Lorraine Williamson
The Spanish gender pay gap remains stuck at around 20%, according to the latest labour-market analysis, highlighting how structural differences in employment patterns continue to shape earnings.
New figures show that men earn an average gross annual salary of €31,116, compared with €25,958 for women — a difference of more than €5,000 a year. Trade union Comisiones Obreras (CC.OO.) says the gap has barely shifted in recent years and could take decades to close without deeper reforms.
Part-time work remains the main driver
More than half of the gap is linked to the higher proportion of women working part-time. Care responsibilities still fall disproportionately on women, and many reduce their hours because of childcare or family duties rather than personal choice.
In 2024, around 385,000 women worked part-time for care reasons, compared with just 28,000 men. More than two million women were also economically inactive for the same reason, far higher than the number of men in that situation.
These patterns affect career progression, working hours, and access to higher-paid roles — all of which feed into the overall gap.
Bonuses and career progression widen differences
Variable pay, such as bonuses and allowances, accounts for nearly 40% of the gap. These extras are more likely to be awarded to full-time workers and those with uninterrupted career paths, which tends to favour men.
Availability for overtime, managerial roles, or physically demanding work can also influence who receives additional payments. Women, who more often adjust working patterns around care responsibilities, are less likely to qualify for these supplements.
Minimum wage rises helped — but only temporarily
Spain’s gender pay gap narrowed between 2018 and 2022, falling from 27% to around 19%. Analysts say that the drop was largely due to increases in the national minimum wage, which disproportionately benefited lower-paid sectors where women are overrepresented.
Since 2019, the minimum wage has risen by more than 60%, with another increase planned for 2026. However, the impact appears to have levelled off, and the gap has stabilised again at roughly one-fifth.
Calls for structural reform
Trade unions and equality advocates argue that closing the Spanish gender pay gap will require changes beyond wage policy. They are calling for stronger regulation of part-time contracts, better access to full-time roles, and expanded public childcare and eldercare.
A national care strategy, they say, would allow more women to work full-time and help redistribute unpaid care responsibilities more evenly between men and women.
Without broader structural measures, the gap is likely to persist. The latest data suggests that despite progress in some areas, pay inequality remains one of Spain’s most persistent labour-market challenges.