Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
0 comments 
Consistent advance in monthly income reflects changes in the labor market, decrease in informality, and direct impact of the minimum wage adjustment at the beginning of 2026
The average monthly income of Brazilian workers reached a new historical milestone and once again drew attention in the national economic scenario. The information was released by “IBGE,” through the Continuous Pnad, with detailed data showing significant real growth even in a challenging economic environment. According to the survey, the average salary reached R$ 3,722 in the first quarter of 2026, consolidating the highest value ever recorded since the beginning of the historical series, started in 2012.
Moreover, the growth was not just nominal. On the contrary, there was a real increase of 5.5% above inflation compared to the same period in 2025. This data reinforces an important movement of recovery in the income of Brazilian workers, which directly impacts consumption, the economy, and the quality of life of the population.
Growth in average salary confirms upward trend in Brazil
By analyzing the most recent data, it is possible to see that the increase in income did not happen in isolation. In fact, the quarter ending in March 2026 marked the second consecutive period in which the average salary exceeded the R$ 3.7 thousand mark. Previously, in the quarter ending in February, the income had already reached R$ 3,702, indicating a continuation in the advance of earnings.
-
On May 1st, OPEC loses 113 billion barrels and 59 years of alliance: how the UAE’s exit can change the price of oil worldwide
-
In just five days, Europe began to lose 30% of Russian gas — and Nigeria entered the game that could change the planet’s energy balance.
-
Unilever announces it will raise prices for Dove, Axe, and dozens of brands that are in the homes of billions of people on the planet. The war in Iran triggered costs by up to 900 million euros, and now it’s the consumer who will pay the bill at the supermarket.
-
Dilma shuts the doors in Brasília to unlock an avalanche of BRICS investments in the Brazilian energy sector. The country has already broken records with 19 gigawatts contracted and now targets international partners to ensure that Brazil never again stays in the dark.
Furthermore, when compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, a period in which the average salary was R$ 3,662, there was an additional expansion of 1.6%. That is, growth has been occurring gradually, consistently, and sustainably over the past few months.
The data was released this Thursday (30) by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), in Rio de Janeiro, reinforcing the reliability of the information and the institutional weight of the survey, considered the main thermometer of the labor market in the country.
Even so, it is important to highlight that the evolution of income was not uniform across all sectors of the economy. The IBGE survey analyzed ten groups of activities and identified that, in eight of them, the average income remained stable, without significant variations. On the other hand, two sectors showed growth: commerce registered an increase of 3%, equivalent to an additional R$ 86, while public administration had an increase of 2.5%, representing an addition of R$ 127.
Factors explaining the increase in workers’ income
In this scenario, experts point out some determining factors for the advance in average income. According to Adriana Beringuy, coordinator of household surveys at IBGE, part of this growth can be attributed to the adjustment of the minimum wage, which came into effect at the beginning of January 2026, set at R$ 1,621.
According to the analyst, this adjustment represents not only an inflationary recomposition but also real gains above inflation, which directly contributes to raising the average income in the country.
However, this is not the only reason. In addition to the increase in the minimum wage, another relevant factor was the reduction in the number of employed workers. In the first quarter of 2026, there was a decrease of approximately 1 million employed people compared to the fourth quarter of 2025.
This reduction, in turn, was more concentrated among informal workers, who traditionally have lower incomes. As a result, the average salary of employed workers increased, as it began to reflect a group with proportionally higher income.
Therefore, although the growth is positive, it also reveals a change in the composition of the labor market, which requires a deeper analysis of the quality of available occupations.
Wage mass grows, informality decreases, and unemployment reaches the lowest level in history
Another extremely relevant data released by the IBGE concerns the wage mass of workers, which also reached a historical record. In the first quarter of 2026, the total reached R$ 374.8 billion, consolidating the highest value ever recorded by the survey.
Additionally, when compared to the same period of the previous year, there was a real growth of 7.1%, which represents an increase of R$ 24.8 billion circulating in the Brazilian economy. This amount has a direct impact on consumption, debt payments, investments, and even family savings.
In parallel, the survey revealed significant progress in labor formalization. The proportion of workers contributing to social security reached 66.9% of the employed population, the highest level ever recorded, totaling 68.174 million protected people.
This growth is directly related to the reduction of informality. In the quarter ending March 2026, the informality rate was 37.3%, equivalent to 38.1 million workers. For comparison, at the end of 2025, this rate was 37.6%, while in the first quarter of 2025, it reached 38%.
Even so, IBGE points out that informal workers can also contribute individually to INSS, even without a formal employment relationship, which expands access to social protection.
Finally, another positive indicator reinforces this scenario: the unemployment rate was 6.1% in the first quarter of 2026, the lowest level ever recorded for this period. The Pnad Contínua considers only those who sought employment in the 30 days prior to the survey as unemployed, which covers 211 thousand households in all states and the Federal District.
Do you feel that this increase in the average salary has truly reflected in your life, or is it still far from your daily reality?
Be the first to react!