What makes a good salary?
Is a good salary simply the freedom to spend without worry, the feeling of being on top, or just enough to meet your needs?
The answer depends on individual perspective. But for those curious to see how their earnings measure up, RTL Infos has compiled a comprehensive salary scale for Luxembourg, with the support of the General Inspectorate of Social Security (IGSS).
This tool lets you compare your income with other employees, whether you work in the public or private sector.
Salaries are ranked by decile – meaning the population is divided into ten groups, from the lowest 10% to the highest 10%.
The figures show gross monthly salaries for full-time equivalent positions and include both base pay and bonuses (excluding overtime).
The statistics are based on all jobs held in Luxembourg during 2025, but do not cover domestic cleaners, temporary contracts, short-term roles, students, or apprentices.
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The salary scale for the private sector shows where most employees fall, but the public sector stands out for its high pay.
Nearly 40% of public sector workers earn over €10,000 gross per month – a stark contrast with the private sector, where just over 10% reach this level.
Luxembourg remains a leader in European pay, boasting some of the highest salaries in the EU.
In 2025, the median gross monthly salary (that is, half earn more, half less) was €4,584 in the private sector, and €9,313 in the public sector, with a cross-sector median of €4,960.
Public service jobs are especially lucrative. The lowest-paid 10% of public sector employees earn up to €5,583 gross per month, compared to €2,877 in the private sector.
At the top end, the highest-paid 10% in the public sector start at €14,056, while in the private sector the figure is €10,545.
These totals include basic salary and various bonuses and benefits that are common in civil service roles.
Despite these impressive figures, it is important to remember that not everyone in Luxembourg shares in this prosperity. In 2025, nearly one in five residents faced the risk of poverty.
This raises an interesting question: if we talk about a poverty line, why is there no clear threshold for being 'rich' in Luxembourg?
Although the country is regularly ranked among the world's wealthiest, there is no official definition of what it means to be rich here.
In France, the Observatory of Inequalities sets the 'wealth threshold' at twice the median income, taking into account all sources of earnings, taxes, and family situation.
Applying this approach to Luxembourg, the latest data from STATEC peg the median standard of living for an adult at €4,170 net per month in 2025 (down slightly from €4,233 in 2024). This puts a hypothetical 'richness threshold' at €8,340 net per month.
It is important to treat these numbers cautiously. Wealth is not determined solely by income; other factors, such as property, investments, household situation, or stage of career, play a role.
STATEC itself refuses to calculate an official wealth threshold, arguing there is "no single approach for calculating a wealth threshold, just as there is not for poverty".
While wealth remains a taboo subject in Luxembourg, one study estimates that one in fifteen residents is at least a millionaire – another world record for the Grand Duchy.
