Rosstat’s 2024 report on women and men in Russia spotlights a persistent monthly earnings gap that colors many households and career choices. The headline figure shows women earning roughly 26,000 rubles less per month than men, a gap that becomes clearer when examining year-by-year data. In 2023, the average accrued salary for women stood at 61.1 thousand rubles, while men average 87.7 thousand. Looking further back to 2021, women averaged 48.6 thousand and men 67 thousand. The IT sector, known for fast pace and high skill demands, stands out for the scale of the disparity, with women averaging 110 thousand rubles per month against 169 thousand for men. Taken together, these numbers sketch a pattern where earnings lean toward men across the economy and underscore how pay gaps can influence household budgeting, family planning, and opportunities for advancement across many fields.
Managerial positions mirror the same unequal trend in absolute earnings. The data show female managers averaging about 110.6 thousand rubles, while men reach 159.3 thousand. Among specialists who are not in management, women average around 65 thousand rubles compared with 101 thousand for men. The nominal wage gap has roughly doubled since 2017, rising from about 13 thousand rubles to around 26 thousand rubles. The contrast between management and specialist tracks reinforces how leadership roles tend to carry higher pay and highlights how gender-related dynamics continue to shape earnings trajectories within the labor market. These patterns are not only about current paychecks but also about long-term financial security, retirement planning, and the ability to invest in education or training that could alter future earning paths.
Beyond standard employment numbers, the dataset also touches the freelance economy. Some figures indicate that women earn noticeably less than men when they work freelance, a pattern that feeds into an overall view of income inequality. The freelance sector often lacks the bargaining power found in salaried roles, and gender disparities can be amplified by differences in task selection, client networks, and access to lucrative assignments. When these freelance results are combined with official salary tables, they reinforce the conclusion that earnings gaps follow women through multiple forms of work in Russia, influencing decisions about gig work, portfolio diversification, and the pursuit of stable careers in different industries.
Sector differences remain substantial. In information technology the gap is particularly pronounced, with men on average earning about 38.6 percent more than women. The reported figures place men at 235,000 rubles per month and women at 169,500 rubles. In design the difference runs around 30 percent, with men at 102,700 rubles and women at 79,000 rubles. Marketing shows a gap near 23 percent, with men at 151,000 rubles and women at 122,000 rubles. These sectoral contrasts illustrate that the pay gap is not a single nationwide figure but a mosaic of industry-specific disparities that shape career paths, access to senior roles, and long-term financial planning for workers across Russia.
Public debates around these numbers reflect a broader concern with equality in earnings and opportunity. In one notable moment, Ostanina criticized Tkachev for condemning women’s aspiration to participate in politics, a reminder that discussions of pay and career choices intersect with political and social views. The Rosstat data, together with such conversations, point to a need for clear policies and corporate practices that promote fair pay, transparent advancement, and real access to high-paying roles for all workers. Taken together, the figures encourage a closer look at workplace practices, family policies, and educational pipelines that could help bridge the gap and secure more balanced economic outcomes for women and men across the economy.