The average salary for Spanish civil servants has reached €2,800 per month over the past year, hitting historic highs. According to data from the Social Security Contribution Base Statistics, 1.2 million public workers affiliated with the General Regime receive €2,800 a month. The latest update from September 2025 places the figure at €2,853.5 per month.
When comparing the salaries of civil servants with the rest of the workforce, the average public sector payroll is 20.3% higher. In fact, the wage gap between public employees and the overall economy exceeds €500, standing at €579. This is occurring in a context where the average contribution base for other workers has also increased in recent years; their average salaries have not dropped below €2,200 per month since November 2024. If we add to this the job security—it being materially impossible to fire a civil servant—it is perfectly understandable that more than 90% of young Spaniards aspire to become public employees.
Civil servants constitute the fifth-largest group of salaried employees by number of contributors. They represent 6.9% of the total contributors and are only outnumbered by:
- Retail workers: Numbering 2.7 million with a salary €861 lower.
- Manufacturing industry: Comprising 2.04 million workers with an average payroll of €2,608 per month (€245 less).
- Healthcare activity workers.
- Hospitality employees: Who have a contribution base of €1,475 —1,378 less than that of Public Administration and Defence professionals.
