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31. Estonia: 21.3% -

Estonia has the highest gender pay gap in the EU, partly due to traditional roles and a highly segregated job market. Women often work in lower-paying sectors like education and healthcare.

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30. Austria: 18.4% -

Austria's persistent gap is influenced by women working part-time more often than men. Despite a strong economy, leadership roles remain disproportionately male.

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29. Switzerland: 17.9% -

In affluent Switzerland, high childcare costs and limited daycare access push many women into part-time jobs, contributing to the significant gender pay gap.

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28. Czech Republic: 17.9% -

The Czech Republic shows one of the widest gaps in Central Europe, with women underrepresented in high-paying tech and science fields.

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27. Slovakia: 17.7% -

In Slovakia, the gender pay gap reflects traditional gender roles and fewer women in managerial positions.

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26. Germany: 17.7% -

Germany's gap remains large despite progress. Many women face barriers to full-time work, often relying on mini jobs, which are low-paid part-time roles with limited benefits and little chance for advancement.

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25. Hungary: 17.5% -

Hungary's gap stems from rigid gender norms and a lack of flexible work policies for mothers, impacting women's career advancement.

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24. Latvia: 17.1% -

Latvia's pay gap is surprisingly high given its strong female workforce. A lack of women in top positions skews the average earnings.

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23. Finland: 15.5% -

Despite strong gender equality efforts, Finland's pay gap remains due to job segregation. Women dominate the public sector, which pays less than the private sector.

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22. United Kingdom: 14.9% -

The UK has taken steps like mandatory pay gap reporting, but high childcare costs and fewer women in senior roles keep the gap stubbornly wide.

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21. Norway: 14.4% -

Norway, often praised for gender equality, still sees a gap due to part-time work and career interruptions among women, especially after having children.

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20. France: 13.9% -

France has strong labor laws, but women remain underrepresented in top corporate roles. Despite having equal qualifications, many still earn less than their male counterparts.

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19. Denmark: 13.9% -

Denmark's generous parental leave hasn't fully closed the gap, as women more often take time off and work in lower-paying industries.

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18. Netherlands: 13% -

Dutch women are more likely to work part-time, even in skilled roles, contributing significantly to the persistent earnings gap.

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17. Bulgaria: 13% -

Unusual for Eastern Europe, Bulgaria's gap is moderate due to high female participation in STEM and managerial roles compared to neighboring countries.

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16. Portugal: 12.5% -

Portugal's gap reflects slower career advancement for women and limited access to leadership positions despite high female participation in the labor force.

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15. Croatia: 12.5% -

Croatia's gender pay gap is influenced by traditional gender roles and fewer women in well-paying technical and leadership roles.

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14. Lithuania: 12% -

Lithuania has a balanced workforce, but men dominate top-paying sectors, keeping the average wage gap higher than expected.

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13. Sweden: 11.1% -

Sweden is known for progressive policies, but women still cluster in lower-paid sectors like healthcare and education, creating a persistent gap.

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12. Greece: 10.4% -

In Greece, economic instability and a lack of childcare infrastructure have pushed many women out of higher-paying career paths.

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11. Malta: 10.2% -

Malta's gap reflects a male-dominated leadership culture, though recent government initiatives aim to boost female workforce participation.

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10. Cyprus: 10.2% -

Cyprus sees fewer women in high-paying industries and top corporate roles, although female education rates are high.

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9. Iceland: 9.3% -

In 2018, Iceland was the first country to require companies to prove pay equality by law, helping drive down the gender pay gap steadily.

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8. Ireland: 9.3% -

Ireland's pay gap has narrowed thanks to more women in leadership, but tech and finance sectors still show notable disparities.

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7. Spain: 8.7% -

Spain's strong family support policies have helped close the gap, though women remain underrepresented in executive roles.

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6. Slovenia: 8.2% -

Slovenia ranks well in gender pay equity, supported by strong maternity leave and widespread female employment in high-skilled roles.

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5. Poland: 7.8% -

Poland has a lower-than-average gap, helped by high female participation in STEM fields and fewer part-time roles.

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4. Belgium: 5% -

Belgium's proactive pay transparency laws and strong social policies have helped reduce its pay gap to one of the lowest in the EU.

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3. Romania: 4.5% -

Romania's small gap partly results from women holding more roles in technical fields and equal education access, though rural disparities persist.

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2. Italy: 4.3% -

Italy has a low official gender pay gap, but this hides deeper inequalities. Many women are excluded from the workforce altogether, often due to cultural expectations, limited childcare options, and economic barriers that discourage full-time employment.

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1. Luxembourg: -0.7% -

Luxembourg stands out in Europe, with women earning slightly more than men on average. Strong gender equality policies and high female employment in well-paid public sector roles contribute to this rare outcome.

Sources: (Eurostat) (Euronews) (United Nations) 

See also: These are the best countries to live in as a woman 

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