Average salaries in Finland are at approximately the same level as in many other European countries, although are lower than in the United States. IT specialists, meanwhile, benefit from earning more than the national average in Finland.
How much you can earn
The average salary across all sectors in Finland stands at about €3,080 per month. The average salary for information technology graduates in the country is 25% higher — about €3,900 per month or €46,800 per year. And only 10% earn €5,170 per month or more, according to the Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland (TEK).
Experienced IT workers earn about €4,760 per month or €57,120 per year on average. Salaries range from €2,440 to €7,680.
Here are the average IT salaries in Finland (€ per month, before taxes) depending on the specialization, according to Salary Explorer:
- Android developer: 4,270
- Angular developer: 3,790
- Blockchain developer: 4,180
- Business Intelligence developer: 4,880
- C# developer: 4,570
- C++ developer: 4,950
- Data analyst: 4,210
- Database administrator: 4,490
- Front-end developer: 3,830
- Full-stack developer: 4,530
- Game developer: 4,210
- Information security specialist: 5,290
- IT project manager: 6,660
- iOS developer: 4,870
- Java developer: 4,780
- JavaScript developer: 4,310
- Network engineer: 3,860
- PHP developer: 4,000
- Python developer: 4,540
- Ruby developer: 4,060
- Salesforce administrator: 4,400
- Salesforce developer: 3,540
- Scrum master: 3,470
- SharePoint developer: 4,470
- Software architect: 4,340
- Software engineer: 4,280
- Software QA engineer: 4,210
- Software test engineer: 3,870
- Solutions architect: 5,920
- Systems architect: 4,480
- Technical writer: 3,970
- UX designer: 3,710
- Web designer: 3,780
- Web developer: 3,730
According to a study by Tietoala ry (Association of IT employees), mid-sized organizations employing 11 to 100 people pay the highest remuneration to software developers with an average salary standing at €4,539. Companies with more than 100 employees offer an average salary of €4,156. In small companies of 1 to 10 people, a software developer earns an average of €3,776.
The same study shows that IT salaries also depend on the worker’s experience varying from about €2,890 for employees with 1–2 years of experience to €5,730 per month for those with work experience of 16–20 years.
Also, according to Salary Expert, employees with work experience from 2 to 5 years earn on average 32% more than juniors. As you hit the 10 years mark, the salary increases by 21% and an additional 14% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
Don’t forget that you’ll also have to pay income tax (up to 30–40% of your salary). For example, if your annual remuneration is the average IT salary of €57,120 per year, you’ll take home just about €35,840 and pay €21,280 in taxes. These are rough figures, though: your income tax depends on many factors such as your marital status, home city, benefits, reimbursement of expenses, etc. You can use an online calculator to get an estimation of your net salary in Finland.
Image: If you make €57,120 a year living in Finland, you will be taxed €21,280 (Neuvoo.com)
Cost of living in Finland
Goods and services in Finland cost about 20% higher than the EU average. However, many services (education, health care) are funded by tax revenue, which makes them cheaper for the residents than in many other countries.
The minimum expenses in Finland are about €1,100 to €2,900 per month depending on the size of your family and your spending. This sum includes the following monthly expenses:
- Rental accommodation: 400 – 1,500
- Food: 300 for one person or 570 for a family
- Insurance: 10–40
- Leisure activities: 30–70
- Utilities and Internet: 100–200
- Transportation (unlimited bus and train pass, gas): 90
- Daycare for children: 330
Keep in mind that life in Helsinki is more expensive than in other cities in Finland.