The most recent data on the income of the Portuguese, when compared with earnings by citizens of other Member States of the European Union (EU), are stark, especially given their level of education. Workers with secondary education in 12 countries or with basic education in four EU countries earn more, on average, than Portuguese with higher education.

According to a report by Público, which is based on data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), between 2011 and 2019, those with basic education saw their salary increase by 5%. Those with secondary education saw their salary drop by 3%. In the case of higher education, there was a salary reduction of 11%.

These numbers were confirmed by Eurostat: between 2010 and 2020, the average annual income of Portuguese with higher education fell by 6.5%, equivalent to 1,422 euros less – it fell from around 21,900 euros to 20,476 euros. Those with basic education saw their average income rise by 11%, that is up to, 1,171 euros – from 10,270 per year to 11,441 euros. Portuguese with secondary education, on the other hand, had an increase of 5%, around 703 euros – with a salary rise from 13,513 to 14,216 euros per year.