Negotiated wages up by 5 percent in 2025
| Periods | changes in negotiated wages (year-on-year % change) |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 2.6 |
| 1982 | 6.6 |
| 1983 | 1.1 |
| 1984 | 0.1 |
| 1985 | 2.7 |
| 1986 | 2.2 |
| 1987 | 1.1 |
| 1988 | 0.8 |
| 1989 | 1.7 |
| 1990 | 3.3 |
| 1991 | 3.7 |
| 1992 | 4.2 |
| 1993 | 3.2 |
| 1994 | 1.5 |
| 1995 | 1.1 |
| 1996 | 1.8 |
| 1997 | 3.0 |
| 1998 | 3.3 |
| 1999 | 3.3 |
| 2000 | 3.3 |
| 2001 | 4.4 |
| 2002 | 3.6 |
| 2003 | 2.8 |
| 2004 | 1.3 |
| 2005 | 0.7 |
| 2006 | 2.0 |
| 2007 | 2.1 |
| 2008 | 3.3 |
| 2009 | 2.8 |
| 2010 | 1.3 |
| 2011 | 1.1 |
| 2012 | 1.4 |
| 2013 | 1.2 |
| 2014 | 0.9 |
| 2015 | 1.4 |
| 2016 | 1.8 |
| 2017 | 1.4 |
| 2018 | 2.0 |
| 2019 | 2.5 |
| 2020 | 2.9 |
| 2021 | 2.1 |
| 2022 | 3.2 |
| 2023 | 6.1 |
| 2024 | 6.5 |
| 2025* | 5.0 |
| * provisional figures | |
Negotiated wages were 4.6 percent higher in Q4 2025, year on year. The rate at which wages have been rising has slowed since the third quarter of 2024 (6.8 percent), with the smallest increase in Q2 2025.
Lowest wage growth in the public sector
In 2025, the increase in negotiated wages in the public sector (3.9 percent) lagged slightly behind that in the private sector (5.3 percent) and the semi-public sector (subsidised institutions) (4.9 percent). Government wages also rose less rapidly than in other sectors in 2024.
| sector | 2025* (year-on-year % change) | 2024 (year-on-year % change) |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 5.0 | 6.5 |
| Private sector | 5.3 | 6.7 |
| Subsidised institutions | 4.8 | 6.7 |
| Public sector | 3.9 | 6.3 |
| * provisional figures | ||
Wages in the real estate sector grew by the least
At the sector level, wages rose by the least in real estate management (housing associations), where they were up by 3.2 percent in 2025, followed by the public administration sector. This was the opposite situation to 2024, when wages in the real estate sector rose by the most of any sector, at 12.4 percent.
The highest average wage increase was seen in the information and communication sector, at 7.4 percent.
| Bedrijfstakken | 2025* ( year-on-year % change) | 2024 ( year-on-year % change) |
|---|---|---|
| Information and communication | 7.4 | 6.3 |
| Other services | 5.9 | 8.6 |
| Construction | 5.7 | 6.6 |
| Manufacturing | 5.7 | 5.7 |
| Rental, leasing and other business services | 5.7 | 7.5 |
| Total | 5 | 6.5 |
| Specialised business services | 5 | 6 |
| Trade | 4.9 | 6.9 |
| Culture, sports and recreation | 4.7 | 5.4 |
| Health and well-being | 4.7 | 7.4 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4.7 | 10.6 |
| Water supply and waste management | 4.7 | 5 |
| Education | 4.5 | 6.5 |
| Financial services | 4.4 | 5.1 |
| Energy supply | 4.3 | 5.4 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 4.2 | 7.9 |
| Transportation and storage | 4.1 | 4.7 |
| Public admin. and government services | 3.6 | 6.5 |
| Real estate activities | 3.2 | 12.4 |
| * provisional figures | ||
Real wage growth of 1.6 percent
Real collective wage growth, whereby negotiated wages are adjusted for inflation, stood at around 1.6 percent in Q4 2025. An exact figure cannot yet be given because the inflation rate for Q4 2025 will not be released until January. This estimate is therefore based on the inflation trends seen in October and November.
