The minimum wage and average salary in the Netherlands in 2026

The Netherlands is a great place to bring home the literal and figurative cheese. After Luxembourg and Ireland, the country has the third-highest minimum salary in Europe, which the government reviews bi-annually.

So, what is the minimum wage in the Netherlands, and which sector offers the highest salary? Are you paid fairly, or is it time to contact a union representative?

Here’s what you need to know:

The Dutch minimum wage

The Netherlands first introduced the minimum wage (minimumloon) in 1969. Today, the Dutch government re-evaluates and adjusts it every six months – on 1 January and 1 July.

As of January 2026, the minimum salary rate for workers aged 21 and older is €14.71 per hour.

Comparatively, the Netherlands has one of the highest minimum wages in Europe, similar to Germany. Based on a 40-hour work week, Dutch adults earn a base salary of €2,246 per month (July 2025).

Despite having the third-highest minimum salary in the EU (or perhaps because of it), the country’s cost of living is relatively high. Housing costs, especially in cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht, appear to be a little out of tune.

Exceptions to the minimum wage in the Netherlands

Underaged and young adults

The government sets the minimum wage for adults aged 21 or older. Workers between the ages of 15 and 20 will get a minimum youth wage (minimumjeugdloon). There is no statutory wage for employees younger than that. If you are 13 or 14 and work at a supermarket, for example, you can agree on a rate with your employer. Anyone aged below that is not legally allowed to work.

As of January 2026, the minimum wage for workers aged 20 and younger is as follows:

Age	Hourly base rate
20 years	€11.77
19 years	€8.83
18 years	€7.36
17 years	€5.81
16 years	€5.07
15 years	€4.41

Interns and apprentices

In the Netherlands, internships form part of a person’s higher education training. Because internships and apprenticeships focus on gaining work experience, the employer does not have to pay minimum wage.

However, if the company treats the intern as a regular employee (i.e., their work contributes to production and turnover), they must earn a minimum wage. The Netherlands Labor Authority (Arbeidsinspectie – NLA) can issue a penalty if the intern is exploited.

WAJONG-benefit recipients

In some cases, WAJONG recipients (i.e., young people who cannot work due to a disability or severe illness) may earn below the statutory minimum. However, your employer needs permission from the Employee Insurance Agency (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen – UWV).

Freelancers

Freelancers (zelfstandige ondernemer or zzp’er) don’t have to earn a minimum wage. Setting a standardized rate for project-based work is often difficult, so freelancers have the freedom to determine the rates for their products or services.

Volunteers

Although volunteers work, they are not eligible for a minimum wage. They can, however, receive a tax-free volunteering fee (vrijwilligersvergoeding).

It is worth noting the position needs to qualify as a volunteering job. That means that:

• The role serves the public interest or addresses a specific social issue
• The employer cannot make a profit from the volunteer
• The volunteer does not replace a paid employee and does not negatively impact the labor market

If the position does not match these requirements, the government considers you an employee who must receive a minimum wage.

The average salary in the Netherlands

According to the Central Statistics Bureau (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek – cbs), men earned an average annual salary of €53,520 in 2024. Women, on the other hand, earned an average of €36,430 per year.

Of course, salaries can differ greatly depending on the job, but also experience, location, and education level.

Average salary by sector in the Netherlands

As is usual, gross wages also vary greatly by sector. This is because certain industries require more skills, experience, and education and therefore offer better pay. According to Talent (2026), the median salary across some of the main job sectors in the Netherlands are:

Job sector	Average annual salary
Accounting and admin	€40,659
Banking and finance	€43,996
Childcare and education	€52,334
Construction and maintenance	€36,946
Engineering	€43,621
Healthcare and social services	€54,960
Hospitality and travel	€35,155
IT	€40,387
Journalism and translation services	€55,111
Retail and customer service	€32,973
Shipping, manufacturing, and transportation	€32,834

Average salary by region in the Netherlands

Most big companies are situated in the Big Four (i.e., the four largest Dutch cities, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht). This is reflected in the average salary per province as well. In 2023, the average annual income was:

Province	Average salary
Noord-Holland	€36,134
Utrecht	€35,587
Zuid-Holland	€33,053
Noord-Brabant	€32,936
Gelderland	€31,472
Zeeland	€30,965
Limburg	€30,962
Flevoland	€30,887
Drenthe	€30,265
Overijssel	€29,905
Groningen	€28,976
Friesland	€28,560

What are the highest-paying jobs in the Netherlands?

Unfortunately, there’s no real fast way to earn lots of money. Some of the Netherlands’ most lucrative job opportunities require specialized qualifications, skills, experience, and lots of networking.

Highest-paying jobs include Chief Executive Officer (CEO), IT Director, Plant Manager, Pilot, and IT Architect. Salaries for these posts range from €9,722 to €13,422 per month.

Salary checker in the Netherlands

There are several online sites where you can check if you are earning more or less than your colleagues. For example:

• Salariskompas (in Dutch)
• Minimum wage calculator from the Dutch government’s website

If you want to know how much you’ve earned after taxes in the Netherlands, you can calculate it using this Dutch Income Tax Calculator.

The gender pay gap in the Netherlands

Despite the country’s progressive appearance as a defender of women’s rights, the Netherlands has a gender pay gap of 12.5% (2023). Some have even suggested the gender disparity is as much as 21.9%. Among women, there’s also an income equality gap: on average, Turkish-Dutch women earned almost 30% less than the national average in 2023.

The gender wage gap is often attributed to many women working in underpaid social sectors, such as care, welfare, and education. Men, on the other hand, are overrepresented in high-paid sectors, such as IT and technology.

Another reason for the disproportionate wage gap is the lack of female business leadership. For example, the Economist’s 2025 Glass Ceiling Index ranks the Netherlands 21st out of 29. While around 41.6% of company boards are female, only 13.7% of businesses have top female managers.

Salaries and wages for expats in the Netherlands

The minimum wage in the Netherlands doesn’t differ for a Dutch citizen or a foreign national. Employers must legally pay you the minimum wage as set by the government.

That said, workers with foreign backgrounds often earn less than their Dutch colleagues. According to the cbs, in 2022:

• Dutch employees with Dutch backgrounds earned €39,600 per year
• Dutch employees (born in the Netherlands with parents born elsewhere) earned €33,200 per year
• Employees born elsewhere earned €32,600 per year

Conversely, some expats benefit from being foreign nationals in the Netherlands. Certain employees can benefit from a tax break called the 30% ruling. This ruling means that highly-skilled migrants recruited from abroad to receive part of their salary tax-free as compensation for extra-territorial costs.

The ruling applies for a maximum of five years, but the tax-free percentage is phased down over time (30%, then 20%, then 10%) and is subject to salary thresholds and caps.

What to do if your wage is below the minimum?

If you are paid less than the minimum wage in the Netherlands, your first step is to speak to your employer. You can also reach out to a union representative or get free advice from the legal aid help desk, Juridisch Loket.

If your employer dismisses your concerns, you can take your case (anonymously if you want) to the NLA. If the Labor Authority agrees with you, your employer will be fined up to €12,000 and forced to pay your outstanding wages.

However, if the Labor Authority does not see a case of pay discrimination, you can hire a labor attorney and take it up with the Dutch District Court.

Useful resources

• Business.gov.nl – business portal with information about owning and doing business in the Netherlands
• Netherlands Labor Agency – official website of the government agency responsible for all things related to employment law