Income Report 2019 and 2020

Every other year, the Austrian Court of Audit (ACA) publishes the income data of those public sector companies and federal institutions that are subject to its audits. The income data indicated in the report are submitted by the companies and institutions themselves and analysed and structured by the ACA.

For 2019, data on 1,621 supervisory board members, 681 executive board members or executive directors and 240,784 employees was collected at 427 companies and institutions.

For 2020, data on 1,558 supervisory board members, 655 executive board members or executive directors and 245,494 employees was collected at 426 companies and institutions.

Executive board/executive directors: average income at EUR 220,600 in 2020

The average income of the members of executive boards or executive directors accounted for EUR 215,900 in 2019 and EUR 220,600 in 2020. The line of business with the highest average income of EUR 407.100 (2020) was “Transportation and Storage” (section H), followed by “Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing” (section A) with an average income of EUR 368,800. 

Employees in the financial and insurance sector are best paid

Across all lines of business, employees in public companies and federal institutions received an average income of some of EUR 57,000 (2019) and EUR 57,300 (2020). The highest average income was obtained by employees in the section “Financial and Insurance Activities” (K) with EUR 94,700 in 2020, followed by the section “Mining and Quarrying” (B) with an average income amounting to EUR 87,900. The lowest average income of EUR 28,200 was received by employees in the section “Accommodation and Food Services” (I).

Slight increase in the share of women in supervisory boards

The share of women in supervisory boards was at 31.7 per cent (2019) and 34.2 per cent (2020), representing an increase compared to 2017 (30.6 per cent) and 2018 (31.4 per cent).  

The income of female supervisory board members across all lines of business averaged EUR 4.719 in 2020, equalling 89.6 per cent of the average income of their male colleagues (EUR 5.268). In 2018, the average income of female supervisory board members was at 83.5 per cent of the income received by their male colleagues.

Less income for women in executive boards or female executive directors

The share of women in executive boards or of female executive directors was at 21.1 per cent and 22.1 per cent in 2019 and 2020, respectively. In comparison, the share of women in 2018 was at 21.6 per cent, which is even higher than the share of women in 2019.

The income of female board members or female executive directors across all lines of business averaged EUR 179,400 in 2020. This equalled 77.3 per cent of the average income of their male colleagues (EUR 232,207). In 2018, this percentage was higher, namely at 79.4 per cent of the average income of male board members or male executive directors.

Pension contributions at EUR 550.59 million in 2020

In 2020, additional contributions to pensions accounted for EUR 550.59 million for 24,942 persons. In 2019, such contributions amounted to EUR 546.72 million for 24.770 persons. This includes all pensioners as well as the surviving dependants of former employees, chairpersons of executive and supervisory boards and of members of executive and supervisory boards.