Spain’s Gender Wage Gap Remains Significant as Women Earn 15% Less Than Men
Women in Spain earn 15.74% less than men on average, with part-time and precarious work disproportionately affecting their earnings, highlighting persistent gender wage inequality.
- • Women in Spain earn an average of 25,591.31 euros annually, 15.74% less than men’s 30,372.49 euros.
- • 72.27% of part-time workers are women, and 25.78% of women earn minimum wage or less.
- • Only 20.13% of women have full-time contracts compared to 93.30% of men, contributing to wage disparity.
- • USO union calls for pay transparency, salary audits, equality plans, and policy reforms to address wage gap.
Key details
In Spain, the gender wage gap persists as a pressing issue, with women earning on average 15.74% less than men, according to recent data reflecting the 2025 salary landscape. On Equal Pay Day, observed on February 22, spotlight is cast on this wage disparity that remains higher than the European Union average of 13%. Women in Spain earned a mean annual salary of 25,591.31 euros, whereas men earned 30,372.49 euros, a difference of 4,781.18 euros.
The gap is compounded by women’s disproportionate representation in precarious and part-time employment. Approximately 72.27% of part-time contracts are held by women, and 25.78% of women earn the minimum wage or less, compared to just 11.64% of men. Only 20.13% of women are employed full-time, starkly contrasted with 93.30% of men. These factors contribute to long-term financial insecurity, including poorer pension prospects.
Sara García from the Spanish USO union emphasized that while progress has been made, women’s contributions remain undervalued and precarious. She stressed the urgent need for reforms in wage policies, calling for transparency through salary audits and equality plans complemented by genuine oversight. García also highlighted the disproportionate burden of unpaid domestic work borne by women, who spend on average 4 hours and 21 minutes daily on such tasks, nearly double the time spent by men.
The problem of gender wage disparity is multifaceted, involving societal norms, labor market inequality, and structural challenges. The USO union advocates for continuous collective efforts and legislative measures to promote equality in pay, aiming to ensure that women’s work is fairly compensated and their economic security guaranteed.
As Spain acknowledges Equal Pay Day, the statistics reveal a persistent gap that demands policy attention and societal commitment to close. The call for transparency and comprehensive reforms is growing louder to foster gender equity in the workplace and beyond.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
