Tekna’s salary statistics

For the private, governmental and municipal sectors

1st of October 2018
Tekna’s
salary
statistics per 1 October 2015
for the private, governmental and
municipal sectors
Excerpt from Tekna’s salary statistics per 1 October 2018
Tekna’s salary statistics for members with higher scientific and technical qualifications
per 1 October 2018
Objective
The main purpose of the annual publication of certain
key data concerning pay conditions for Tekna (The
Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and
Scientific Professionals) members, is to provide an
overview of average earnings by year of graduation
and the dispersion around these average figures.
These pay statistics do not constitute a pay scale.
Nevertheless, the figures will provide an aid in
achieving a reasonable level of - and development in
- pay. When earnings are assessed on the basis of year
of graduation, account must be taken of individual
qualifications, the areas of responsibility and duties
encompassed by the position, as well as other relevant
factors.
Percentage response rate
Questionnaires were sent to 56 182 members in
October 2018. 37 158 members have registered their
salaries, which represents a response rate of 66 per
cent. Figures for the municipal sector must be used
with caution, since less numbers are included in the
statistics.
Comments on this year’s statistics
Growth in average pay in the private sector between
2017 and 2018 amounted to 2.3 per cent. The
equivalent figure for 2016-2017 was 1.9 per cent. In
the governmental sector, average pay rose by 3.3 per
cent between 2017 and 2018 and by 1.3 per cent in
the preceding year. In the municipal sector growth
was 2.6 per cent from 2017-2018 and 1.8 per cent in
the preceding year.
Growth in average pay is used by Statistics Norway
and most other operators, as a reference measure of
growth in earnings. However, the components of pay
change encompassed by this definition of pay will
depend on the changes taking place in the population
(the subjects included in the statistics) on which the
calculations are based.
If the same population is used in both years, we will
see a growth in the average salaries of the same
people. In this case, the pay definition will reflect
actual changes in pay as a consequence of negotiated
increases, promotions and job changes etc.
If the population is not the same, the growth in
average pay will also be affected by the
disappearance of some people from the statistics and
the recruitment of new people. Typically, young
persons will be added to the statistics whereas older
persons will withdraw from the statistic to become
Tekna – The Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals
pensioners. Viewed in isolation, this change in
population entails that the growth in average pay will be
lower, since young employees are on lower levels of pay
than those who have reached retirement age. In other
words, it will normally be the case that growth in average
pay calculated on the basis of a changing population, will
not fully capture the actual change in pay at an individual
level.
For this reason Tekna also calculates growth in earnings
adjusted for changes in age composition (different
numbers of persons per graduation year this year and last
year). We calculate three components, which are linked
in the following way:
Growth in average pay = growth in pay level +
AK supplement (see below).
This growth represents the total of pay adjustments and
the effects of promotions, job changes etc. that have
occurred since October last year.
Growth in average pay
Growth in average pay by graduation year in the private
sector is 5.3 per cent, of which the increase in pay level
is 3.1 per cent and the AK supplement 2.2 per cent. The
corresponding figures for the governmental sector are
5.0 per cent, 3.6 per cent and 1.4 per cent, respectively.
In the municipal sector the figures are 4.3 per cent,
3.1 per cent and 1.2 per cent, respectively.
The AK supplement refers to the increase in earnings
awarded to members as a consequence of the increased
experience and insight that enables them to perform their
work more efficiently and to undertake tasks that are
more complicated and involve greater levels of
responsibility, sometimes as a result of a change in
position and place of work. The AK supplement says
something about the steepness of the pay curve and
provides a mathematical summary of the derivated
figures (slope) weighted by the number of members
according to experience. AK can be interpreted in a
number of ways: age and capabilities, area/level of
responsibility and competence, advancement and career.
Whichever of these is applied, AK describes the increase
in actual competence from which the company benefits
and which is rewarded in the form of increased pay. The
AK supplement is highest during the initial years
following graduation, since the increase in competence
and productivity will normally be greatest during this
time (and means that the pay curve is steepest for the
youngest graduation classes). The costs involved in the
upward movement for individual employees re
counteracted by the fact that older members are removed
from the statistics (retire) at the same time as which
younger members with far lower pay levels are included
in the statistics.
Excerpt from Tekna’s salary statistics per 1 October 2018

