Vienna – A new OECD report reveals Austria faces a significant challenge in ensuring equitable retirement security, ranking fourth among developed nations for the disparity in pension payouts between men and women. The “Pensions at a Glance 2025” report, released Thursday, shows Austrian women receive pensions that are 35.6% lower than their male counterparts, a gap stemming from factors like career breaks and wage differences. While the global gender pension gap is narrowing Austria’s position underscores the need for continued policy focus on addressing systemic inequalities within its pension system[[1]].
Austria has the fourth-largest gap in pension payouts between men and women among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to a new report released Thursday. The disparity, reaching 35.6% in 2023, highlights a persistent global challenge in achieving gender equity in retirement security.
The OECD’s “Pensions at a Glance 2025” report revealed that while the gender gap in pension amounts has narrowed across OECD nations – falling from around 28% in 2007 to 22.8% in 2024 – Austria’s situation remains significantly above the average. The report’s findings underscore the complex factors contributing to these differences, including career interruptions, wage disparities, and differing contributions to pension systems.
Only Japan (47.3%), the United Kingdom (36.7%), and the Netherlands (36.3%) recorded larger pension gaps than Austria. Mexico followed closely behind with a 35.4% difference, while Switzerland registered a gap of 31.2%. The United States saw a gap of 28.9%, Italy 28.6%, and Germany 25.8%.
In contrast, several European nations demonstrated significantly smaller disparities. Estonia had the lowest gap at 5.6%, followed by Iceland (7.1%), Slovakia (8.4%), the Czech Republic (9.6%), and Slovenia (9.7%).
The OECD report provides a comparative analysis of pension systems across its 35 member countries, examining key indicators such as coverage, adequacy, and sustainability. The findings are intended to inform policy decisions aimed at strengthening retirement income security for all citizens.
