Statistikk innhold

Statistics on

Number of employments and earnings

The statistics track how many jobs there are in Norway, the development in monthly earnings and the index of monthly earnings. The statistics include both residents and non-residents in all age groups. Figures are published quarterly and monthly, with more detailed figures for the quarterly publication.

Updated: 9 May 2025
Next update: 22 May 2025

Selected figures from the statistics

  • Change in the number of jobs, employees and remuneration of cash. Final and preliminary seasonally adjusted figures
    Change in the number of jobs, employees and remuneration of cash. Final and preliminary seasonally adjusted figures
    February 2025 -March 2025January 2025 -February 2025
    Preliminary figuresFinal figures
    ChangePer cent changeChangePer cent change
    Number of employees (persons), seasonally adjusted1450.01 7810.1
    Number of jobs (employments), seasonally adjusted-1 2960.04 6560.1
    Average remuneration in cash (NOK) , seasonally adjusted4200.8-380-0.8
    Explanation of symbols
  • Number of jobs and average monthly basic earnings, by sex
    Number of jobs and average monthly basic earnings, by sex
    Number of jobs (employments)Average monthly basic earnings (NOK)
    1st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 20251st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 2025
    Absolute numbersPercentage changeAbsolute numbersPercentage change
    Both sexes
    All ages3 099 6011.056 4505.2
    Less than 25 years439 4941.235 7004.6
    25-39 years1 028 7780.652 6705.2
    40-54 years975 838-0.161 3505.0
    55-66 years578 1232.562 8605.4
    67 years or older77 3686.958 7804.7
    Males
    All ages1 596 8510.959 0905.1
    Less than 25 years210 0941.436 7604.6
    25-39 years533 5700.454 3305.2
    40-54 years502 879-0.364 6904.9
    55-66 years303 6452.767 0405.1
    67 years or older46 6636.362 4304.6
    Females
    All ages1 502 7501.053 2105.3
    Less than 25 years229 4001.134 2304.6
    25-39 years495 2080.850 7105.1
    40-54 years472 9590.157 4005.1
    55-66 years274 4782.357 6805.7
    67 years or older30 7057.951 0105.2
    Explanation of symbols
  • Number of jobs and average monthly basic earnings, by county
    Number of jobs and average monthly basic earnings, by county
    Number of jobs (employments)Average monthly basic earnings (NOK)
    1st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 20251st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 2025
    Absolute numbersPercentage changeAbsolute numbersPercentage change
    31 Østfold136 8030.251 5805.1
    32 Akershus339 6791.057 2605.1
    03 Oslo576 5490.763 8505.0
    34 Innlandet186 9250.550 9505.2
    33 Buskerud137 6900.953 4705.0
    39 Vestfold120 2740.753 3405.4
    40 Telemark84 9501.653 0505.5
    42 Agder160 2501.152 9305.2
    11 Rogaland292 7821.858 5405.3
    46 Vestland365 0161.355 4505.2
    15 Møre og Romsdal145 3761.052 9905.4
    50 Trøndelag - Trööndelage265 0470.754 8905.2
    18 Nordland - Nordlánnda129 2360.452 8405.6
    55 Troms - Romsa - Tromssa101 0532.453 4204.9
    56 Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku42 2270.951 9205.5
    Explanation of symbols
  • Number of jobs and average monthly basic earnings, by industry division (17 groups, SIC2007)
    Number of jobs and average monthly basic earnings, by industry division (17 groups, SIC2007)
    Number of jobs (employments)Average monthly basic earnings (NOK)
    1st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 20251st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 2025
    Absolute numbersPercentage changeAbsolute numbersPercentage change
    All industries3 099 6011.056 4505.2
    Agriculture, forestry and fishing37 1732.451 5206.4
    Mining and quarrying70 1163.577 1405.5
    Manufacture229 0751.556 3905.4
    Electricity, water supply, sewerage, waste management38 8722.565 3605.8
    Construction246 733-2.153 9305.6
    Wholesale and retail trade: repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles382 9410.450 9005.1
    Transportation and storage146 7461.953 8005.1
    Accommodation and food service activities126 9103.940 0205.9
    Information and communication116 507-1.373 3005.3
    Financial and insurance activities54 6092.176 4805.0
