County comparison · Ireland

Donegal vs Sligo

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

15% gap

Sligo pays 15% more than Donegal · €42,468 vs €36,967

Sligo has the higher median salary at €42,468 per year, against €36,967 in Donegal — a gap of 15%. 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 Sligo still pays more today. Industry (B to E) is the sector where the two counties diverge most, with a difference of €11,351.

Growth Comparison

+2.4%

Donegal annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.2%

Sligo 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

Donegal

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

Sligo

€32,014€34,628€37,241€39,855€42,468201120142017202020232024

Donegal Gender Pay Gap

8%

Sligo Gender Pay Gap

7%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Donegal Sligo Diff
Education €55,582 €59,313 €-3,731
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €51,423 €53,416 €-1,993
Information and Communication €49,369 €51,100 €-1,731
Human Health and Social Work Activities €43,273 €48,180 €-4,907
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €41,915 €43,276 €-1,361
Industry (B to E) €36,333 €47,684 €-11,351
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €37,881 €45,000 €-7,119
Transportation and Storage €33,828 €41,930 €-8,102
Construction €35,000 €39,711 €-4,711
Administrative and Support Service Activities €30,278 €32,961 €-2,683
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €26,325 €28,886 €-2,561
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €20,663 €25,204 €-4,541
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €21,194 €20,273 +€921

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: Donegal or Sligo?
Sligo has higher salaries, with a median of €42,468 compared to €36,967 in Donegal — 15% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Donegal vs Sligo?
The gender pay gap is 8% in Donegal and 7% in Sligo.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Donegal or Sligo?
Donegal salaries are growing faster, at a compound annual rate of +2.4%, compared to +2.2% for Sligo.
Which sector explains the biggest gap between Donegal and Sligo?
Industry (B to E) shows the widest gap: €36,333 in Donegal versus €47,684 in Sligo.