Introduction: Compensation under the spotlight in 2025
Salaries represent the largest expense for companies and the main source of income for employees. As in any market, the salary market follows the law of supply and demand: employers and employees agree to pay and receive a salary or compensation in exchange for services.
This competition—between companies seeking to attract top talent with better pay, and employees upskilling to qualify for the best positions—has a direct impact on the economy.
Digitalization, international mobility, remote work, and new pay transparency regulations are accelerating the dynamics of the salary market. That makes having objective, reliable data more critical than ever.
The PROSFY Global Salary Report (Q2 2025), based on millions of job postings worldwide, provides an updated picture of how talent is compensated across countries, regions, and industries.
👉 Download the full report here: Global Salary Report – Q2 2025.
Global salary ranking 2025
Top 10 worldwide: Switzerland and the U.S. dominate
Switzerland once again leads with $91,222, followed by the United States ($53,938) and Australia ($48,806). The top 10 also includes Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, all with advanced economies and high job specialization.
Spain and Europe: mid-table positioning
Spain ranks 16th globally and 10th in Europe, with an average of $25,829 (€23,800). While above Portugal, it remains far behind France ($28,928) and Italy ($27,981). Europe shows a two-speed reality: northern countries with very high compensation, and southern countries still lagging.
Latin America: a persistent gap
After the U.S. and Canada, salaries drop sharply across the region:
Paraguay ($16,591) and Uruguay ($14,232) lead Latin America.
Argentina ($10,074) and Costa Rica ($10,818) sit in the mid-range.
Colombia ($4,821) and Nicaragua ($3,585) are at the lower end.
Asia and Africa: extreme contrasts
In Asia and Oceania, Australia ($48,806) and Singapore ($44,803) stand out, while India ($3,918) and Pakistan ($2,782) remain at the bottom. In Africa, South Africa ($9,854) leads the region but remains well below European standards.
Demand vs. compensation and benefits
Sector analysis reveals where talent demand is strongest, based on job postings. This relationship is critical: when demand is high but average pay does not keep up, companies face greater risks of turnover or talent flight.
Top 10 most in-demand sectors in 2025
Business – 213,597 postings | Avg. salary: $32,286 A key driver of the labor market, offering competitive compensation in management and strategy roles.
Administration – 175,337 postings | Avg. salary: $28,914 High demand but relatively moderate salaries, creating challenges in attracting talent.
Hospitality – 150,169 postings | Avg. salary: $30,349 One of the highest-turnover sectors, where offering extra benefits is critical to retention.
Tech – 109,687 postings | Avg. salary: $31,369 A strategic, fast-growing sector with high risk if compensation is not competitive at the global level.
Finance – 103,081 postings | Avg. salary: $30,133 Demanding in training and expertise, where pay gaps directly drive talent attrition.
Customer Service – 92,899 postings | Avg. salary: $30,191 High demand with constrained pay; non-monetary benefits are essential for loyalty.
Engineering – 89,305 postings | Avg. salary: $32,286 Critical in infrastructure and energy, competitive pay but under heavy competition from developed markets.
Healthcare – 86,673 postings | Avg. salary: $40,320 A high-pressure, globally needed sector. Salaries are high, but still insufficient in some countries to prevent brain drain.
Marketing – 40,209 postings | Avg. salary: $16,338 Despite digital growth, salaries remain low relative to demand. High risk of turnover unless compensation improves.
Construction – 41,770 postings | Avg. salary: $33,900 Strong demand in emerging markets, where shortages of skilled labor are pushing salaries up.
👉 For companies, this ranking is not just a snapshot: it is a warning on where to adjust compensation and benefits to secure attraction and retention.
Implications for companies and professionals
Salaries are both the largest expense for companies and the main source of income for employees. Visibility into real-time salary market trends is therefore critical for both sides.
Talent attraction and opportunities: In a global and competitive market, companies need to align compensation with market standards to attract key profiles, while professionals must know the real market value of their role to negotiate fairly.
Retention and loyalty: Keeping top performers requires transparent salary structures and additional benefits; for professionals, this means seeking employers that value contributions beyond base pay.
Transparency and compliance: The new EU directive requires companies to prove internal equity and justify any pay gaps. For organizations, this means reviewing pay policies, while workers gain clarity and stronger tools to demand fairness.
Conclusion: technology for fairer compensation
The PROSFY Global Salary Report 2025 confirms that tracking the salary market is increasingly essential.
For countries, companies, and professionals alike, the key is using advanced CompTech tools to analyze real-time data and make informed decisions.
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