3,585 euro per month gross is the median salary earned by people working in Flanders

SD Worx bases its figures on payroll data from 400,000 people in full-time employment across Belgium. In Flanders the median salary (the point where half of workers earn more and half earn less) currently stands at 3,585 euro/month.

Salaries paid to people working in the Brussels-Capital Region remain well above those paid to people working in the rest of the country. The median wage in Brussels has reached 4,200 euro gross per month. This is almost 30% higher than it was 5 years ago and almost 20% higher than in Flanders.

Experts say the capital’s relatively high salaries are linked to the presence of many international companies and service-sector jobs. Automatic wage indexation in Belgium has also pushed salaries higher.

Other ares outside the capital, however, are starting to close the gap. Limburg and West Flanders have recorded the fastest wage growth over the past year with wages having risen 2.6% and 2.5% respectively.

Limburg’s median wage has now reached 3,600 euro gross per month putting it close to Antwerp Province (3,605 euro) and East Flanders (3,595 euro). Flemish Brabant stands slightly lower at 3,580 euro gross per month.

Despite recent growth in the level of saleries in the province, West Flanders still has the lowest median salary in our region. The median salary in West Flanders is currently 3,515 euro gross per month.

Higher salaries are often found in areas where the headquarters of large companies are located, where there is a concentration of knowledge-based jobs and where there is a a presence of companies in the technology and/or pharmaceutical industries. These companies tend to employ more highly educated workers and can offer better pay and career opportunities.

Meanwhile, areas with more industrial or manual labour jobs generally report lower median wages.