Data from the Isle of Man Earnings Survey reveals a persistent gap between median wages in the public and private sectors over the last five financial years.
The figures, provided by the Minister for the Cabinet Office David Ashford, in response to a question from Onchan MHK Julie Edge, show public sector workers consistently earning more than their private sector counterparts.
In 2024, the median weekly wage for full-time public sector employees was £902, compared to £706 in the private sector.
Similar disparities were recorded in previous years, with public sector medians at £797 (2023), £774 (2022), £714 (2021), and £739 (2020), while private sector figures stood at £679, £615, £582, and £566 respectively.
Comparisons
Mr Ashford cautioned against direct comparisons, stating: “The public and private sectors have workforces which are composed quite differently. Consequently, differences in weekly earnings do not reveal differences in rates of pay for comparable jobs.”
He highlighted that many lower-paid occupations, such as bar staff and hairdressers, are concentrated in the private sector.
The data also showed greater earnings variance in the private sector, with a coefficient of variance of 69% in 2024, compared to 56% in the public sector.
The Minister noted the figures are subject to sampling error but emphasised their reliability, with relative standard errors remaining low (1-2%).
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