Ukraine has a significant income gap between men and women. According to the results of the first quarter of 2026, the average monthly salary of women was almost 9,000 hryvnias lower than that of men. The largest disparity is observed not in heavy industry, but in intellectual and high-paying sectors of the economy.
Official statistics for the first months of this year were published by the State Statistics Service of Ukraine (State Statistics Service).
Numbers and percentages: the real state of affairs
According to the agency, the average recorded salary in the country during this period reached the level of 28 hryvniasHowever, by category, income was distributed extremely unevenly:
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33 hryvnias — average monthly income of men;
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24 hryvnias — the average salary of women.
Thus, women in Ukraine currently receive only 73 % from the average earnings of men. The overall gender pay gap is about 27 %For comparison, in the countries of the European Union this indicator on average fluctuates within 11–12%, which is more than half the Ukrainian realities.
Top 3 industries with the most income discrimination
The most noticeable difference in wallets remains in profitable industries, where a significant portion of top management and managerial positions are traditionally concentrated.
Version "Kyiv1" brought together the leading sectors in terms of the level of financial gap into a single table:
| Field of activity / Industry | How much more do men earn than women? | The main factor of the disparity |
| Arts, sports, entertainment and recreation | 47,1 % | The highest difference is due to fee-based contracts |
| Financial and insurance activities | 38,7 % | Concentration of men in management positions in banks |
| Information and Telecommunications (IT) | 37,8 % | Imbalance between technical (Dev) and non-technical (HR, QA) roles |
The paradox of the digital sector: The appearance of IT and telecommunications in the top three anti-leaders came as a surprise to many analysts. This sector is usually associated with modern approaches, flexible schedules and accessibility. However, statistics show that men still dominate at the level of top management positions and high-tech development (Senior/Lead), while women are more likely to occupy positions in administration, marketing, HR and recruiting, where the stakes are lower.
Why does such a gap arise?
Labor market experts emphasize that the 27% gender gap is not formed because women in exactly the same position in the same company are paid less for similar work (this is prohibited by law). The real reasons are much deeper:
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"Glass ceiling": Lower proportion of women in senior management of large companies and corporations.
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Career breaks: Breaks in work related to childcare and maternity leave, which slows down professional growth.
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Occupational segregation: High concentration of women in traditionally lower-paid budget sectors of the economy (education, medicine, social sphere).
The situation is also significantly complicated by the geographical factor. As reported "Kyiv1" Previously, Kyiv almost twice surpassed other regions of Ukraine in terms of average salary (the difference between the capital and the lowest-paid regions already exceeds 26 thousand hryvnias). Therefore, in the capital, where the head offices of large companies and IT giants are concentrated, the gender gap in real money is felt most acutely.
