Comparing Weekly Work Hours and Salaries in OECD Countries
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Charted: Hours Worked vs. Salaries in OECD Countries

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A chart with the average number of working hours per week, with a typical weekly wage in 35 OECD countries.

Comparing Weekly Work Hours and Salaries in OECD Countries

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is generally regarded as a collection of highly developed, high income countries. However with 38 member states from across the globe, economic prosperity can still vary widely between these nations.

To illustrate this, Truman Du from Genuine Impact charts the average weekly work hours and salaries across the OECD in 2022.

For wages, the OECD divided a country’s total wage bill by the average number of employees, accounting for inflation by using USD constant prices with a 2016 base year. Importantly, they also adjust using purchasing power parity (PPP) for private consumption of the same year.

Ranked: OECD Countries By Working Hours & Average Pay

Here’s a list of 35 OECD countries ranked by their weekly wage in 2022.

Iceland has the highest weekly wage at $1,528 in the OECD block much higher than all four of its Nordic neighbors. This results in Icelandic workers, on average, earning nearly $55/hour.

RankCountryAvg. Weekly Wage (USD)Avg. Weekly Work (Hours)Avg. Hourly Rate (USD)
1🇮🇸 Iceland$1,528.3327.87$54.84
2🇱🇺 Luxembourg$1,505.9628.33$53.15
3🇺🇸 United States$1,489.6834.83$42.78
4🇨🇭 Switzerland$1,403.7129.40$47.75
5🇧🇪 Belgium$1,247.0729.35$42.50
6🇩🇰 Denmark$1,233.2026.38$46.75
7🇦🇹 Austria$1,226.9527.76$44.19
8🇳🇱 Netherlands$1,215.8727.44$44.31
9🇦🇺 Australia$1,142.4632.83$34.80
10🇨🇦 Canada$1,135.5832.42$35.02
11🇩🇪 Germany$1,133.4725.79$43.96
12🇬🇧 United Kingdom$1,038.1729.46$35.24
13🇳🇴 Norway$1,033.7727.40$37.73
14🇫🇷 France$1,014.6829.07$34.91
15🇮🇪 Ireland$1,004.6731.87$31.52
16🇫🇮 Finland$996.8428.81$34.60
17🇳🇿 New Zealand$975.4333.62$29.02
18🇸🇪 Sweden$969.3627.70$34.99
19🇰🇷 South Korea$940.8136.56$25.73
20🇸🇮 Slovenia$907.7631.13$29.16
21🇮🇹 Italy$863.3332.59$26.49
22🇮🇱 Israel$849.1536.38$23.34
23🇱🇹 Lithuania$843.7431.23$27.01
24🇪🇸 Spain$824.2231.61$26.08
25🇯🇵 Japan$798.2530.90$25.83
26🇵🇱 Poland$709.5534.90$20.33
27🇪🇪 Estonia$667.4034.05$19.60
28🇱🇻 Latvia$656.4629.87$21.98
29🇨🇿 Czech Republic$643.7633.73$19.08
30🇨🇱 Chile$635.4237.75$16.83
31🇵🇹 Portugal$613.8831.44$19.52
32🇭🇺 Hungary$547.5932.68$16.75
33🇸🇰 Slovak Republic$505.0531.19$16.19
34🇬🇷 Greece$499.6036.27$13.77
35🇲🇽 Mexico$320.8742.81$7.49

Note: 2022 data for OECD members Colombia, Costa Rica, and Türkiye is missing from the source and has not been included.

Luxembourg, ranked second place, is the only other country with an average weekly wage that comes in above $1,500.

The U.S. ($1,490), Switzerland ($1,404), and Belgium ($1,247) round out the top five countries with the highest weekly pay in the OECD.

On the other hand, Mexican workers make around $321 a week, the lowest in this dataset.

Hourly Wages & Cost of Living

Despite the wage data using PPP-adjusted metrics, it still doesn’t fully account for discrepancies in local prices, which are influenced by complex factors like tariffs and fuel costs for imported goods, the impact of monopolies and cartels, the price of non-traded goods (energy, housing costs) and government taxes.

