Analysis: Official 2025 Salaries Released – Here Are the Winners and Losers
Introduction: The 2025 Salary Landscape Under the Microscope
Statistics Sweden (SCB) has published the official salary statistics for 2025. The numbers reflect a year of economic transition. Following a period of high inflation and rising interest rates, financial pressures began to ease during 2025, which is now showing in Swedish paychecks.
The average monthly salary in Sweden increased by an average of 3.46% across all occupation groups, equivalent to a nominal raise of roughly +1,471 SEK per month. However, behind this national average lies dramatic divergence between sectors. Some profession groups secured double-digit wage gains, while others saw their compensation stagnate or even shrink under the weight of market restructuring.
In this report, we analyze the biggest winners, the hardest-hit sectors, and the underlying news and events that explain these shifts.
The Biggest Winners: Defense, Finance, and Aviation
Occupations showing the strongest salary growth in 2025 were almost exclusively linked to acute skills shortages, new collective bargaining agreements, or expanded state spending.
1. Historic Boost for Military Personnel (Soldiers etc. +17.76%)
Following Sweden's accession to NATO and subsequent defense budget increases in 2024–2025, the state has actively worked to boost recruitment. This resulted in a historic wage adjustment for soldiers and military personnel, whose average salary rose from 30,400 SEK to 35,800 SEK (+5,400 SEK/month).
2. Global Pilot and Technician Shortage (Pilots +9.17%, Aircraft Technicians +13.09%)
The aviation industry experienced painful post-pandemic restructuring, culminating in 2024–2025 with airlines completing complex financial reorganizations (such as SAS exiting Chapter 11). An acute shortage of licensed crew and maintenance staff forced new collective agreements, raising average pilot pay to 76,200 SEK (+6,400 SEK) and aircraft technician pay to 57,900 SEK (+6,700 SEK).
3. Financial Sector Recovery (Financial Brokers +14.84%)
As the Riksbank (Sweden's central bank) began cutting interest rates in 2025, capital markets revived after years of sluggishness. This provided a significant lift to commission-based finance roles. Financial brokers and traders topped the absolute wage growth chart, climbing from 106,500 SEK to 122,300 SEK (+15,800 SEK).
The Losers: The Real Estate Slump and Corporate Cost-Cutting
At the other end of the spectrum, several corporate and management roles saw negative growth as businesses focused on profitability and debt reduction.