Spain's Civil Service Exams: Memorization Pays €2,000 Net

Passing a civil service exam now outweighs a strong CV

What happens when those who were always last in class start passing civil service exams? They become the winners, leaving those boasting about private sector careers to watch. A record number of public servant positions has reorganized the hierarchy of prestige in many circles: those who spent years alternating between unemployment and temporary work are securing posts, while those with stable private sector jobs watch this spectacle with a mix of astonishment and resentment. The most common diagnosis is uncomfortable: talent matters little; it only counts having luck with the topics that appear on the exam.

Why does passing a civil service exam reorder prestige within the group?

The hardest blow falls on those already inside. A Grade A2 civil servant with years of seniority summarizes the discomfort as something humiliating: seeing someone they considered the least capable in the group secure the same position and, moreover, earn more due to their assigned location. This phrase maps out the new social landscape. The position levels those who previously led and lagged behind. And an unexpected conclusion emerges: perhaps those labeled as slow-witted never were, and those who thought themselves smart for working in the private sector simply chose the wrong playing field.

How much do you really earn from a public post?

The first myth to fall is that of huge salaries. In administrative roles, figures range from €1,500 to €1,800 net per month, similar to what a supermarket cashier earns, with stability and schedule being the main differentiators. A secondary school teacher starts around €2,000 net for about 20 teaching hours weekly; a university professor with years of tenure approaches €3,000, the same figure as in France. Some argue these numbers are exaggerated for interest: some inflate them upwards, others omit supplements. Working hours also factor into the calculation. In some municipal offices, summer schedules are described as 10 AM to 1 PM, with the first staff member serving the public arriving at 10:15 AM.

Mortgages: The civil servant as bank collateral

The status change is most evident at the bank counter. Two acquaintances with savings of €50,000 and €75,000 went to apply for financing, and the first question was whether they were civil servants. When they said no, the conversation soured; one, self-employed, was met with a loud laugh heard throughout the branch, which he experienced as humiliation. This episode illustrates a logic increasingly discussed: the public salary functions as a guarantee that the private sector no longer offers. At the opposite extreme is someone who hasn't even taken up their post yet but already talks about maxing out a mortgage and buying a Tesla Model 3.

Is the exam a lottery of topics?

The method is under scrutiny. Some ask why memorize massive manuals if almost everything is just two clicks away, and the answer given is that the real skill isn't retention, but knowing which manual holds the data to hit the target directly. The comparison with a preacher who doesn't know the Bible by heart but quotes the exact verse at the right moment sums up this thesis. In police exams, it is argued, psychotechnical tests measure parrot-like capacity rather than the temperament to face crime or resilience against frustration, which are what truly matter in the job. The counter-thesis also circulates: the student who failed high school and was called incompetent can be the best when truly motivated.

France, Argentina, and the international mirror

Comparisons with other countries fuel both sides. In France, it is claimed, a university professor with years of experience earns the same as in Spain, around €3,000, but other jobs are better paid; hence, nobody fights to enter the public sector and it is difficult to fill teaching posts, whereas here people pay a fortune for the mandatory master's degree. French productivity is 50% higher than Spanish, which for some dismantles the narrative of public efficiency. In Argentina, according to circulating comparisons, public sector pay exceeds private sector. And the Greek case is recalled: after austerity cuts, those who kept their posts remained privileged.

The consolation of early risers in the private sector

There remains a consolation for those working in the private sector: they know how to work harder and better, or so they say. The problem is that this virtue doesn't count at the bank counter nor guarantees anything at fifty. Meanwhile, the position is already taken. Luck, they say, consists of being lucky. And that cannot be studied.