Hungary raises teacher salaries by 0.4% amid criticism over admin burden

The Hungarian government issued a decree in the Magyar Közlöny raising teacher and vocational‑trainer salaries by an average of 0.4 percent, roughly 3,000 forints per month, starting January 2026. The measure adds a modest raise on top of the 10 percent increase already in effect and aims to bring average teacher pay to 80 percent of the average graduate salary to meet EU expectations.

KDNP parliamentary group leader Bence Rétvári criticised the change, arguing that the administrative workload associated with the adjustment could outweigh the modest pay rise. He noted that previous governments raised average teacher salaries from about 215,000 to over 900,000 forints, while the current increase adds only 40 forints to the junior‑teacher allowance, from 11,660 to 11,700 forints. Rétvári questioned Education Minister Judit Lanner's commitment to recognising teachers’ work.

The decree also adjusts the pay caps for educators and sets a deadline for employers to pay any retroactive differences by August 2026.