In the fall of 2026, the labor market in Ukraine shows a steady trend toward income redistribution in favor of blue-collar and technical specialties. According to OLX Work data published by RBC-Ukraine, the median salary in the construction and finishing works sector reached 38,080 hryvnias in September 2026, which is 11% higher than the same period in 2025. Meanwhile, blue-collar specialties took the leading positions in absolute pay levels among individual professions: plasterers were offered an average of 85,000 hryvnias per month, which is 33% more than a year earlier. This shift reflects a growing shortage of qualified personnel with practical experience and high employer competition for specialists capable of performing tasks "here and now."
Industry Leaders: Real Estate, Construction, and Medicine
Among the analyzed industry categories, real estate remains the absolute leader in median salary at 40,358 hryvnias in September 2026 (+13% compared to September 2025). Construction and finishing works came in second (38,080 hryvnias, +11%), followed by banking, finance, insurance, and legal sectors at 29,343 hryvnias (+7%), and manufacturing with blue-collar specialties at 29,000 hryvnias (+19%). Notably, manufacturing recorded one of the most noticeable annual increases, indicating active demand for skilled workers. In medicine and pharmaceuticals, the median salary was 27,221 hryvnias, but this category showed the maximum annual growth at 40%, signaling systemic wage increases in the sector. In call centers and telecommunications, employers offered a median of 27,226 hryvnias (+12%).
Top 3 Professions: Plasterer, Dentist, Facade Worker
Looking at individual vacancies rather than broad industry categories, the picture is even more striking. Plasterers took first place in median salary for September 2026 at 85,000 hryvnias per month, up 33% from September 2025. Dentists ranked second with a median of 70,375 hryvnias (+28% for the year). Facade workers shared third place, being offered 70,000 hryvnias (+19%). Thus, two of the top three highest-paying professions belong to the construction sector, where practical skills and confirmed work experience are key factors. Maria Abdullina, head of OLX Work, emphasized that blue-collar specialties make up a significant share of the highest-paying vacancies, opening real income-boosting opportunities for candidates in professions previously not considered lucrative.
Bottom Segment: Cleaning, Security, Education
At the opposite end of the scale are sectors with the lowest median salaries. In cleaning and domestic personnel, the median payment level was 14,066 hryvnias (+14% for the year); in security and safety, 16,381 hryvnias (+4%); and in education and translation, 17,000 hryvnias (+27%). Although absolute values remain low, growth rates in education and translation (27%) and cleaning (14%) show that even in the "bottom" segment, the market is gradually adjusting wages upward. Meanwhile, security and safety, with growth of only 4%, remains the category with the lowest momentum, which may indicate a labor market oversaturation in this segment.
Context: IT, Logistics, and General Market Dynamics
For a complete picture, data previously published by RBC-Ukraine should be considered: in September 2026, the largest median salary increase was recorded in the IT sector—up 18% to 32,500 hryvnias. Most vacancies nationwide were in manufacturing, logistics, and retail, while the number of offers grew fastest in education and medicine. Combined, these data confirm that Ukraine's labor market in the fall of 2026 is undergoing active restructuring: wage growth is observed across almost all categories, though rates vary significantly. According to Maria Abdullina, the key factor determining payment levels is not formal education, but practical experience and demand for specific skills, which is especially evident in construction and technical professions.
