you earn per month depends on the hours you work.

If you’re working part-time, your monthly salary can be calculated by multiplying the hours you’ve worked by the hourly minimum wage. Let’s say you’re 23 years old and worked 90 hours in May. You multiply 280 hours x €13.27, the minimum wage for your age. You’ll earn €1,194.30 in the month of May.

A good salary in the Netherlands falls between €2,500 and €3,333 gross monthly (or €30,000 and €40,000 annually). After taxes, this is between €2,159 and €2,613 monthly. Considering that the cost of living in the Netherlands is €2,044, this is a good income as it will allow you to cover your expenses and build some savings.

Before you sign your Dutch employment contract, knowing what people in your sector or similar field earn is good. This way, you can ensure you agree to a competitive and fair salary. Below are the salary ranges of some popular professions in the Netherlands.

Several factors affect your pay in the Netherlands. These include things like the city or field you work in, your age and experience, or your gender. Let’s dive deeper into them and see how these might affect your average salary in the Netherlands.

1. Location

One of the biggest factors affecting your average salary in the Netherlands is the city you work in. While the average salary in Amsterdam is €54,000 annually, you’ll earn €43,000 in Groningen. Below, you can compare the average salaries in the bigger Dutch cities.

2. Age and level of education

Your age plays a significant role in how much you earn. In the Netherlands, people between 15 and 25 have an average income of €37,500 annually, while those between 25 and 45 earn €37,900 annually. The highest average income is earned by the age group 45 to 65, whose average salary is €42,700 annually. With €32,700 annually, people aged 65 or older have the lowest income as the state pension age in the Netherlands is 67.

The level of education also influences earnings. In the Netherlands, there are 2 types of universities: academic universities and universities of applied sciences. People with a degree from an academic university (WO) earn between €30,456 and €41,472 per year. Those who graduated from a university of applied sciences (HBO) earn between €28,512 and €34,344 on average.

3. Gender

While the Netherlands is a very progressive country, there continues to be a gender pay gap. This means that women earn, on average, €1.60 less than men for the same hours worked. According to the latest statistics, women earn on average €29.70 per hour, whereas men make €31.30. The gender pay gap between men and women is more prevalent in the private sector, where women make 16.4% less than men. In the public sector, men earn 5.1% more than women.

4. Field

Some sectors in the Netherlands have higher salaries than others. This is because of many reasons, including the complexity of the profession, the professional training required, or the demand for employees in the field. Below, you can see a list of some of the best-paid jobs in the Netherlands:

• Accountant: €94,560
• Dermatologist: €99,960
• Lawyer: €78,600
• Pilot: €155,280
• Neurosurgeon: €99,960
• Clinical chemistry researcher: €210,000

So, now that you know how much the average salary in the Netherlands is, you’re ready to accept that job offer and set off on your new adventure. Don’t forget to check out our relocation checklist to know what items you shouldn’t forget for your move!