Where in Ukraine Have Wages Increased the Most?
The Ukrainian labor market continues to evolve amid an acute labor shortage. Some employers are raising wages, but more than half of employees have not seen a real increase in their incomes. The highest wages are currently paid for certain blue-collar jobs, and in some regions, annual wages have risen by more than a quarter.
Companies in Ukraine are increasingly adjusting salaries to retain employees and attract new talent. However, employers and employees themselves differ in their assessments of how significant these changes have been. This is evidenced by the results of a joint study by the OLX Robota platform and the European Business Association, according to Delo.ua.
According to the survey, over the past year, 25% of employers raised their employees’ pay by 10% or less. Another 30% of companies increased salaries by 11–20%. In 17% of businesses, salaries rose by more than 21%. At the same time, 23% of companies did not change their pay levels, and 5% of employers were even forced to cut salaries.
Employees see the situation somewhat differently. Only 22% of respondents reported experiencing a salary increase of up to 10%. Another 12% saw their income rise by 11–20%, and only 4% reported an increase of more than 21%. At the same time, more than half of employees did not experience any real salary increase. Another 10% of respondents said their incomes had, in fact, decreased.
In Which Regions Did Salaries Grow the Most
Income levels in Ukraine vary significantly by region. The rate at which salaries are rising also varies. The largest annual increase in the median salary was recorded in the Kirovohrad region. There, the figure rose by 29% to 22,500 UAH.
Lviv Oblast came in second. There, the median salary rose by 26% to 33,500 UAH. In Kherson Oblast, incomes increased by 23% to 18,500 UAH. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, salaries rose by 22% to 24,400 UAH. The same growth rate was recorded in the Vinnytsia region, where the median salary stood at 26,500 UAH.
Salaries grew the slowest over the year in the Chernivtsi region—by 7%. In the Mykolaiv region, the increase was 10%; in the Donetsk and Khmelnytskyi regions, 11% each; and in the Poltava region, 13%. Thus, the situation on the labor market depends heavily not only on the profession but also on the region where a person is looking for work.
Blue-collar professions are taking the lead
One of the main trends remains the growth of wages in blue-collar professions. The reason is simple—it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to find people willing to work in these fields. Due to the labor shortage, employers are forced to raise their offers to attract the necessary specialists. As a result, some blue-collar professions already outpace many office-based professions in terms of pay.
In June 2026, plasterers earned the highest median salary among these professions—73,500 UAH. Over the course of the year, their earnings rose by 22.5%. Tile setters were offered an average of 70,000 UAH. Over the course of the year, their median salary jumped by 47%. Facade workers earned the same salary—about 70,000 UAH. Their earnings increased by 17% over the year.
For long-haul truck drivers and bricklayers, the median salary was 65,000 UAH each. For long-haul truck drivers, the figure rose by 16%, and for bricklayers, by 18%. Steel fabricators earned an average of 60,000 UAH, while construction workers earned 50,000 UAH. Their salaries increased by 20% and 16%, respectively, over the year.
Who Is Earning More Than a Year Ago
The biggest jump in wages was recorded among tile setters. Over the course of the year, their median salary rose by 47%—to 70,000 UAH. Laborers ranked second in terms of growth rates. Their earnings increased by 44% and reached 32,500 UAH.
Salaries also rose significantly in a number of other professions. For secretaries, they rose by 38%—to 21,000 UAH. For HR specialists, the increase was 37%, and the median salary reached 34,300 UAH. Agronomists earned 35% more over the year—an average of 35,000 UAH. Copywriters’ salaries rose by 29% to 24,500 UAH. The incomes of merchandisers also increased by 29%. Their median salary in June was 26,800 UAH.
Who, on the other hand, saw their salaries decrease
The rise in earnings did not affect all professions by any means. In some categories of workers, median annual salaries actually declined. The most notable drop was recorded among order pickers—by 8%. Security guards’ salaries decreased by 5%, and housekeepers’ by 4%.
The incomes of sales department managers fell by 3%. A slight decrease was also recorded among cosmetologists—by 2.5%. The median salary for pharmacists decreased by 2%, and for system administrators—by 1%.
Why Salaries Are Growing Unevenly
The situation on the Ukrainian labor market remains challenging. Employers are facing a labor shortage, so they have to raise salaries in the most in-demand professions. This is particularly noticeable in construction, transportation, and other sectors where there is a shortage of workers. That is why blue-collar jobs can now pay tens of thousands of hryvnias per month.
But higher advertised salaries alone do not necessarily mean that all workers’ actual incomes have increased. Survey results show a noticeable discrepancy between what companies report and what people are experiencing. More than half of employees said they had not noticed an increase in their incomes. This indicates that wage growth in Ukraine remains uneven and depends largely on profession, region, and the demand for specific specialists.
Currently, the highest salaries are not limited to traditionally high-paying sectors. Due to an acute labor shortage, professions essential for construction, manufacturing, and transportation are becoming increasingly in demand.
