County comparison · Ireland

Kildare vs Waterford

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

14% gap

Kildare pays 14% more than Waterford · €48,431 vs €42,460

Kildare has the higher median salary at €48,431 per year, against €42,460 in Waterford — a gap of 14%. Looking at the longer trend, Kildare 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 €28,275.

Growth Comparison

+2.4%

Kildare annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.2%

Waterford 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

Kildare

€35,296€38,580€41,864€45,147€48,431201120142017202020232024

Waterford

€31,595€34,311€37,028€39,744€42,460201120142017202020232024

Kildare Gender Pay Gap

23%

Waterford Gender Pay Gap

20%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Kildare Waterford Diff
Information and Communication €85,763 €57,488 +€28,275
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €62,617 €54,179 +€8,438
Industry (B to E) €58,594 €54,721 +€3,873
Education €56,440 €55,086 +€1,354
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €64,025 €43,766 +€20,259
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €56,327 €44,094 +€12,233
Construction €49,167 €41,600 +€7,567
Human Health and Social Work Activities €45,893 €43,923 +€1,970
Transportation and Storage €45,175 €40,080 +€5,095
Administrative and Support Service Activities €39,805 €31,600 +€8,205
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €36,159 €29,793 +€6,366
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €31,782 €26,142 +€5,640
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €25,757 €23,381 +€2,376

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: Kildare or Waterford?
Kildare has higher salaries, with a median of €48,431 compared to €42,460 in Waterford — 14% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Kildare vs Waterford?
The gender pay gap is 23% in Kildare and 20% in Waterford.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Kildare or Waterford?
Kildare salaries are growing faster, at a compound annual rate of +2.4%, compared to +2.2% for Waterford.
Which sector explains the biggest gap between Kildare and Waterford?
Information and Communication shows the widest gap: €85,763 in Kildare versus €57,488 in Waterford.