    Real estate, professional, scientific and technical activities196 6420.770 2205.2
    Administrative and support service activities157 257-0.649 6705.2
    Public adm., defence, soc. security200 3553.860 2603.3
    Education263 989-0.655 9904.8
    Human health and social work activities697 1311.450 7105.4
    Other service activities132 2022.252 3805.1
    Unspecified2 343-3.475 5505.7
    Explanation of symbols
  • Earnings index and average earnings, by industry division (17 groups, SIC2007)
    Earnings index and average earnings, by industry division (17 groups, SIC2007)
    1st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 20251st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 2025
    Average monthly basic earnings (NOK)Index of average monthly basic earningsPer cent change monthly basic earningsAverage monthly earnings (NOK)Index of average monthly earningsPer cent change monthly earnings
    All industries56 450105.25.260 960105.25.2
    Agriculture, forestry and fishing51 520106.46.454 380108.18.1
    Mining and quarrying77 140105.55.5100 280103.53.5
    Manufacture56 390105.45.460 830106.46.4
    Electricity, water supply, sewerage, waste management65 360105.85.868 050105.35.3
    Construction53 930105.65.658 230106.06.0
    Wholesale and retail trade: repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles50 900105.15.155 470105.05.0
    Transportation and storage53 800105.15.159 620106.16.1
    Accommodation and food service activities40 020105.95.942 590109.39.3
    Information and communication73 300105.35.380 780103.73.7
    Financial and insurance activities76 480105.05.082 350104.04.0
    Real estate, professional, scientific and technical activities70 220105.25.273 690105.15.1
    Administrative and support service activities49 670105.25.253 470105.55.5
    Public adm., defence, soc. security60 260103.33.364 100103.93.9
    Education55 990104.84.856 140104.84.8
    Human health and social work activities50 710105.45.455 020105.25.2
    Other service activities52 380105.15.154 550106.36.3
    Unspecified75 550105.75.782 710108.28.2
    Explanation of symbols
  • Job flows, by industry division (17 groups, SIC2007)
    Job flows, by industry division (17 groups, SIC2007)
    Number of jobs (employments)Job decreases, all establishmentsJob increases, all establishments
    1st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 20251st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 20251st quarter 20251st quarter 2024 - 1st quarter 2025
    Absolute numbersPercentage changeAbsolute numbersPercentage changeAbsolute numbersPercentage change
    All industries3 099 6011.0260 728-8.1290 776-5.9
    Agriculture, forestry and fishing37 1732.44 822-1.75 708-8.2
    Mining and quarrying70 1153.53 48810.25 8730.6
    Manufacture229 0761.515 203-17.318 677-9.5
    Electricity, water supply, sewerage, waste management38 8732.52 200-16.23 153-20.7
    Construction246 733-2.133 884-10.128 618-18.2
    Wholesale and retail trade: repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles382 9410.436 137-7.237 832-1.4
    Transportation and storage146 7461.913 940-11.416 729-3.4
    Accommodation and food service activities126 9103.915 546-12.320 2577.0
    Information and communication116 508-1.312 758-7.711 237-25.3
    Financial and insurance activities54 6082.12 6510.43 775-19.5
    Real estate, professional, scientific and technical activities196 6410.721 9704.223 400-6.5
    Administrative and support service activities157 257-0.621 707-22.020 825-8.9
    Public adm., defence, soc. security200 3553.86 702-35.513 97118.1
    Education263 989-0.612 8295.211 288-14.7
    Human health and social work activities697 1321.441 9150.651 761-2.2
    Other service activities132 2022.113 8180.716 6003.9
    Unspecified2 342-3.51 1587.11 072-12.6
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The information under «About the statistics» was last updated 9 October 2024.

The statistics of the number of employees and jobs (employments) are based on reported information from A-ordningen every month and for the middle month of a given quarter. Statistics Norway follows the recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO) regarding the preparation of labour statistics in the choice of key concepts and definitions.

