What are the average salaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the countries of the region?

Photo: Freepik On December 30, 2024, the Facebook profile of Darko Tesic, who is also known on social media as “Balkanac u Nemackoj” (Balkan man in Germany), posted a reel, displaying alleged average salaries in several countries, with the claim that these are “statistical data”. The reel states that in 2024 the “average salary” in Serbia ranged from 400 to 600 euros, in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 400 to 500 euros, in Croatia from 700 to 900 euros, in Germany from 1,800 to 2,200 euros, in Austria from 1,400 to 1,700 euros, and in Switzerland from 3,500 to 4,500 Swiss francs. By the date this analysis was written, the video had been shared over 120 times on Facebook. It had nearly 2,000 comments and “likes”.

What are the Facts?

The analyzed reel does not explain how the author got the figures for the “average salaries” in the listed countries or what “statistical data” was used. The average salary is the total sum of all workers’ salaries divided by the number of workers. It is, therefore, an exact number, not a range between two figures. According to data from the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the average net salary in October 2024 (the latest available data) was 1,415 convertible marks, or approximately 700 euros. In Serbia, according to the Statistical Office of the Republic, the average net salary in October 2024 was 98,538 dinars, or about 840 euros. In Croatia, the average net salary in October 2024 was 1,340 euros. According to local media and platforms providing information on immigration and labor markets, the average monthly net salary in Germany in 2024 was 2,741 euros, in Austria 2,996 euros, and in Switzerland 5,400 Swiss francs. As can be seen from these figures, the average salaries last year in these countries do not fall within the ranges shown in the viral Facebook reel. In addition to the average salary, many countries also calculate the median salary. This represents the middle point, meaning the amount at the midpoint between the salaries of the top 50% and the bottom 50% of workers. In other words, half of the workforce earns less, and half earns more than the median salary. However, these figures also differ from those presented in the reel. In Serbia, the median salary in October 2024 was 76,895 dinars, or 656 euros, and in Croatia, it was 1,134 euros. In Germany, the 2024 annual gross median salary was 45,750 euros (approximately 2,500 euros net monthly), and in Austria, around 3,500 euros. In Switzerland, the gross monthly median salary was about 6,600 francs. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the median salary is not calculated. Therefore, the figures in the analyzed Facebook reel do not represent any “statistical data” and are inaccurate. It seems to be a subjective estimate by the author, who did not explain the methodology. The ranges shown in the video are closer to the minimum salaries in 2024 (677 euros in Croatia, 619 BAM in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 900 BAM in Republika Srpska, and 425 euros in Serbia). In the comments below the post, the author attempted to explain how they reached these figures. In one comment, they claimed to have excluded doctors, engineers, and IT workers from their calculations, while in another, they mentioned working hours. However, they did not provide a concrete explanation or specify the data sources used in their calculations. Given all the facts, the viral “list” of average salaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for 2024 is assessed as a manipulation of facts. (Author: Nerma Šehović, Raskrinkavanje.ba)