Ukraine’s wage statistics continue to show a clear gender gap. According to the State Statistics Service, the average monthly nominal wage in the first quarter of 2026 was twenty-eight thousand eight hundred eighty-five hryvnias. Men earned an average of thirty-three thousand seven hundred ninety-eight hryvnias, while women earned twenty-four thousand seven hundred ninety-one hryvnias.
This means women’s average wage was about seventy-three percent of men’s pay. The gap is not distributed evenly across the economy. The largest difference in favor of men was recorded in arts, sports, entertainment and recreation, followed by finance and insurance, information and telecommunications, and wholesale and retail trade.
Why the sector split matters
The data show that the problem is not only about individual employers. It is connected to the structure of the labor market, access to higher-paid roles, management representation and the way bonuses or variable pay are distributed. In sectors with high premiums for seniority, networks or performance pay, the gap can widen quickly.
For business, this creates both a reputational and operational issue. Companies competing for qualified workers increasingly need transparent pay systems, clearer promotion rules and regular internal reviews. Without that, wage inequality can deepen staff turnover and make hiring more difficult.
For Ukraine’s recovery, fairer pay is also an economic question. A labor market that uses women’s skills more effectively can support productivity, household income and tax revenue at a time when every source of growth matters.
