SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees in Zambia

Zambia: SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees was 24.99 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
24.99
Change on year
up 34.8%
World rank
44th
of 68 countries
All-time high
31.86
in 2017
All-time low
17.26
in 2018
Years of data
8
2017–2024

SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees in Zambia, 2017–2024

01020302017202020242017: 31.92018: 17.32019: 17.52020: 18.22021: 18.92022: 20.72023: 18.52024: 25

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

Zambia recorded 24.99 for sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 34.8% on the previous year and down 21.6% over ten years.

That places Zambia 44th out of 68 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Zambia, 2017 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2017 31.86
2018 17.26 -45.8%
2019 17.54 +1.6%
2020 18.16 +3.5%
2021 18.87 +3.9%
2022 20.67 +9.5%
2023 18.54 -10.3%
2024 24.99 +34.8%

Zambia compared with similar countries

  • Zambia's 24.99 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 73.82, 34% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
  • Zambia's 24.99 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 208.39, 12% of the median. (11 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 22.22 17.26 31.86 3
2020s 20.25 18.16 24.99 5

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 41 Botswana 37.25 compare
  2. 42 Egypt 32.91 compare
  3. 43 Romania 32.71 compare
  4. 45 Germany 24.92 compare
  5. 46 Bolivia 23.67 compare
  6. 47 United Kingdom 21.67 compare

See the full ranking of 68 places →

More work & labour data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in Zambia?
Sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in Zambia was 24.99 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 31.86 in 2017.
What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 17.26 in 2018.
How does Zambia rank for sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees?
Zambia ranks 44th out of 68 countries with data for 2024.
Is sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is down 21.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/sdg-indicator-8-5-1-average-hourly-earnings-of-employees-previous-ilo-definition-icls13/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees (previous ILO definition - ICLS13)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
68 places, 879 data points, 2000–2025
Last refreshed

Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. This indicator presents data by sex on employees' average hourly earnings. The concept of earnings, as applied in wage statistics, relates to gross remuneration in cash and in kind paid to employees, as a rule at regular intervals, for time worked or work done together with remuneration for time not worked, such as annual vacation, other type of paid leave or holidays. Earnings exclude employers' contributions in respect of their employees paid to social security and pension schemes and also the benefits received by employees under these schemes. Earnings also exclude severance and termination pay. Data are also disaggregated by occupation. Statistics on average hourly earnings by sex are the basis for the calculation of the gender pay gap. Data disaggregated by occupation are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). Data may have been regrouped from the national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISCO. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.