And while the difference in salaries seem massive, paying workers enough to meet their costs of living also plays a factor. Countries with higher weekly wages also correlate with a much higher cost of living and vice versa.

Switzerland, Denmark, and Iceland for example are in the top 10 countries with the highest cost of living compared to Mexico, which is far more affordable.

So, while it seems that an average Icelandic worker makes almost 7x what an average Mexican worker makes, the reality of how much of that wage is spent in supporting an average lifestyle in both countries is less direct.

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This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

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Demographics

Population Projections: The World’s Top Countries by 2100

How will the world’s population change by 2100? We explore UN projections for the top 8 countries, highlighting major demographic shifts.

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Population Projections: The World’s Top Countries by 2100

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • India’s population will peak sometime in the 2060s, while others will continue to grow steadily all the way to the end of the century.
  • China’s population is expected to drop off dramatically due to economic trends and the lasting effects of its one-child policy.

By the end of this century, global demographics could look dramatically different than they do today. While some countries will be growing, others will be in the midst of long-term declines.

Using the latest data from the UN’s 2024 World Population Prospects, this infographic visualizes how the world’s most populous countries are expected to change by 2100.

Animated Chart: Population Projections to 2100

This graphic is also animated! Check out the video below to see how these demographic shifts will play out over time.

Data & Discussion

The data we used to create this graphic is listed in the table below. According to these projections, India will be the most populous country in 2100, followed by China, Pakistan, and Nigeria.

