Can Our Rising Student Wages Beat the Ones in Western Europe?
2 days ago
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Tens of thousands of students work regularly throughout the year in many areas, particularly in retail and service sectors, as reported by HR Portál. Let us compare the wages of Hungarian young workers to some of their Western European counterparts.
“Estimates show that tourism and hospitality account for roughly 35-40% of total summer student job demand. Many people work in the Lake Balaton region during the peak season from June to August in restaurants, on beaches, at festivals, and in various types of the hospitality sector. The most typical student jobs are bartending, waitering, ice cream selling, kitchen assistance, ticket sales, and cleaning. Our data corresponds that there are towns around Lake Balaton where students make up as much as 60-70% of the seasonal workforce. The average hourly wage in this sector is around HUF 2,300 gross (EUR 6) ,”said Rozália Tóth, head of Prodiák (Prohuman Student Work).
If we compare the data with Austria or Germany, we see the striking difference. In Austria hourly rates for part-time jobs for students can range from approximately EUR 8 to EUR 15, and in Germany, the minimum wage is EUR 12.82 per hour as of 2025.
“Students consider several factors before choosing a job. One of the most important is, of course, the salary, but it is not only the higher hourly wage that is important to young employees, but also timely payment. In this regard, many look into student cooperatives and try to join a well-established, reliable one. This is followed by flexibility in working hours and schedules, especially during the school year due to the need to fit in with school timetables. The location of the job is also a relevant factor, and in the case of longer-term internships, many people continue to look for jobs where they can work from home,” summarized Rozália Tóth.
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