Salaries of Latvian Teachers Are Among the Lowest in Europe

This is reported by Euronews, citing the OECD report Education at a Glance 2026, published in October, which covers 28 European education systems. For comparison, in Denmark, the average annual salary of a primary school teacher reaches €74,086, in Iceland — €73,752, in Ireland — €69,747, in Germany — €69,453, and in Austria — €65,851.

Thus, a Danish teacher earns on average 3.6 times more than a Latvian teacher, and the difference with Germany is almost €49,000 per year. In seven countries, the average annual salary of primary school teachers does not exceed €25,000. In addition to Latvia, this group includes the Czech Republic (€24,457), Hungary (€23,181), Slovakia (€22,936), Romania (€20,805), Greece (€18,746), and Turkey (€18,669).

The comparison took into account not only base salaries but also bonuses, allowances, and other payments. All amounts are presented before tax deductions. ## ## Salaries Are Rising, but the Gap Remains However, over the past decade, the incomes of Latvian teachers have noticeably increased.

According to the OECD, from 2015 to 2024, the actual salary of primary school teachers grew by 41%, lower secondary teachers by 51%, and upper secondary teachers by 35%. This is significantly higher than the average increase across OECD countries, where salaries for primary and lower secondary teachers increased by 17% over the same period.

However, even such growth has not allowed Latvian teachers to approach the income levels of other professionals with higher education. According to the study, primary and secondary school teachers in Latvia earn on average 26% less than other workers with higher education. In preschool education, the gap is even more pronounced — 35%.

Thus, despite significant salary increases in recent years, the teaching profession in Latvia remains one of the relatively low-paid both in the European labor market and among professions requiring higher education within the country.