Data in millions

YearIndia
🇮🇳
China
🇨🇳
Pakistan
🇵🇰
Nigeria
🇳🇬
DRC
🇨🇩
U.S.
🇺🇸
Ethiopia
🇪🇹
Indonesia
🇮🇩
1950342.6539.235.536.912.2153.117.568.1
1951350.0548.936.237.612.4155.317.869.5
1952357.8558.637.038.412.7157.618.271.1
1953366.0571.637.839.112.9160.018.572.7
1954374.2583.538.739.813.2162.418.974.4
1955383.1596.839.640.613.5164.919.276.3
1956392.3610.340.641.313.8167.519.678.3
1957401.7622.841.642.114.1170.120.080.3
1958410.8637.942.742.914.4172.820.382.5
1959420.8650.543.943.714.7175.620.684.7
1960430.8654.945.144.615.1178.721.187.1
1961441.2654.746.345.515.5181.821.689.5
1962451.9656.947.546.515.9185.122.292.1
1963462.6673.348.847.516.3188.322.894.7
1964473.7695.850.148.516.7191.323.497.4
1965484.8713.851.549.517.2194.324.0100.3
1966495.5733.052.950.617.7197.024.6102.5
1967506.0751.854.451.718.2199.525.3105.1
1968517.2770.356.052.818.7201.926.0107.9
1969528.2791.757.654.019.3204.126.7111.0
1970539.5812.659.355.219.9206.527.4114.1
1971552.2834.161.056.520.4209.128.2117.2
1972564.0854.162.757.921.0211.729.0120.4
1973577.0873.364.559.321.5214.029.8123.7
1974590.0891.966.460.822.1216.030.6126.9
1975604.1908.768.462.522.7218.131.3130.2
1976618.5923.570.564.323.3220.232.1133.5
1977633.2937.372.766.223.9222.233.0136.8
1978648.4949.875.168.324.5224.333.4140.2
1979663.1962.577.570.425.5226.534.1143.7
1980679.2976.180.572.626.3228.734.4147.2
1981695.5990.284.174.927.1231.034.5150.7
1982711.91005.287.577.227.9233.436.1154.3
1983728.71022.090.779.528.8235.837.3157.8
1984746.01036.293.881.329.7238.238.2161.5
1985763.71051.596.683.730.8240.539.3165.0
1986781.61068.199.986.131.8242.940.4168.5
1987799.81086.4103.388.432.8245.141.7171.8
1988818.11106.0106.990.833.8247.343.3175.2
1989836.61124.4110.593.334.9249.545.0178.5
1990855.51143.5114.295.836.0251.846.7181.9
1991874.51163.6118.298.437.3254.948.5185.1
1992893.41177.9122.0101.038.5258.050.9188.4
1993912.51191.2125.1103.739.9261.252.8191.7
1994931.71203.4128.9106.541.4264.154.6194.9
1995950.61214.6132.6109.443.9266.956.6198.2
1996970.01225.7136.6112.345.0269.558.5201.5
1997989.41236.2140.5115.245.6272.260.4204.9
19981008.91246.1144.5118.346.5274.862.4208.2
19991028.41255.6148.5121.448.1277.564.4211.5
20001048.01264.7152.6124.749.7280.166.4214.6
20011067.81274.4157.1128.151.3282.968.4217.6
20021088.01283.0161.4131.652.9285.770.5220.6
20031107.21290.7165.0135.354.6288.572.7223.6
20041126.41298.3169.2139.156.1291.374.9226.5
20051145.61305.9173.4143.057.9294.277.2229.3
20061163.71314.2177.5147.059.7297.279.5232.4
20071182.01321.9181.9151.161.5300.381.9235.5
20081199.31329.7187.1155.463.4303.484.3238.6
20091216.51338.0191.9159.865.4306.586.8241.7
20101234.51347.1196.9164.367.5309.589.2244.8
20111252.51356.0201.6169.069.7312.691.8247.9
20121270.01364.5205.9173.872.0315.694.5251.1
20131287.41374.6209.4178.674.5318.697.1254.3
20141304.31383.4212.7183.577.1321.699.8257.4
20151320.21392.5215.8188.379.7324.6102.5260.4
20161335.81399.8218.8193.082.4327.6105.3263.2
20171352.11408.3221.5197.985.6330.7108.2266.0
20181367.21416.4225.0202.688.6333.7111.2268.7
20191382.11421.6228.8207.291.5336.4114.2271.2
20201396.01425.4232.8211.794.4339.1117.3273.7
20211409.31426.8237.2216.397.6339.7120.5275.9
20221419.11426.1241.7220.8100.7340.6123.7277.6
20231431.71424.3245.7225.5104.1342.5127.0280.0
20241444.41420.9249.3230.3107.5344.5130.4282.4
20251457.41417.7253.2235.1111.0346.4133.8284.6
20261470.31414.5257.2240.0114.6348.2137.2286.8
20271483.01411.4261.4244.9118.3349.9140.6289.0
20281495.41408.0265.7249.9122.0351.6144.1291.0
20291507.51404.3270.1254.8125.8353.2147.6293.0
20301519.41400.3274.6259.9129.6354.9151.1294.9
20311530.91396.0279.2264.9133.5356.4154.6296.8
20321542.21391.5283.9269.9137.4358.0158.1298.6
20331553.11386.6288.6275.0141.4359.5161.7300.4
20341563.61381.5293.4280.1145.4361.0165.2302.1
20351573.81376.2298.2285.2149.5362.6168.8303.8
20361583.61370.6303.1290.2153.6364.0172.3305.4
20371593.01364.8307.9295.3157.8365.4175.9306.9
20381602.01358.8312.8300.3161.9366.9179.4308.4
