Women health workers face 28% monthly pay gap across Europe
A WHO/Europe analysis of the gender pay gap could explain why healthcare careers are becoming less attractive
Women working in health and care across Europe earn substantially less than their male colleagues, with a gender pay gap of 19% per hour and 28% per month, according to new analysis by WHO/Europe.
Women make up almost 77% of the health and care workforce across the WHO European Region, yet disparities persist even after accounting for differences in age, education, working hours, and public or private employment. The analysis covers 43 countries.
“Women make up the majority of the people who keep Europe's health systems running, yet they're paid less than their male counterparts, a gap that compounds over a lifelong career,” said Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of WHO/Europe’s Division for Health Systems.
The disparity becomes particularly pronounced among higher earners. Women at the bottom of the pay distribution earn about 2% less per hour than men, while the gap rises to almost 23% at the top.
After adjusting for age, education, hours worked and employment sector, the hourly gap falls from 19% to 6%, while the monthly difference drops from 28% to 10%.
Unequal pay may also make health careers less attractive and contribute to difficulties recruiting and retaining workers, while barriers to better-paid senior roles can limit women’s representation in leadership.
“This isn't a coincidence, and it isn't about qualifications,” Azzopardi-Muscat said. “Women are being paid less for the same work and passed over for the roles that pay more.”
WHO/Europe says governments can tackle the disparity through mandatory gender pay-gap reporting, stronger equal-pay laws and enforcement, and more detailed pay data collection. It also recommends addressing barriers to promotion, including unequal caregiving responsibilities and limited access to mentorship.
Another priority is reassessing how health and care jobs are valued, particularly in female-dominated occupations, so that wages better reflect workers’ skills and responsibilities.
“We know how to close the pay gap: transparency, enforcement, and removing the barriers that keep women out of senior roles,” Azzopardi-Muscat said.