The teachers’ pay rise will continue in 2026, with funding from both Hungary and the European Union.
Following several stages of pay increases, the average salary of teachers working in public education reached 80% of the average salary of graduates in 2025. The Hungarian Government has committed to maintaining this level until the end of 2031. From January 2026, a further pay increase of 10% on average at institutional level came into effect. The measure is helping to make the teaching profession more attractive and to support the retention of teachers.
The pay rise is financed from the national budget and co-financed by the European Union. In the 2021–2027 development period, the European Social Fund Plus is providing more than HUF 700 billion to support the programme. This EU funding complements the pay development undertaken by the Government through two HRDOP Plus projects: “Teacher Career Model” and “Teacher Career Model – for teachers working with disadvantaged pupils”.
In the 2021–2027 EU development period, each Member State identifies strategic operations that are especially important for achieving the objectives of its operational programmes. In Hungary, these strategic developments are called Pillars. One of the Pillar areas of HRDOP Plus is the Teacher Career Model. Its aim is to provide teachers with a more stable, predictable and attractive career path.
The programme also gives additional allowances to teachers who work with disadvantaged pupils, teach in catch-up settlements, or work in institutions that support integration. In this way, the development not only contributes to higher teacher salaries, but also gives special recognition to those working in more challenging educational settings.
