Teachers in Bulgaria receive some of the lowest average gross annual salaries in Europe in 2026, the Education Trade Union at the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour said Monday in an analysis titled “Teachers in Europe and Bulgaria.”
According to Education and Science Ministry data cited by the union, the average gross monthly salary for teachers reached around EUR 1,565 in 2026, or EUR 18,786 a year.
The analysis cited the latest data showing that the highest average gross annual teacher salaries in Europe are in Denmark, at EUR 74,086, Iceland, at EUR 73,752, and Ireland, at EUR 69,747. At the lower end of the ranking are Slovakia, at EUR 22,936, Romania, at EUR 20,805, Latvia, at EUR 20,516, Greece, at EUR 18,746, and Turkiye, at EUR 18,669.
From January 1, 2026, the minimum basic gross monthly salary in Bulgaria is EUR 1,144.05 for a teacher, EUR 1,180.01 for a senior teacher and EUR 1,225.64 for a head teacher. For an entry-level teacher, this amounts to EUR 13,728.60 a year before supplements for length of service, class supervision, qualifications, mentoring and other duties.
The union said teachers’ average pay remains well below the target of 125% of the national average gross wage agreed in the collective labour agreement and pledged by the Progressive Bulgaria government. According to the latest comparable data from the National Statistical Institute and the Education Ministry, average teacher pay in 2026 is below 108% of the national average.
The union also criticized the continued use of school buildings as polling stations. It said that once again the day after elections is a non-teaching but attendance day, which is difficult to organize when classrooms remain unavailable after voting. It proposed that October 26 be declared a non-school and non-attendance day for students.
Amid uncertainty over the 2027 budget, the Education Trade Union said it was assessing teachers’ readiness for strikes and protests if there is no increase in salaries and education funding.
The analysis also compares pay across Europe. In the 2024/2025 school year, Luxembourg paid the highest teacher salaries in the EU across most education levels, with starting annual salaries of EUR 55,000-62,000 and maximum salaries of EUR 97,000-109,000, according to Eurydice data cited by the union.
The Netherlands and Germany were also among the highest-paying countries, depending on education level and career stage. At the other end, maximum annual salaries were EUR 18,000-22,000 in Slovakia and up to EUR 27,000 in Hungary and Czechia. The lowest starting salaries were recorded in Greece and Slovakia, at up to EUR 17,000.
The union also cited OECD research indicating that better teacher pay may contribute to better educational outcomes. It noted that in several EU countries teachers’ salaries have failed to keep pace with inflation.
Bulgarian Teachers’ Pay among Lowest in Europe in 2026, Education Trade Union Says THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-12 10:31:26
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