The Ministry of Science has released detailed salary data for higher education institutions for July, revealing a gap from assistant to full professor with tenure that raises questions about the future of academic careers in Croatia.
The Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth on Wednesday released salary data for public higher education institutions, vividly illustrating the financial range within the academic community. While a full professor with tenure received an average net salary of 3,409 euros in June, an assistant received 1,479 euros net, a difference of nearly 2,000 euros per month.
The Ministry's data shows a clear hierarchical progression in earnings. Full professors earned an average of 2,955 euros net, associate professors 2,584 euros, and assistant professors 2,201 euros. Senior assistants received an average of 1,879 euros net, while assistants were at the bottom of the scale with 1,479 euros.
Median salaries, which more accurately reflect the earnings of employees in the middle of each group, paint a similar picture. For full professors with tenure, the median net salary reached 3,402 euros; full professors received 2,953, associate professors 2,575, assistant professors 2,192, senior assistants 1,851, and assistants 1,445 euros.
Alongside salary data, the Ministry also published the average age of employees by rank. Professors with tenure average 58 years old, full professors 52, associate professors 48, and assistant professors 44. Senior assistants average 36 years old, while assistants, at 32, are the youngest category.
These figures confirm that this is a system where the highest earnings are only reached near the end of one's career, which, combined with starting salaries of around 1,500 euros net, can be demotivating for young scientists.
The Ministry also confirmed that July salaries for employees in the science and higher education system were paid on August 11. The publication of payment dates will now also have practical importance, as institutions, after transitioning to centralized payroll, no longer receive the FINA statement that served as proof of payment. This function will now be taken over by the Ministry's monthly notification.
For the public, however, the more significant aspect of the released figures is this: at the start of an academic career, a young assistant in Croatian higher education can expect net earnings of approximately 1,500 euros, while the highest salary on the teaching scale exceeds 3,400 euros. This ratio of starting salaries, the lengthy advancement process, and the opportunities the private sector offers to experts will increasingly affect the ability of Croatian universities to retain a new generation of scientists and educators.
