County comparison · Ireland

Galway vs Sligo

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

4% gap

Galway pays 4% more than Sligo · €43,995 vs €42,468

Galway has the higher median salary at €43,995 per year, against €42,468 in Sligo — a gap of 4%. Looking at the longer trend, Galway has grown faster, at +2.4% per year on average. Information and Communication is the sector where the two counties diverge most, with a difference of €19,456.

Growth Comparison

+2.4%

Galway annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.2%

Sligo annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

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Galway

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

Sligo

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

Galway Gender Pay Gap

12%

Sligo Gender Pay Gap

7%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Galway Sligo Diff
Information and Communication €70,556 €51,100 +€19,456
Education €59,410 €59,313 +€97
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €54,987 €53,416 +€1,571
Human Health and Social Work Activities €45,493 €48,180 €-2,687
Industry (B to E) €45,154 €47,684 €-2,530
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €47,835 €45,000 +€2,835
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €47,978 €43,276 +€4,702
Construction €43,962 €39,711 +€4,251
Transportation and Storage €39,555 €41,930 €-2,375
Administrative and Support Service Activities €35,389 €32,961 +€2,428
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €33,557 €28,886 +€4,671
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €27,265 €25,204 +€2,061
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €26,795 €20,273 +€6,522

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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: Galway or Sligo?
Galway has higher salaries, with a median of €43,995 compared to €42,468 in Sligo — 4% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Galway vs Sligo?
The gender pay gap is 12% in Galway and 7% in Sligo.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Galway or Sligo?
Galway 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 Galway and Sligo?
Information and Communication shows the widest gap: €70,556 in Galway versus €51,100 in Sligo.