County comparison · Ireland

Carlow vs Dublin

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

22% gap

Dublin pays 22% more than Carlow · €49,224 vs €40,363

Dublin has the higher median salary at €49,224 per year, against €40,363 in Carlow — a gap of 22%. Looking at the longer trend, Dublin has grown faster, at +2.5% per year on average. Information and Communication is the sector where the two counties diverge most, with a difference of €26,963.

Growth Comparison

+2.2%

Carlow annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.5%

Dublin annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

Compare Next

This county head-to-head is usually the midpoint, not the end. Open either county directly or drill into the sector where the gap is most revealing.

Search Another Sector Or County

Use this county comparison as a waypoint, then pivot into either county directly or the sector that best explains the gap.

Open full search

Carlow

€30,161€32,712€35,262€37,813€40,363201120142017202020232024

Dublin

€35,550€38,969€42,387€45,806€49,224201120142017202020232024

Carlow Gender Pay Gap

19%

Dublin Gender Pay Gap

18%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Carlow Dublin Diff
Information and Communication €66,959 €93,922 €-26,963
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €48,268 €69,042 €-20,774
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €56,974 €58,423 €-1,449
Education €55,074 €51,637 +€3,437
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €44,100 €58,846 €-14,746
Industry (B to E) €42,320 €58,175 €-15,855
Construction €43,325 €48,566 €-5,241
Human Health and Social Work Activities €38,870 €47,164 €-8,294
Transportation and Storage €38,915 €47,042 €-8,127
Administrative and Support Service Activities €38,209 €38,888 €-679
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €29,986 €35,599 €-5,613
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €24,961 €32,868 €-7,907
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €23,630 €28,913 €-5,283

Next Step

Need salary benchmarks with live job-market context?

Salaries.ie shows the public data. If you want current openings, employer demand, and a stronger sense of what roles are actually live in Ireland, use RoleUp alongside the salary pages.

Keep Exploring

County comparison pages are most useful when they feed the next question: which sector explains the gap, and what does each county look like on its own?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has higher salaries: Carlow or Dublin?
Dublin has higher salaries, with a median of €49,224 compared to €40,363 in Carlow — 22% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Carlow vs Dublin?
The gender pay gap is 19% in Carlow and 18% in Dublin.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Carlow or Dublin?
Dublin salaries are growing faster, at a compound annual rate of +2.5%, compared to +2.2% for Carlow.
Which sector explains the biggest gap between Carlow and Dublin?
Information and Communication shows the widest gap: €66,959 in Carlow versus €93,922 in Dublin.