Important definitions

Employed persons

Employed persons are persons who performed paid work of at least one hour's duration in the reference week, as well as persons who have such work but who were temporarily absent due to illness, vacation, paid leave, etc. Persons who are serving in the military, performing civil work, etc. are regarded as employed. Employed persons include employees and self-employed persons, but this statistic only covers employees.

Employees

Employees are persons who receive compensation for work in the form of earnings. For employees with more than one job (employment), one is established as the most important (i.e., the main job (employment)).

Job/employment

Job/employment: Job and employment are used synonymously and define work compensated by earnings. A person may have several jobs/employments in different establishments.

Characteristics related to employer

Place of work and industry division

The characteristics of the place of work and industry division are obtained from the Central Register of Business Establishments and Enterprises (CRE) and apply to the establishment where the person works.

Sector

Sector is obtained from the Central Register of Business Establishments and Enterprises (CRE) and apply to the enterprise where the person works. The following division is used:

  1. Central government: comprises central governmental units that carry out political responsibilities, provide and enforce regulations, produce public services (mainly non-market) and redistribute income and wealth.
  2. Local government: comprises local and regional institutional units (mainly counties and municipalities) that carry out political responsibilities and produce public services (mainly non-market).
  3. Private sector, public enterprises, and unspecified: comprises private enterprises and public incorporated enterprises not included in the central or local government. Public incorporated enterprises are enterprises where the state - directly or indirectly - holds a stake of more than 50 percent of the paid-in-capital.

Personal characteristics

Place of residence, sex, and age

Characteristics such as place of residence, sex, and age are obtained from the National Registry. Age is determined on the 16th of every month, while the place of residence is by the end of each month.

Residents

Residents are defined as persons registered in the National Registry including temporary residents who plan on staying in Norway for six months or more.

Non-residents

Non-residents are defined as persons registered in the National Registry with a planned stay in Norway of less than six months. Non-residents include persons with a temporary social security number (D-number) or registered as emigrants, but who work in Norway.

Immigrants

Immigrants are defined as persons who are born abroad, have foreign-born parents and grandparents, and later immigrated to Norway.

Employment-related characteristics

Occupation

Information on occupation is based on the standard Classification of Occupations (STYRK-08), which is based on ISCO-08 (COM). The occupation code is determined by the employee’s specific duties, not their level of education, the type of position concerned, salary or industry. It is up to the employer to decide which occupation code is correct. Employers report a 7-digit occupational code from the old standard for occupational classification (STYRK98) when reporting the a-melding (skatteetaten.no). SSB converts all 7-digit codes to a 4-digit STYRK-08. This table shows the conversion: Correspondence table between the occupational catalogue, based on STYRK-98, and STYRK-08. We lack information on occupation for foreign contractors who have only been reported to the Norwegian Tax Agency's Assignment and employee register (skatteetaten.no). Missing information on occupation also occurs due to errors in the reporting. In addition, it was voluntary for employers to report the occupational code in the a-melding for freelancers, contractors and fee recipients from 2015 to March 2019. From April 2019, the occupational code was mandatory for this group as well. The latter contributes to a large decrease in the number of unspecified occupations between 2018 and 2019.

Contractual percentage of full-time equivalent

Contractual percentage of full-time equivalent is what you have agreed to work according to your contract of employment. The employer shall not consider additional work, overtime or different types of absence from work or if the hours have been paid or not. The information on contractual percentage of full-time equivalent is based on what is reported to a-ordningen.

For persons that are paid by the hour without contractual working hours per week, e.g. on-call temporary workers, the employer can report 0 as contractual percentage of full-time equivalent. Statistics Norway will then calculate contractual percentage of full-time equivalent from what is reported as paid hours and number of hours that corresponds to a 100 per cent position in the moth of reporting.

For the employment type "freelancers", contractual percentage is not mandatory to report.

Contractual working hours

By combining information regarding contractual percentage of full-time equivalent and number of hours per week in a full position, contractual working hours per week is calculated for each employment (job) and wage earner (person).

Contractual working hours in a full position per week

The number of hours in a full position is the number of working hours that makes a full position in a similar employment. Unpaid lunchbreaks are withdrawn, but it is not adjusted for potential additional work, overtime or different types of absence from work.