These statistics can also be found at
www.tekna.no
Who is included in the statistics?
The statistics cover only members in full-time
employment. All the respondents are resident in
Norway. The form is sent to all professionally active
members in the private, governmental and municipal
sectors and separate sets of statistics are compiled for
each sector. The statistics cover only members
educated to at least a level equivalent to graduate
engineer.
Pay definition
Tekna’s pay statistics use the following definition of pay:
Agreed annual pay per 1 October, including the value of
bonuses, performance-based pay and commissions etc.
paid out over the last 12 months. Any additional payment
(former B-level pay grade) in the state sector has been
included.
The pay statistics do not cover income from part time
posts, shift allowances, variable overtime remuneration,
fixed car allowances, the value of a company car,
newspaper or electronic communications services paid
for by the employer (telephone, broadband etc.) or the
value of other payments in kind.

Fig. 1 Average annual salary for Tekna members per 1st October 2018

1 200 000

1 000 000

800 000
Average annual salary

600 000
Private sector, n= 26841
Municipal sector, n= 2093
400 000 Governmental sector, n= 4438

200 000

Graduation year

Definition of dispersion (for the tables on the following pages):

90th percentile: 90 % have lower and 10 % have higher pay than this pay
Upper quartile: 75 % have lower and 25 % have higher pay than this pay.
Median: 50 % have lower and 50 % have higher pay than this pay.
Lower quartile: 25 % have lower and 75 % have higher pay than this pay.
Arithmetic mean: Average pay

Tekna – The Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals

Excerpt from Tekna’s salary statistics per 1 October 2018

Table 1. Average annual salary for Tekna members in private sector per 1st October 2018

Graduation Arithmetic Lower Upper 90th

year No. mean quartile Median quartile percentile
2018 805 529 444 507 000 530 000 550 000 580 000
2017 1 050 559 936 520 000 552 000 581 694 620 713
2016 918 594 568 546 000 582 572 626 000 690 000
2015 1 026 619 684 565 648 602 000 650 361 739 179
2014 1 093 642 264 585 000 624 380 677 400 750 000
2013 1 140 665 069 600 000 645 305 708 000 785 000
2012 1 198 692 607 618 000 670 000 731 669 846 000
2011 1 096 716 553 636 000 687 200 761 082 870 000
2010 926 745 057 650 200 710 000 800 000 925 000
2009 902 771 609 673 072 740 563 834 091 945 000
2008 969 801 495 696 079 757 440 866 000 1 003 000
2007 1 048 824 461 709 128 785 648 900 000 1 049 000
2006 1 012 838 230 726 127 800 000 917 000 1 050 000
2005 984 868 557 739 500 829 500 940 434 1 100 000
2004 801 883 647 754 900 845 000 955 702 1 115 000
2003 792 908 077 769 300 870 000 996 041 1 150 000
2002 695 932 322 800 000 890 000 1 004 000 1 193 500
2001 485 924 204 802 200 890 800 1 010 000 1 165 907
2000 634 975 770 830 000 914 100 1 036 211 1 260 000
1999 678 992 860 830 000 935 000 1 078 580 1 275 000
1998 662 999 297 850 000 956 085 1 075 000 1 233 000
1997 668 1 038 658 870 500 990 000 1 120 000 1 355 000
1996 701 1 022 896 880 000 985 000 1 112 000 1 300 550
1995 654 1 053 032 878 266 1 000 000 1 135 290 1 377 660
1994 611 1 048 304 884 473 992 000 1 150 000 1 369 516
1993 543 1 054 873 885 856 999 800 1 163 400 1 400 000
1992 528 1 079 349 899 000 1 010 000 1 171 460 1 432 198
1991 537 1 094 249 930 000 1 027 300 1 190 000 1 420 000
1990 433 1 105 022 932 000 1 050 000 1 200 000 1 460 000
1989 350 1 090 226 925 417 1 050 000 1 186 000 1 385 201
1988 328 1 127 451 947 000 1 078 016 1 238 000 1 458 369
1987 331 1 110 510 948 000 1 048 400 1 238 071 1 448 392
1986 304 1 104 854 936 000 1 056 516 1 194 500 1 364 800
1985 306 1 162 453 950 000 1 073 650 1 235 545 1 539 876
1984 288 1 125 716 943 468 1 056 000 1 226 917 1 540 000
1983 242 1 182 198 970 000 1 092 975 1 273 302 1 617 027
1982 266 1 141 678 960 000 1 082 877 1 235 000 1 560 000
1981 213 1 167 988 963 923 1 077 000 1 256 600 1 540 000
1980 174 1 115 598 920 000 1 058 750 1 218 000 1 508 000
1979 147 1 108 686 948 700 1 084 000 1 225 421 1 450 000
1978 99 1 081 817 948 000 1 034 000 1 154 448 1 310 000
Pre 1978 204 1 085 200 930 000 1 029 750 1 166 500 1 331 806