20391610.61352.6317.7305.3166.2368.2183.0309.8
20401618.71346.2322.5310.2170.4369.6186.6311.2
20411626.51339.5327.3315.2174.8370.9190.3312.4
20421633.81332.5332.2320.0179.1372.1193.9313.6
20431640.71325.3336.9324.9183.6373.3197.5314.8
20441647.11317.9341.7329.6188.0374.5201.2315.8
20451653.21310.2346.5334.3192.6375.6204.8316.8
20461658.91302.1351.2339.0197.2376.6208.5317.7
20471664.21293.6355.9343.6201.8377.6212.2318.5
20481669.11284.7360.5348.1206.4378.6215.9319.2
20491673.61275.3365.1352.6211.1379.5219.5319.9
20501677.71265.5369.6357.0215.9380.4223.2320.5
20511681.51255.1374.1361.4220.6381.3226.8321.0
20521685.01244.3378.6365.7225.4382.1230.5321.4
20531688.11232.9383.0369.9230.2383.0234.2321.7
20541690.91221.0387.3374.1235.1383.8237.8322.0
20551693.31208.7391.6378.2239.9384.5241.3322.3
20561695.41196.0395.9382.3244.8385.3244.9322.4
20571697.21182.9400.1386.3249.6386.0248.5322.5
20581698.71169.5404.3390.2254.5386.8252.0322.6
20591699.81155.9408.4394.1259.4387.7255.4322.6
20601700.71142.1412.4397.9264.2388.5259.0322.6
20611701.21128.2416.4401.7269.1389.3262.5322.5
20621701.41114.2420.4405.3274.0390.2265.9322.4
20631701.21100.2424.3409.0278.8391.1269.3322.2
20641700.71086.3428.1412.5283.6392.0272.7322.0
20651699.91072.5431.8416.0288.4392.9276.1321.8
20661698.71058.8435.5419.4293.2393.8279.3321.6
20671697.21045.2439.1422.6297.9394.8282.6321.3
20681695.41031.7442.7425.9302.7395.8285.9321.0
20691693.21018.5446.2429.0307.4396.7289.1320.6
20701690.61005.3449.6432.0312.1397.7292.2320.2
20711687.8992.3452.9434.9316.7398.7295.3319.9
20721684.6979.3456.1437.8321.3399.7298.4319.4
20731681.0966.5459.2440.5325.9400.6301.5319.0
20741677.2953.6462.3443.2330.4401.5304.5318.5
20751673.1940.9465.2445.7334.9402.4307.6318.0
20761668.6928.1468.1448.2339.4403.4310.6317.4
20771664.0915.3470.9450.5343.8404.3313.5316.8
20781659.0902.5473.6452.8348.2405.1316.4316.2
20791653.8889.6476.1454.9352.5405.9319.2315.6
20801648.4876.7478.5457.0356.8406.7321.9314.9
20811642.7863.8480.9458.9361.0407.5324.6314.2
20821636.8850.9483.2460.7365.2408.3327.2313.5
20831630.8838.0485.5462.4369.4409.0329.9312.7
20841624.5825.2487.6464.0373.5409.8332.4311.9
20851618.1812.4489.6465.5377.5410.5334.9311.1
20861611.5799.8491.5466.9381.5411.2337.4310.2
20871604.8787.3493.4468.2385.4411.9339.8309.4
20881598.0775.0495.1469.4389.2412.6342.1308.5
20891591.0762.8496.8470.4393.0413.4344.4307.5
20901583.9750.8498.4471.4396.7414.1346.5306.6
20911576.7739.0499.9472.3400.3414.8348.8305.6
20921569.4727.4501.4473.1403.8415.6350.9304.6
20931562.1715.9502.9473.9407.3416.3353.0303.6
20941554.6704.5504.2474.5410.7417.0355.0302.6
20951547.1693.3505.5475.0414.0417.8357.0301.5
20961539.6682.2506.7475.5417.2418.5359.0300.5
20971532.0671.2507.8475.9420.3419.1361.0299.4
20981524.4660.2508.8476.2423.4419.8362.9298.3
20991516.8649.4509.7476.5426.4420.4364.7297.2
21001509.1638.7510.6476.7429.3421.0366.4296.1

🇮🇳 India Population Projections

India recently overtook China to become the world’s most populous country, and it’s projected to continue growing until 2062, peaking at 1.7 billion people.

Birth rates in the country have actually been declining since the 1960s, but are currently at a relatively high 2 births per woman.

🇨🇳 China Population Projections

China held the title of the world’s most populous country for many decades, but is now shrinking due to its rapidly aging population and falling fertility rates.

Based on these projections, China’s population will be 639 million in 2100, which is 788 million lower from its 2021 peak.

🇺🇸 U.S. Population Projections

The U.S. is currently the world’s third biggest country, but is expected to fall to sixth place by 2100. Unlike many other developed countries, however, the U.S. should keep growing throughout this century.

Most of this growth will be due to immigration, rather than new births, as fertility rates in the U.S. are already below the replacement level.

Learn More on the Voronoi App 

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