Young Portuguese today have qualification levels higher than the European average, but this advantage is not reflected in the salaries they receive. The contrast between the training achieved and the remuneration obtained illustrates one of the main structural blocks of the national economy: the difficulty in turning qualifications into professional appreciation.
In 2024, 36.1% of young people between 20 and 29 had completed higher education, an above -average percentage of the European Union (31.7%). This is a remarkable progress compared to previous generations and also compared to the general population, in which only 30% of the Portuguese have higher education, compared to 33.4% in the European average.
It would be natural for this largest qualification of young people to translate into higher income and wages closer to European standards. However, the numbers show another reality: the annual gross average wage of young Portuguese has settled in just 17 thousand euros, about 29% below the European average, which is 25 thousand euros. These values are adjusted in the parity of purchase powers, which means that they reflect the level of living comparably.
The distance from the European Union average is virtually the same as that is observed in the active population: in Portugal, the annual gross average salary is 23,000 euros, compared to 33,000 euros in the EU, a differential of about 30%. That is, the highest qualification of young Portuguese is not changing the general trend of low wages.
This disadvantage shows that the country’s problem is not limited to the level of qualifications. The root is in the reduced productivity of the economy and the inability to properly value workers. This reality not only compromises the quality of life of new generations, but also feeds phenomena such as young emigration and difficulty attracting and retaining talent. Portugal thus risks losing one of its greatest competitive advantages: a qualified youth with future ambition.
- The facts seen to the magnifying glass by André Pinção Lucas e Juliano Ventura – A partnership of the postcard with the Institute
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