Total 26 841 860 058 654 000 810 000 995 000 1 187 143

Tekna – The Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals

Excerpt from Tekna’s salary statistics per 1 October 2018

Table 2. Average annual salary for Tekna members in governmental sector per 1st October 2018

Graduation Arithmetic Lower Upper 90th

year No. mean quartile Median quartile percentile
2018 94 466 947 449 000 449 800 489 000 515 670
2017 128 483 564 449 200 459 000 502 300 550 000
2016 155 500 682 458 244 472 300 532 000 585 100
2015 164 519 222 468 833 501 905 560 500 600 000
2014 135 526 352 475 000 516 955 558 000 616 000
2013 137 548 001 490 000 537 700 571 000 657 151
2012 144 548 986 500 600 535 000 584 500 640 000
2011 146 570 239 517 700 560 000 605 000 666 590
2010 106 587 606 532 400 590 000 630 000 685 000
2009 131 603 089 546 811 599 500 650 000 689 200
2008 148 604 962 557 000 600 000 653 320 705 000
2007 154 637 952 579 400 634 527 688 300 755 000
2006 156 642 663 559 000 631 715 706 036 772 692
2005 140 650 300 569 500 624 450 717 900 808 500
2004 131 658 460 579 980 652 000 713 300 800 000
2003 145 653 403 580 000 639 000 700 000 815 000
2002 118 674 427 592 015 662 500 738 000 855 000
2001 87 699 195 607 897 679 695 784 000 863 000
2000 106 706 387 615 231 692 260 778 300 860 000
1999 102 687 787 597 000 664 373 749 628 865 322
1998 95 677 227 592 426 674 067 760 700 805 000
1997 101 727 692 627 439 715 000 795 000 903 660
1996 120 720 913 648 970 697 500 778 650 895 800
1995 118 743 847 642 733 703 000 850 000 935 000
1994 110 750 649 646 104 716 000 825 028 956 500
1993 115 764 015 657 400 740 000 840 274 966 000
1992 103 766 672 650 635 751 000 865 000 972 000
1991 105 777 405 674 831 772 000 855 000 989 184
1990 89 750 308 639 400 723 433 828 500 960 000
1989 84 794 690 660 450 786 350 866 300 1 043 000
1988 87 789 048 680 000 770 000 880 000 963 900
1987 91 783 375 656 000 765 000 910 000 980 000
1986 85 760 350 640 000 715 000 850 000 990 000
1985 76 737 128 635 180 699 221 814 275 970 000
1984 61 758 105 656 292 730 000 822 326 987 401
1983 56 790 007 667 750 728 061 922 450 1 009 000
1982 56 771 298 683 000 752 500 820 950 999 000
1981 55 768 426 650 000 726 152 855 000 1 033 000
1980 42 801 767 695 000 777 726 886 525 972 000
1979 44 802 063 677 900 734 149 904 660 1 060 000
1978 37 875 555 799 900 858 763 964 000 1 075 000
Pre 1978 81 838 433 712 758 800 000 914 900 1 055 562

