Average Salaries in Israel Rise Sharply with Finance Sector Leading Gains

In June 2026, the average monthly salary for salaried employees in Israel reached 15,223 shekels, marking a 7.7% increase compared to June 2025 and a 6.7% rise from May 2026, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Employment also grew, with the number of salaried positions increasing by 1.1% monthly to 4.216 million jobs, reflecting a 2% annual rise and ongoing recovery from employment disruptions during recent conflicts.

While the overall wage growth is notable, disparities between sectors have widened. The high-tech industry reported an average salary of 35,760 shekels in May 2026, up 13.7% year-over-year, but employment growth in the sector was minimal at 0.2%, with 397,100 jobs. Consequently, high-tech’s share of total salaried jobs declined slightly to 9.5% from 9.7% the previous year.

The financial sector, encompassing banks, insurance companies, and investment houses, experienced the highest annual salary increase in May 2026, with average wages rising 17.9% to 27,143 shekels. This sector employs 108,500 workers, representing 2.6% of all salaried jobs. The wage surge correlates with increased profits in banking and institutional bodies, which boost employee bonuses.

Together, high-tech and finance sectors employ about 12.1% of salaried workers (approximately 505,000 jobs) but account for nearly 28.8% of total wage payments. In contrast, labor-intensive sectors such as education and healthcare, welfare, and social services, which employ 645,300 and 633,300 workers respectively, have average salaries below the national average, at 10,091 and 9,815 shekels.

These figures highlight growing wage inequality across Israel’s economy, with high-paying sectors expanding earnings while large employment sectors remain comparatively low-paid.