County comparison · Ireland

Cavan vs Donegal

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

10% gap

Cavan pays 10% more than Donegal · €40,596 vs €36,967

Cavan has the higher median salary at €40,596 per year, against €36,967 in Donegal — a gap of 10%. Looking at the longer trend, Donegal has grown faster, at +2.4% per year on average — so Donegal is closing the gap over time even though Cavan still pays more today. Information and Communication is the sector where the two counties diverge most, with a difference of €14,197.

Growth Comparison

+2.3%

Cavan annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.4%

Donegal annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

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Cavan

€30,000€32,649€35,298€37,947€40,596201120142017202020232024

Donegal

€26,992€29,486€31,980€34,473€36,967201120142017202020232024

Cavan Gender Pay Gap

17%

Donegal Gender Pay Gap

8%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Cavan Donegal Diff
Information and Communication €63,566 €49,369 +€14,197
Education €53,720 €55,582 €-1,862
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €56,063 €51,423 +€4,640
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €52,500 €41,915 +€10,585
Human Health and Social Work Activities €42,851 €43,273 €-422
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €41,250 €37,881 +€3,369
Industry (B to E) €42,424 €36,333 +€6,091
Construction €42,534 €35,000 +€7,534
Transportation and Storage €37,157 €33,828 +€3,329
Administrative and Support Service Activities €35,466 €30,278 +€5,188
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €29,161 €26,325 +€2,836
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €24,646 €21,194 +€3,452
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €23,480 €20,663 +€2,817

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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: Cavan or Donegal?
Cavan has higher salaries, with a median of €40,596 compared to €36,967 in Donegal — 10% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Cavan vs Donegal?
The gender pay gap is 17% in Cavan and 8% in Donegal.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Cavan or Donegal?
Donegal salaries are growing faster, at a compound annual rate of +2.4%, compared to +2.3% for Cavan.
Which sector explains the biggest gap between Cavan and Donegal?
Information and Communication shows the widest gap: €63,566 in Cavan versus €49,369 in Donegal.