Luoma leads earnings, Virolainen tops total income

Ilkka Luoma, head of the North Ostrobothnia welfare region, had the highest employment income among Finland’s welfare region leaders in 2025, while Päijät-Häme’s Petri Virolainen had the highest total income, Yle reports.

Luoma’s employment income was 250,282 euros. South Karelia welfare region leader Sally Leskinen ranked second, with 237,507 euros, and Virolainen was third, with 225,363 euros. Virolainen also received 70,665 euros in capital income, bringing his total income to 296,028 euros. Luoma and Leskinen had no capital income.

The leaders’ employment income ranged from 141,870 to 250,282 euros. Their tax rates were between 40 percent and almost 50 percent. Luoma paid 121,523 euros in tax, Leskinen 115,531 euros and Virolainen 127,252 euros.

Ranking changed from the previous year

Leskinen led the employment-income ranking the year before. Juhani Sand, who led the Pirkanmaa welfare region for 2025, ranked fourth with 223,993 euros. He was officially the region’s group director and served as acting welfare region leader for a year. The permanent leader, Marina Erhola, was called to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health for a year to oversee preparations for social and healthcare services across Finland.

The comparison covers the 21 welfare regions in mainland Finland. They receive funding from the state and are responsible for primary healthcare, social services, rescue services and specialist medical care. Helsinki and Åland are not welfare regions, and the comparison excludes the HUS Group, which is responsible only for specialist medical care in the Uusimaa region.

Smallest region had the lowest employment income

Mikko Komulainen, leader of the Central Ostrobothnia welfare region, had the lowest employment income, at 141,870 euros. The region had fewer than 68,000 residents. Komulainen also received 99,323 euros in capital income, the highest amount among the leaders.

East Uusimaa leader Max Lönnqvist had the second-lowest employment income, at 163,938 euros, followed by Central Uusimaa leader Raija Kontio, at 174,521 euros.

Financial pressure affected leaders’ positions

Welfare region leadership posts are relatively well paid but can be insecure. Jan Tollet resigned as leader of the Central Finland welfare region at the end of October 2025. The region’s worsening financial figures had led to a loss of confidence in him. Tollet’s employment income for the year was 177,646 euros, and he had no capital income. He also received a severance payment of 144,000 euros, which was paid this year.