The latest average earnings index has landed… what does it tell us about islanders’ wages over the past 12 months?

Statistics Jersey has published the latest earnings figures for June 2025.

The figures reveal how wages are faring in Jersey, which sectors are earning the most, and how much of an impact inflation is having.

The report measures changes in average earnings paid between June 2024 and June 2025 on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis, and is based on earnings data collected from firms in the private sector and from all Government of Jersey departments.

Express took a look at the key findings…

Small growth in wages

On average, earnings were 4.5% higher in June 2025 than in June 2024.

That is slower than the 6.4% rise recorded last year and the 8.8% increase in 2023, which was the strongest growth for more than two decades.

Pictured: Annual percentage change in the Index of Average Earnings. (Statistics Jersey)

However, when applying the inflation rate of 2.6%, average earnings in June 2025 increased in real terms by only 1.9%. This compares with 1.3% in 2024, and a 2% real-terms fall in 2023.

Looking at the longer term, average earnings have fallen by 1.4% in real terms over the last ten years.

Public and private sectors

Average earnings increased by 4.5% in the private sector and by 4.8% in the public sector.

After inflation, that equates to rises of 1.9% and 2.2% respectively.

The report highlights that public sector earnings have decreased by 0.9% in real terms over the last decade, to a 3.1% decrease in the private sector for the same period.

By industry

Agriculture and fishing recorded the biggest annual change, up 13.4%. Statistics Jersey said the increase was driven by longer working hours and the rise in the minimum wage to £13 per hour.

Private education, health and other services rose by 8.0% – driven by “some companies awarding substantial pay increases to staff and more overtime being worked compared with June 2024”.

Pictured: Annual percentage change in average earnings by sector. (Statistics Jersey)

Wholesale and retail earnings increased by 5.4%, while hotels, restaurants and bars rose by 5.1%. Both were influenced by the higher minimum wage, according to Statistics Jersey.

Financial and legal activities, the Island’s highest-earning sector, saw below-average growth of 3.1%.

Construction and quarrying were the only sectors to record a fall, with earnings down 0.2% year-on-year.

The decline comes amid continuing difficulties in the industry, which has seen a string of company failures, including Camerons in 2023 and Style Group earlier this month.

And on average…

Median weekly earnings for a full-time employee were £890 in June 2025, up £40 on last year.

Pictured: Index of Average Earnings in nominal and real terms. (Statistics Jersey)

The mean average was £1,000 per week since the large number of high earners pulls the earning distribution higher. This figure is unchanged from last year.

Across sectors, average weekly pay ranged from £690 in hotels, restaurants and bars to £1,320 in financial and legal services.

Real-term earnings have seen little change since 1990.

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