Cao wages, contractual wage costs and working hours; index (2020=100)

Cao wages, contractual wage costs and working hours; index (2020=100)

Cao sector Sector/Branches SIC 2008 Version Periods Index figures Monthly contractual wage costs (2020=100) Index figures Hourly contractual wage costs (2020=100) Index figures Contractual working hours (2020=100) Year-on-year change Monthly contractual wage costs (%) Year-on-year change Hourly contractual wage costs (%) Year-on-year change Contractual working hours (%)
Total collective labour agreement sector A-U All economic activities Current figures 2025 year* 125.2 125.2 100.0 5.2 5.0 0.1
Total collective labour agreement sector A-U All economic activities First-published figures 2025 year* 125.2 125.2 100.0 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector B-F Manufacturing and energy Current figures 2025 year* 124.2 124.2 100.0 5.7 5.7 0.0
Total collective labour agreement sector B-F Manufacturing and energy First-published figures 2025 year* 124.2 124.2 100.0 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector C Manufacturing Current figures 2025 year* 125.1 125.0 100.0 5.7 5.7 0.0
Total collective labour agreement sector C Manufacturing First-published figures 2025 year* 125.1 125.0 100.0 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector 10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Total collective labour agreement sector 10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector 17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Total collective labour agreement sector 17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector 26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Total collective labour agreement sector 26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector 64 Financial institutions, no insurance Current figures 2025 year* . . 99.1 . . -0.1
Total collective labour agreement sector 64 Financial institutions, no insurance First-published figures 2025 year* . . 99.1 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector 65 Insurance and pension funding Current figures 2025 year* . . 98.8 . . -0.1
Total collective labour agreement sector 65 Insurance and pension funding First-published figures 2025 year* . . 98.8 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector 812 Cleaning activities Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Total collective labour agreement sector 812 Cleaning activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector Q Health and social work activities Current figures 2025 year* 126.8 127.0 99.8 4.9 5.0 -0.1
Total collective labour agreement sector Q Health and social work activities First-published figures 2025 year* 126.8 127.0 99.8 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector 86 Human health activities Current figures 2025 year* . . 99.8 . . -0.1
Total collective labour agreement sector 86 Human health activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . 99.8 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector S Other service activities Current figures 2025 year* 130.5 131.1 99.8 6.2 6.3 0.0
Total collective labour agreement sector S Other service activities First-published figures 2025 year* 130.5 131.1 99.8 . . .
Total collective labour agreement sector T Activities of households Current figures 2025 year*
Total collective labour agreement sector T Activities of households First-published figures 2025 year*
Sector private companies A-U All economic activities Current figures 2025 year* 125.2 125.0 100.1 5.7 5.4 0.2
Sector private companies A-U All economic activities First-published figures 2025 year* 125.2 125.0 100.1 . . .
Sector private companies B-F Manufacturing and energy Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Sector private companies B-F Manufacturing and energy First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Sector private companies C Manufacturing Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Sector private companies C Manufacturing First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Sector private companies 10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Sector private companies 10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Sector private companies 17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Sector private companies 17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Sector private companies 26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Sector private companies 26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Sector private companies 64 Financial institutions, no insurance Current figures 2025 year* . . 99.1 . . -0.1
Sector private companies 64 Financial institutions, no insurance First-published figures 2025 year* . . 99.1 . . .
Sector private companies 65 Insurance and pension funding Current figures 2025 year* . . 98.8 . . -0.1
Sector private companies 65 Insurance and pension funding First-published figures 2025 year* . . 98.8 . . .
Sector private companies 812 Cleaning activities Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Sector private companies 812 Cleaning activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Sector private companies Q Health and social work activities Current figures 2025 year* . . 98.9 . . -0.5
Sector private companies Q Health and social work activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . 98.9 . . .
Sector private companies 86 Human health activities Current figures 2025 year* . . 98.9 . . -0.5
Sector private companies 86 Human health activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . 98.9 . . .
Sector private companies S Other service activities Current figures 2025 year* . . 99.8 . . 0.0
Sector private companies S Other service activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . 99.8 . . .
Sector private companies T Activities of households Current figures 2025 year*
Sector private companies T Activities of households First-published figures 2025 year*
Sector subsidised corporations A-U All economic activities Current figures 2025 year* 125.8 125.9 99.9 5.0 5.0 0.0
Sector subsidised corporations A-U All economic activities First-published figures 2025 year* 125.8 125.9 99.9 . . .
Sector subsidised corporations B-F Manufacturing and energy Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Sector subsidised corporations B-F Manufacturing and energy First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Sector subsidised corporations C Manufacturing Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Sector subsidised corporations C Manufacturing First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 64 Financial institutions, no insurance Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 64 Financial institutions, no insurance First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 65 Insurance and pension funding Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 65 Insurance and pension funding First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 812 Cleaning activities Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 812 Cleaning activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations Q Health and social work activities Current figures 2025 year* . . 99.9 . . 0.0
Sector subsidised corporations Q Health and social work activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . 99.9 . . .
Sector subsidised corporations 86 Human health activities Current figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . 0.0
Sector subsidised corporations 86 Human health activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . 100.0 . . .
Sector subsidised corporations S Other service activities Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations S Other service activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector subsidised corporations T Activities of households Current figures 2025 year*
Sector subsidised corporations T Activities of households First-published figures 2025 year*
Sector government A-U All economic activities Current figures 2025 year* 124.6 125.2 99.6 3.9 3.9 0.1
Sector government A-U All economic activities First-published figures 2025 year* 124.6 125.2 99.6 . . .
Sector government B-F Manufacturing and energy Current figures 2025 year* . . 99.1 . . -0.5
Sector government B-F Manufacturing and energy First-published figures 2025 year* . . 99.1 . . .
Sector government C Manufacturing Current figures 2025 year* . . 99.1 . . -0.5
Sector government C Manufacturing First-published figures 2025 year* . . 99.1 . . .
Sector government 10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 17-18 Manufacture of paper and printing First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 26-28 Manufact of electronics, machinery First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 64 Financial institutions, no insurance Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 64 Financial institutions, no insurance First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 65 Insurance and pension funding Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 65 Insurance and pension funding First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 812 Cleaning activities Current figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government 812 Cleaning activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . . . . .
Sector government Q Health and social work activities Current figures 2025 year* . . 99.5 . . -0.2
Sector government Q Health and social work activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . 99.5 . . .
Sector government 86 Human health activities Current figures 2025 year* . . 99.5 . . -0.2
Sector government 86 Human health activities First-published figures 2025 year* . . 99.5 . . .
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains index figures of the quantification of the development of the contractual wages (also known as cao wages or negotiated wages), contractual wage costs and contractual working hours of employees in the Netherlands. The table contains index figures on a number of elements contained in the collective labour agreements (in Dutch: cao), namely wages per month and per hour including and excluding special payments, contractual wage costs (per month and per hour) and contractual working hours. In addition, it presents developments calculated on the basis of these indices and the percentage of collective labour agreements completed.