Contractual full-time/part-time

Contractual full-time/part-time: Full time is when the contractual percentage of full-time equivalent equals 100 or more. Part-time is when the contractual percentage of full-time equivalent is less than 100.

Earning terms

The quarterly earnings statistics only include persons with earnings in a given quarter. Therefore, the number of jobs that are the basis for the earnings statistics may differ from the total number of jobs.

The term earning relates to payment for work in an employment relationship. The statistics do not include payment or benefit in kind, insurance, expense allowance, holiday pay, etc. Gross earnings before tax are the basis of the earning terms.

Basic monthly earnings

Basic monthly earnings are an estimated quarterly size. It is the fixed amount that is paid, defined as hourly, monthly, fortnightly, or weekly earnings. Basic monthly earnings are the actual paid amount at the time of count and are often described as earnings on a scale or regular basic earnings. Qualification/skills allowances and other regular personal allowances are included. Basic monthly earnings are published as an average per full-time equivalent.

Monthly earnings

Monthly earnings include basic monthly earnings, variable additional allowances and bonuses. This is measured in the middle month of the quarter. Overtime pay is not included in monthly earnings. Monthly earnings are published as an average per full-time equivalent.

Full-time equivalents

To compare earnings between full-time and part-time employees, the earnings of part-time employees are converted to the equivalent for full-time work. By using the percentage of each part-time employee’s position as a conversion factor. Monthly earnings per full-time equivalent for part-time employees are merged with the monthly earnings of full-time employees, allowing the average monthly earnings for all employees to be estimated.

Payment in cash

Payment in cash includes all payments in cash from the employer including basic monthly earnings, fixed and variable additional allowances, bonuses, overtime pay, and other payments in cash not specified here, before taxes. Published payment in cash figures are averages per job (not as full-time equivalents).

Earnings index

Indices are used to show development over time. Principally, an index is just another way of showing growth. Instead of calculating growth since the dawn of time, the index takes a base year as a starting point and calculates forwards and backwards therefrom. The base value in the starting point is set to 100 in the index and the development is measured against this figure. If the index number is 120, it means that there has been a growth of 20 percent since the base year.

In this statistics, two figures are presented as indices: 1) Index of average monthly basic earnings and 2) Index of average monthly earnings.

Job flows: Job increases and job decreases in establishments

Job increases and job decreases are based on whether the number of jobs (employments) in a given establishment has increased or decreased during the last year for a given quarter. The tables distinguish between job flows as a result of new establishments, terminated establishments, and increase/decrease in existing establishments.

Existing establishments is an establishment with employees on both points of measure. New establishments were not established or had no employees at the first point of measure. Terminated establishments had employees at the first point of measure but were terminated or had no employees at the last point of measure.

Within the different industries, job increases, and job decreases can be a result of existing establishments changing industries between the points of measure. All jobs (employments) that are moved count as job decreases in the industry they are leaving, and job increases in the industry they are entering. The establishment can have the same number of jobs (employments) on both points of measure, but we will still see a job increase in one industry and a job decrease in another. In the statbank table, there are numbers that specifically show job increase and job decrease as a result of existing establishments changing industries. This will also be the case when distinguishing job increase and job decrease by sector. Since establishments can change an industry without changing sector and vice versa, the number of jobs increases and job decreases in the tables by industry will differ from the numbers in the tables by sector.

Labour force flows: New hirings and terminated hirings

Labour force flows occur as a result of a replacement of employees in establishments. This is affected by new hires, terminated hires, and employees changing jobs. Jobs (employments) are measured by establishments, which means that employees changing establishments within the same enterprise also contributes to labour force flows. The statistics are based on two points of measure (same quarter, past and present year), meaning that short-term jobs (employments) between the points of measure are not included in the labour force flows.

Labour force flows and job flows are closely related. Job flows describe job increases and job decreases, and the establishments are the focus area. Labour force flows to focus on the employee, and the statistics allow for distinguishing numbers by sex, age, education, immigration categories, etc. In total, job increases and job decreases (job flows) add up to the same change in the number of jobs as new hires and terminated hirings in the establishments (labour force flows).

Relatert innhold