Pay compression ratio in public sector (ratio of 90th/10th percentile earners) by country
Countries reporting
60
Highest
35.3%
South Africa
Lowest
2.5%
Sri Lanka
Median
4.2%
Years covered
22
2000–2021
Data points
741
What the numbers show
Pay compression ratio in public sector (ratio of 90th/10th percentile earners) is currently reported for 60 countries. The highest value is 35.3% in South Africa; the lowest is 2.5% in Sri Lanka.
The median across all reporting countries is 4.2%, and the mean is 5.2%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 14.
Over the past decade 21 countries rose and 39 fell. The largest increase was in Republic of Moldova (up 147.9%), and the largest decrease in Greece (down 39.7%).
Pay compression ratio in public sector: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 35.3% | 2019 | up 131.5% | volatile |
| 2 | Republic of Moldova | 12.5% | 2012 | up 147.9% | rising |
| 3 | Namibia | 12.2% | 2015 | up 9.6% | flat |
| 4 | Georgia | 8.1% | 2013 | down 16.2% | falling |
| 5 | Zambia | 7.8% | 2014 | up 23.9% | rising |
| 6 | Brazil | 7.7% | 2021 | up 5.3% | falling |
| 7 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 6.5% | 2020 | down 16.1% | rising |
| 8 | Austria | 6.4% | 2018 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 9 | Switzerland | 6.4% | 2018 | down 23.1% | flat |
| 10 | Ethiopia | 6.2% | 2016 | up 8.2% | falling |
| 11 | Cyprus | 6.0% | 2018 | up 14.1% | rising |
| 12 | Ireland | 6.0% | 2017 | down 25.6% | falling |
| 13 | Spain | 5.9% | 2018 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 14 | Honduras | 5.8% | 2019 | up 45.8% | rising |
| 15 | Dominican Republic | 5.8% | 2019 | down 6.6% | flat |
| 16 | Argentina | 5.5% | 2021 | up 17.9% | falling |
| 17 | Philippines | 5.5% | 2014 | down 1.1% | rising |
| 18 | Chile | 5.5% | 2015 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 19 | Luxembourg | 5.4% | 2018 | down 10.9% | falling |
| 20 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 5.4% | 2016 | down 8.8% | falling |
| 21 | France | 5.4% | 2018 | up 60.1% | rising |
| 22 | Hungary | 5.3% | 2018 | up 33.0% | rising |
| 23 | Bulgaria | 5.2% | 2018 | up 23.4% | rising |
| 24 | Russian Federation | 5.2% | 2016 | down 22.1% | falling |
| 25 | Portugal | 4.9% | 2018 | down 13.3% | falling |
| 26 | Australia | 4.6% | 2015 | down 27.0% | falling |
| 27 | Latvia | 4.5% | 2018 | down 29.0% | falling |
| 28 | Costa Rica | 4.5% | 2021 | down 10.7% | flat |
| 29 | Estonia | 4.4% | 2018 | down 2.4% | rising |
| 30 | Peru | 4.3% | 2021 | down 9.5% | flat |
| 31 | Pakistan | 4.1% | 2020 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 32 | Iceland | 4.0% | 2013 | down 27.5% | falling |
| 33 | Mexico | 4.0% | 2019 | down 6.2% | falling |
| 34 | Italy | 3.8% | 2018 | up 31.5% | rising |
| 35 | Panama | 3.7% | 2021 | up 0.1% | falling |
| 36 | Colombia | 3.7% | 2020 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 37 | Croatia | 3.7% | 2018 | up 43.9% | rising |
| 38 | Lithuania | 3.7% | 2018 | down 21.0% | falling |
| 39 | Poland | 3.6% | 2017 | down 19.5% | falling |
| 40 | Finland | 3.5% | 2018 | down 12.0% | falling |
| 41 | Ecuador | 3.4% | 2017 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 42 | Czechia | 3.4% | 2018 | down 4.7% | flat |
| 43 | Palestine, State of | 3.3% | 2017 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 44 | Paraguay | 3.3% | 2021 | down 6.7% | flat |
| 45 | Uruguay | 3.2% | 2017 | down 21.2% | falling |
| 46 | Belgium | 3.1% | 2018 | down 13.2% | flat |
| 47 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 3.1% | 2021 | down 28.6% | falling |
| 48 | El Salvador | 3.1% | 2021 | down 11.6% | falling |
| 49 | Malta | 3.1% | 2018 | down 1.2% | flat |
| 50 | Romania | 3.0% | 2018 | down 31.9% | falling |
| 51 | Armenia | 3.0% | 2021 | down 32.3% | falling |
| 51 | Jordan | 3.0% | 2016 | up 12.5% | falling |
| 53 | Guatemala | 3.0% | 2017 | down 20.9% | falling |
| 54 | Greece | 2.9% | 2018 | down 39.7% | falling |
| 55 | Serbia | 2.9% | 2018 | down 0.2% | falling |
| 56 | Türkiye | 2.8% | 2010 | down 31.6% | falling |
| 57 | Viet Nam | 2.8% | 2019 | down 25.4% | falling |
| 58 | Slovakia | 2.8% | 2017 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 59 | Mongolia | 2.7% | 2021 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 60 | Sri Lanka | 2.5% | 2016 | up 2.1% | falling |