Data available from: 1972, for the annual figures (up to and including 2019 to a limited extent) and from 2020, for the monthly figures and quarterly figures.

Status of the figures:
All the figures from 1972 to 2024 are final. The figures for 2025 are provisional.

Changes as of 31 December 2025:
The provisional figures for December 2025, the 4th quarter 2025 and the year 2025 have been added and the provisional figures from January to November 2025 have been revised.

When will new figures be published?
The monthly figures are published within one week after the end of the calendar month concerned. This initial figure is called the first-published figure. The index is subsequently reviewed every month based on the additional completed collective labour agreements in that month.

Current figures marked with * are provisional. Up to the second quarter they can be reviewed monthly based on new completed collective labour agreements. In the second quarter the figures of the previous calendar year become definitive (current figures without *).

Description topics

Index figures
Index
An index is the ratio between two values, based on a base year which equals to100.
The use of indices makes it simpler and easier to monitor and compare the development of certain quantities (wages, prices) over time.
Monthly contractual wage costs
Monthly contractual wage costs
The index of monthly contractual wage costs indicates the development of labour costs for employers. This includes the cao wage including special payments plus statutory and contractual employer contributions to pension, early retirement, unemployment, sickness, disability and social funds. Both changes in the collective wages and changes in employers' contributions are reflected in the contractual wage costs figures.
Hourly contractual wage costs
Hourly contractual wage costs
The index of hourly contractual wage costs indicates the development of labour costs for employers in which the development of contractual working hours has been taken into account. This includes the cao wage including special payments plus statutory and contractual employer contributions to pension, early retirement, unemployment, sickness, disability and social funds. Both changes in the collective wages and changes in employers' contributions as well as changes in annual working hours are reflected in the contractual hourly wage costs figures.
Contractual working hours
The contractual working hours are the agreed annual working hours of full-time employees.
Year-on-year change
Year-on-year change
These percentage changes are always related to the current figures and are compared to same period in the previous year.
Monthly contractual wage costs
Monthly contractual wage costs
The index of monthly contractual wage costs indicates the development of labour costs for employers. This includes the cao wage including special payments plus statutory and contractual employer contributions to pension, early retirement, unemployment, sickness, disability and social funds. Both changes in the collective wages and changes in employers' contributions are reflected in the contractual wage costs figures.
Hourly contractual wage costs
Hourly contractual wage costs
The index of hourly contractual wage costs indicates the development of labour costs for employers in which the development of contractual working hours has been taken into account. This includes the cao wage including special payments plus statutory and contractual employer contributions to pension, early retirement, unemployment, sickness, disability and social funds. Both changes in the collective wages and changes in employers' contributions as well as changes in annual working hours are reflected in the contractual hourly wage costs figures.
Contractual working hours
The contractual working hours are the agreed annual working hours of full-time employees.