The average gross earnings stood at 9,902 lei in March 2026, up 630 lei (+6.8%) compared with February 2026, while the average net earnings reached 5,938 lei, increasing by 381 lei (+6.9%), according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS) data published on Wednesday.

Compared with March 2025, the average net earnings increased by 4.3%.

The real earnings index stood at 94.9% in March 2026 versus March 2025 and 106.1% compared with February 2026, while relative to October 1990 it reached 251.1%, up 14.3 percentage points from February 2026.

The highest average net earnings were recorded in manufacture of tobacco product (16,039 lei) and in computer programming, consultancy and related activities (15,633 lei), while the lowest were in fishing and aquaculture (2,901 lei) and other service activities (2,933 lei).

In March 2026, in most activities within the economic sector, the level of average net earnings increased compared with February 2026, as a result of the granting of occasional bonuses (quarterly and annual bonuses, rewards for outstanding performance or Easter holidays), benefits in kind and cash allowances, amounts from net profit and other funds (including value tickets). Moreover, the increases in average net earnings were also driven by higher production output or higher revenues (depending on contracts and projects).

The most significant increases in the average net earnings at section/division level of CANE Rev.3 have been recorded as follows: between 34.5% and 45.5% in financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding, motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities, manufacture of tobacco products; between 12.5% and 25.5% in manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products, activities of head offices and management consultancy, rental and leasing activities, computer programming, consultancy and related activities, computing infrastructure, data processing, hosting and other information service activities, manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations, activities of advertising, market research and public relations, insurance, reinsurance and pension funding (except compulsory social security), manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products, manufacture of beverages, repair, maintenance and installation of machinery and equipment, manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c., activities auxiliary to financial services and insurance activities; between 9.0% and 12.0% in real estate activities, mining of metal ores, office administrative, office support and other business support activities, manufacture of other transport equipment, programming, broadcasting, news agency and other content distribution activities, wholesale trade, manufacture of electrical equipment, manufacture of chemicals and chemical products, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, telecommunication.

The decreases of the average net earnings as compared with February 2026 were determined by the occasional bonuses, payments in kind and other allowances, amounts from the net profit and other funds (including value tickets) granted in the previous months. Also, the decreases of the average net earnings were caused by production shortfalls or lower receipts (depending on contracts/projects).

The most significant decreases in the average net earnings were between 1.0% and 4.0% in manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, mining of coal and lignite, air transport.

In the budgetary sector, as against the previous month, slight increases of the average net earnings were registered in education (+1.4%), human health and social work activities (+1.3%), in public administration (+0.8%), respectively. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Nicoleta Gherasi; EN - writing by: Rodica State)