For the year 2025 as a whole, real negotiated wage growth will also be 1.6 percent, based on price trends up to November. This increase is slightly lower than in 2024 (3.3 percent), but higher than in 2023, when real wage growth was negative at -1.6 percent.
Between 2020 and 2025, wages (25.1 percent) and consumer prices (25.0 percent) rose at virtually the same rate.
| Jaar | Kwartaal | Negotiated hourly wages incl. special remuneration ( year-on-year % change) | Real-term growth in negotiated wages ( year-on-year % change) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Q1 | 0.9 | -1.1 |
| 2011 | Q2 | 1 | -1.2 |
| 2011 | Q3 | 1.2 | -1.4 |
| 2011 | Q4 | 1.3 | -1.2 |
| 2012 | Q1 | 1.3 | -1.2 |
| 2012 | Q2 | 1.4 | -0.8 |
| 2012 | Q3 | 1.5 | -0.8 |
| 2012 | Q4 | 1.5 | -1.3 |
| 2013 | Q1 | 1.4 | -1.6 |
| 2013 | Q2 | 1.2 | -1.6 |
| 2013 | Q3 | 1 | -1.8 |
| 2013 | Q4 | 0.9 | -0.7 |
| 2014 | Q1 | 0.9 | -0.2 |
| 2014 | Q2 | 0.9 | -0.1 |
| 2014 | Q3 | 0.9 | 0 |
| 2014 | Q4 | 1 | 0.1 |
| 2015 | Q | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| 2015 | Q2 | 1.4 | 0.5 |
| 2015 | Q3 | 1.4 | 0.6 |
| 2015 | Q4 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | Q1 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| 2016 | Q2 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| 2016 | Q3 | 2 | 2 |
| 2016 | Q4 | 1.8 | 1.1 |
| 2017 | Q1 | 1.3 | -0.2 |
| 2017 | Q2 | 1.3 | 0 |
| 2017 | Q3 | 1.4 | 0 |
| 2017 | Q4 | 1.5 | 0.1 |
| 2018 | Q1 | 1.8 | 0.6 |
| 2018 | Q2 | 1.8 | 0.3 |
| 2018 | Q3 | 2.1 | 0.1 |
| 2018 | Q4 | 2.2 | 0.2 |
| 2019 | Q1 | 2.3 | -0.2 |
| 2019 | Q2 | 2.6 | -0.1 |
| 2019 | Q3 | 2.7 | 0 |
| 2019 | Q4 | 2.8 | 0.1 |
| 2020 | Q1 | 3 | 1.4 |
| 2020 | Q2 | 2.8 | 1.4 |
| 2020 | Q3 | 3 | 1.7 |
| 2020 | Q4 | 2.8 | 1.7 |
| 2021 | Q1 | 2.2 | 0.5 |
| 2021 | Q2 | 2.2 | 0.4 |
| 2021 | Q3 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| 2021 | Q4 | 1.9 | -1.2 |
| 2022 | Q1 | 2.7 | -0.9 |
| 2022 | Q2 | 3 | -2.6 |
| 2022 | Q3 | 3.5 | -3.5 |
| 2022 | Q4 | 3.7 | -6.1 |
| 2023 | Q1 | 5.6 | -5.1 |
| 2023 | Q2 | 5.8 | -3.3 |
| 2023 | Q3 | 6.3 | -1.4 |
| 2023 | Q4 | 6.8 | 3.5 |
| 2024 | Q1 | 6.6 | 4.1 |
| 2024 | Q2 | 6.4 | 3.8 |
| 2024 | Q3 | 6.8 | 3.1 |
| 2024 | Q4 | 6.5 | 2.5 |
| 2025* | Q1 | 5.4 | 1.7 |
| 2025* | Q2 | 5.3 | 1.7 |
| 2025* | Q3 | 4.6 | 1.6 |
| 2025* | Q4 | 4.6 | 1.6 |
| * provisional figures | |||
The provisional figures for 2025 are based on 98 percent of the data collected on collective labour agreements. Three-quarters of employed persons in the Netherlands are covered by a collective labour agreement.