County comparison · Ireland

Clare vs Donegal

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

19% gap

Clare pays 19% more than Donegal · €44,081 vs €36,967

Clare has the higher median salary at €44,081 per year, against €36,967 in Donegal — a gap of 19%. 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 Clare still pays more today. Industry (B to E) is the sector where the two counties diverge most, with a difference of €15,151.

Growth Comparison

+2.3%

Clare annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.4%

Donegal 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

Clare

€32,737€35,573€38,409€41,245€44,081201120142017202020232024

Donegal

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

Clare Gender Pay Gap

17%

Donegal Gender Pay Gap

8%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Clare Donegal Diff
Education €58,118 €55,582 +€2,536
Information and Communication €61,313 €49,369 +€11,944
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €55,159 €51,423 +€3,736
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €47,845 €41,915 +€5,930
Industry (B to E) €51,484 €36,333 +€15,151
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €49,282 €37,881 +€11,401
Human Health and Social Work Activities €41,655 €43,273 €-1,618
Transportation and Storage €45,253 €33,828 +€11,425
Construction €42,911 €35,000 +€7,911
Administrative and Support Service Activities €39,367 €30,278 +€9,089
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €30,523 €26,325 +€4,198
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €26,672 €21,194 +€5,478
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €26,596 €20,663 +€5,933

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: Clare or Donegal?
Clare has higher salaries, with a median of €44,081 compared to €36,967 in Donegal — 19% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Clare vs Donegal?
The gender pay gap is 17% in Clare and 8% in Donegal.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Clare or Donegal?
Donegal salaries are growing faster, at a compound annual rate of +2.4%, compared to +2.3% for Clare.
Which sector explains the biggest gap between Clare and Donegal?
Industry (B to E) shows the widest gap: €51,484 in Clare versus €36,333 in Donegal.