County comparison · Ireland

Carlow vs Galway

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

9% gap

Galway pays 9% more than Carlow · €43,995 vs €40,363

Galway has the higher median salary at €43,995 per year, against €40,363 in Carlow — a gap of 9%. Looking at the longer trend, Galway has grown faster, at +2.4% per year on average. Human Health and Social Work Activities is the sector where the two counties diverge most, with a difference of €6,623.

Growth Comparison

+2.2%

Carlow annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.4%

Galway annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

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Carlow

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

Galway

€31,816€34,861€37,906€40,950€43,995201120142017202020232024

Carlow Gender Pay Gap

19%

Galway Gender Pay Gap

12%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Carlow Galway Diff
Information and Communication €66,959 €70,556 €-3,597
Education €55,074 €59,410 €-4,336
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €56,974 €54,987 +€1,987
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €48,268 €47,978 +€290
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €44,100 €47,835 €-3,735
Industry (B to E) €42,320 €45,154 €-2,834
Construction €43,325 €43,962 €-637
Human Health and Social Work Activities €38,870 €45,493 €-6,623
Transportation and Storage €38,915 €39,555 €-640
Administrative and Support Service Activities €38,209 €35,389 +€2,820
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €29,986 €33,557 €-3,571
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €24,961 €26,795 €-1,834
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €23,630 €27,265 €-3,635

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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 Galway?
Galway has higher salaries, with a median of €43,995 compared to €40,363 in Carlow — 9% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Carlow vs Galway?
The gender pay gap is 19% in Carlow and 12% in Galway.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Carlow or Galway?
Galway salaries are growing faster, at a compound annual rate of +2.4%, compared to +2.2% for Carlow.
Which sector explains the biggest gap between Carlow and Galway?
Human Health and Social Work Activities shows the widest gap: €38,870 in Carlow versus €45,493 in Galway.