Methodology behind the salary survey
Paylab.ro is a website where you can compare salaries for over 700 job positions. The list of positions reflects the labor market in the Slovak Republic and is continuously updated.
This salary survey was launched in 2007 (then under the name Merces.sk). The methodology for collecting, compiling, processing, and evaluating data in the survey was developed by Alma Career Slovakia s. r. o. The same methodology is used across localized salary portals in the Czech Republic (Platy.cz), Hungary (Fizetesek.hu), Poland (Pensjometr.pl), Bulgaria (Zaplatomer.bg), Romania (Paylab.ro), Estonia (Palgad.ee), Lithuania (Manoalga.lt), Latvia (Algas.lv), Croatia (Mojaplaca.hr), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Plata.ba), North Macedonia (Mojaplata.mk), Serbia (Infoplate.rs), and on the international portal Paylab.com.
Who is Paylab.ro for?
The portal is intended for people in the labor market who want to compare their salary, and for companies that need to make remuneration decisions based on current and reliable data.
Individuals
People not only in Slovakia but in virtually every labor market have the need to compare their salary, mainly to find out whether they are fairly compensated for their work. For many, salary represents a measure of recognition and self-worth, and serves as a practical indicator for financial planning and career decision-making.
Comparison can motivate improved performance, further education, or a job change. It also promotes transparency and helps uncover potential inequalities in remuneration. Ultimately, it’s not just about money, but also about the feeling of fairness, recognition, and equality in the workplace.
Companies
Companies conduct salary research to stay informed about current trends and remain competitive in the labor market. This helps them attract and retain talented employees, set fair and transparent salary policies, and prevent turnover.
Such data also support budget planning, performance-based remuneration, and internal benchmarking of positions. As a result, companies can effectively manage their compensation strategies and build a trustworthy work environment.
Salary Comparison for Individuals
Employed individuals can compare their salary for free on Paylab.ro with current market wages. To make the comparison, it is necessary to fill out an anonymous salary questionnaire. The result is a report showing how their salary compares to the current average salary in the market, taking into account the region specified in the questionnaire. The report is supplemented with salaries by age and, for comparison, salaries in selected countries. It also includes the most common non-financial benefits offered for the position and tips on how to negotiate salary.
Paylab.ro Services for Companies
Services for companies are provided through the Salary Tool, a web application where the service Salaries from Employees can be activated.
Salaries from Employees
We collect salary data directly from employed individuals who have filled out the salary questionnaire. These data are automatically cleaned of duplicates and extreme values. The cleaned data enter our smart model, which is based on quantile regression and considers relationships between positions, regions, company size, education, experience, and age. This allows us to determine salary levels even for positions with fewer respondents. Each report transparently states the number of respondents used to calculate the data for the selected position.
The report includes a histogram—a graph showing the distribution of employees in the sample across salary bands.
Another important statistic is the salary range expressed through basic percentiles, comparing base and total salary.
Salary data for companies are displayed using the following percentiles:
- 1st decile – 10% of employees earn less than the given value
- 1st quartile – 25% of employees earn less than the given value
- median – half of employees earn less/more than the given value
- 3rd quartile – 25% of employees earn more than the given value
- 9th decile – 10% of employees earn more than the given value
Additionally, clients can choose the so-called midpoint, the percentile value for which they wish to see the corresponding salary in the report.
The report continues with additional graphs and tables showing salary breakdowns by key criteria that influence salary: experience, company size, education, age, etc. At the end of the report, a salary forecast for the following year is also included. The salary report can be targeted to a specific industry.
Company Size
- Small company – up to 50 employees
- Medium company – 50 to 249 employees
- Large company – over 250 employees
Experience
- junior – up to 2 years of experience
- medior – 3 to 5 years of experience
- senior – 6 or more years of experience
Information on Financial and Non-Financial Benefits
In addition to salary data, if there are enough respondents, the report also provides an overview of the compensation package and non-financial benefits. Data on financial and non-financial benefits are calculated using classical statistics, and we require at least 15 respondents who meet all criteria specified in the form.
Salary data in the Salaries from Employees service are updated monthly.
Due to the international nature of the survey, companies can access salary data for over 130 countries worldwide. The unified global methodology allows for salary comparisons across different countries.
When Is It Not Possible to Display Salary Data?
Despite applying our smart model, it may happen that salary information for a given position cannot be displayed. This occurs mainly with new positions or when there is historically too little data collected for a country.
In such cases, we offer individuals a document with advice and tips on how to negotiate salary. Users can request automatic delivery of the salary comparison once it becomes available. All they need to do is provide their email address, and we will send them a link to the comparison.
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