The formal business sector in the Dominican Republic employed 881,265 people in 2024, down 1.1% from the 891,144 workers recorded in 2023, according to the 2025 National Survey on Economic Activity (ENAE) published by the National Statistics Institute (ONE).
The formal business sector in the Dominican Republic employed 881,265 people in 2024, a decrease of 1.1% compared to the 891,144 employees recorded in 2023, according to the National Survey on Economic Activity (ENAE) 2025 published by the National Statistics Institute (ONE).
Despite the drop in employment, average monthly wages in the formal sector went up, rising from RD$31,213.11 in 2023 to RD$34,318.81 in 2024, reports the newspaper Dominican Today in its August 4, 2026 edition.
Mining and quarrying remained the highest-paying sector in the country, with average monthly wages increasing from RD$72,596.78 in 2023 to RD$76,136.48 in 2024. The electricity production and distribution sector comes in second, with wages rising from RD$65,644.66 to RD$68,863.20.
Other sectors with salaries above the national average include information and communication, construction, transportation and storage, trade, manufacturing, and water distribution.
At the same time, the accommodation and food services sectors continued to have the lowest average salaries in the formal economy, even though pay increased from RD$20,421.38 in 2023 to RD$23,193.42 in 2024.
The survey also showed that company size affects pay levels. Medium-sized companies (100 to 249 employees) offered the highest average salaries, going from RD$36,799.92 in 2023 to RD$40,330.30 in 2024, surpassing the average pay at large companies.
