Starting in 2027, Uzbekistan plans to phase in the calculation and official publication of median salaries, wage distribution curves, modal intervals, and the proportion of low-wage workers, the press service of the National Statistics Committee reported.
The editorial team had inquired why official wage statistics rely exclusively on the arithmetic mean, and whether the committee could also disclose data on median and most frequently occurring salaries.
In response, the committee explained that the arithmetic mean has long served as the primary metric in practical statistics. This is because the figure can be computed rapidly using aggregated data, specifically total payroll funds and average employee headcounts across enterprises and organizations.
Conversely, calculating median wages and the most frequently occurring income brackets requires worker-level metrics, including granular data on wage distribution, individual working hours, and other microdata.
The committee also noted that the Feb. 24, 2025 presidential decree mandates the overhaul of statistical operations. The directive prioritizes aligning methods with international standards, deploying digital technologies, deepening integration with information systems across ministries and agencies, and reducing the reporting burden on respondents.
"In line with these mandates, the National Statistics Committee is conducting pilot projects to expand the scope of wage indicators, specifically focusing on the calculation of median wages and modal wage intervals," the committee stated in its response.
The median wage represents the midpoint of the labor market, where exactly half of the workforce earns below this threshold and the other half earns above it. Unlike the arithmetic average, the median is less skewed by a small group of high-income earners, thereby providing a more accurate reflection of what an "average worker" actually takes home.
The committee further noted that in practical applications, the most common wage level is best calculated not as a single fixed sum, but as a modal interval—a specific wage bracket containing the highest concentration of employees.
For instance, if the largest single group of employees earns between 4 million and 5 million soums, this exact bracket serves as the modal interval. This metric is crucial for understanding the most frequent earning reality in the current job market.
The phased rollout and official publication of these new statistical indicators are scheduled to begin in 2027.
As a point of reference, the average wage in Uzbekistan exceeded 6.8 million soums during the first quarter (January–March). The highest average salary was recorded in the capital city of Tashkent at 11.7 million soums, while the lowest was found in the Qashqadaryo region at 4.7 million soums. By sector, the average wage stood at 4.6 million soums in education and 4.1 million soums in healthcare.
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