Total 4 438 663 875 550 000 638 770 749 000 872 600

Tekna – The Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals

Excerpt from Tekna’s salary statistics per 1 October 2018

Table 3. Average annual salary for Tekna members in municipal sector per 1st October 2018

Graduation Arithmetic Lower Upper 90th

year No. mean quartile Median quartile percentile
2018 45 514 375 498 600 514 700 540 000 554 650
2017 72 534 818 514 850 532 400 550 249 580 000
2016 67 545 476 518 000 541 400 571 000 605 400
2015 66 572 664 532 400 553 150 580 000 648 000
2014 76 580 687 535 300 570 000 600 000 642 000
2013 77 596 162 552 000 583 000 617 000 695 000
2012 76 618 036 570 000 599 103 648 678 750 000
2011 55 631 635 561 600 616 000 689 400 764 300
2010 59 614 481 563 000 600 000 656 900 700 000
2009 67 634 555 572 000 625 000 654 341 735 600
2008 60 661 756 586 500 630 348 721 250 799 150
2007 73 652 592 586 500 645 000 690 000 749 600
2006 64 652 750 586 738 635 750 702 700 750 101
2005 61 672 544 605 400 645 000 735 100 796 000
2004 53 673 281 611 300 668 000 749 600 779 900
2003 61 676 252 598 500 650 000 735 100 811 200
2002 67 680 553 610 200 652 000 738 000 816 000
2001 44 681 150 618 000 647 188 704 500 800 000
2000 49 684 307 631 000 655 000 721 500 840 000
1999 44 696 345 631 600 668 247 735 400 825 000
1998 45 735 147 646 600 704 000 815 000 887 000
1997 53 721 092 640 100 682 500 770 000 870 000
1996 54 735 459 640 000 671 500 780 000 1 000 000
1995 62 744 247 650 000 701 000 822 564 905 000
1994 60 756 708 651 000 740 200 842 800 912 500
1993 53 738 800 646 600 718 000 814 000 874 000
1992 59 760 627 650 000 712 000 837 000 885 000
1991 47 738 134 649 150 714 445 789 000 893 800
1990 49 810 977 676 200 775 000 900 000 1 150 000
1989 36 758 242 688 250 728 892 781 000 950 000
1988 43 777 645 664 000 729 708 811 200 1 108 300
1987 34 821 844 675 000 776 500 943 000 1 108 300
1986 23 753 745 650 000 688 100 827 800 966 300
1985 29 830 864 702 000 774 000 876 800 1 200 000
1984 24 766 873 655 200 721 500 802 500 979 000
1983 35 763 161 661 500 727 000 842 800 972 000
1982 32 789 768 656 750 739 500 892 000 1 024 700
1981 34 719 186 641 200 686 700 771 000 863 000
1980 21 850 590 690 000 780 000 874 500 1 200 000
1979 20 747 655 686 500 725 750 800 000 864 536
1978 12 802 633 697 500 793 000 896 100 928 000
Pre 1978 32 814 600 685 700 783 550 896 000 950 000

Total 2 093 682 188 585 000 650 481 743 800 859 500

Tekna – The Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals

Tekna - The Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals
P.O. Box 2312 Solli, 0201 Oslo
Office address: Dronning Mauds gate 15, Oslo

Phone: 22 94 75 00
E-mail: post@tekna.no
www.tekna.no