ZAGREB, 17 Nov (Hina) – Women in Croatia earn on average 13% less than men, with male salaries around €1,600 and female salaries below €1,400, according to an analysis by the MojaPlaća (My Pay) service.

When comparing men and women in the same position, the pay gap falls to 7%, showing that women still earn less even when performing the same work, though the gap is smaller than the overall average.

Women earn slightly more than men in automotive industry and telecommunications

Pay gaps are highest in technology and development, where women earn around 20% less, and in the sales and services sectors, with an 18% difference. Women earn slightly more than men in the automotive industry (around 5%) and telecommunications (around 3%).

The analysis notes that career breaks for motherhood and family care contribute to long-term disparities. At the start of their careers, women with under one year of experience earn about 8% less, but after five years the gap rises to 15%, which shows how career breaks and the unequal distribution of family responsibilities affect women’s long-term prospects.

Women are also underrepresented in top management, and even in senior roles earn on average 15% less than their male colleagues. Gaps are smallest in office operational roles, at about 7%.

The public sector shows the smallest gender pay gap (4%), while foreign-owned companies report an average 15% gap and domestic private firms 13%.

According to MojaPlaća, multiple factors drive the gap: structural differences in the labour market, women being overrepresented in lower-paid sectors like trade, tourism and services, as well as social expectations and gender stereotypes that influence career choices. Women often avoid higher-paid fields such as STEM, technology development and management, which traditionally offer higher financial rewards.