Sector comparison · Ireland
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities vs Education
Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024
Education pays 5% more than Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities · €54,413 vs €51,750
Education pays a median of €54,413 per year nationally, against €51,750 for Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities — a gap of 5%. Over the longer run, Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities has been the faster-growing of the two, at +3.2% per year on average — so while Education pays more today, Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities is closing the gap over time. The difference between the two sectors is not uniform across Ireland: it is widest in Dublin, where the gap reaches €7,209.
Growth Comparison
+3.2%
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities annual growth (CAGR) since 2011
+1%
Education annual growth (CAGR) since 2011
Compare Next
This head-to-head view works best as a stepping stone. Open either sector directly, or jump into the county where the gap is clearest.
Search Another Sector Or County
Use this comparison as the midpoint, then pivot into either sector directly or the county where the gap is easiest to inspect.
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities
Education
County-by-County Comparison
| County | Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities | Education | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | €58,846 | €51,637 | +€7,209 |
| Wicklow | €53,625 | €52,166 | +€1,459 |
| Kildare | €56,327 | €56,440 | €-113 |
| Cork | €52,953 | €53,500 | €-547 |
| Meath | €50,411 | €54,413 | €-4,002 |
| Kilkenny | €49,904 | €55,185 | €-5,281 |
| Limerick | €50,140 | €56,249 | €-6,109 |
| Laois | €45,524 | €52,426 | €-6,902 |
| Offaly | €44,980 | €52,133 | €-7,153 |
| Louth | €45,877 | €53,541 | €-7,664 |
| Kerry | €47,070 | €55,264 | €-8,194 |
| Clare | €49,282 | €58,118 | €-8,836 |
| Westmeath | €45,152 | €54,355 | €-9,203 |
| Longford | €43,000 | €52,234 | €-9,234 |
| Carlow | €44,100 | €55,074 | €-10,974 |
| Waterford | €44,094 | €55,086 | €-10,992 |
| Galway | €47,835 | €59,410 | €-11,575 |
| Wexford | €40,435 | €52,898 | €-12,463 |
| Cavan | €41,250 | €53,720 | €-12,470 |
| Roscommon | €43,916 | €57,102 | €-13,186 |
| Tipperary | €42,100 | €55,404 | €-13,304 |
| Sligo | €45,000 | €59,313 | €-14,313 |
| Mayo | €43,444 | €58,895 | €-15,451 |
| Leitrim | €41,146 | €57,183 | €-16,037 |
| Monaghan | €40,345 | €57,193 | €-16,848 |
| Donegal | €37,881 | €55,582 | €-17,701 |
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
Visitors on a sector comparison page usually want to do one of two things next: open one of the sectors directly or test the same comparison in a concrete county.
Open the full Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities sector page
See the national trend line, county table, and FAQs for Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities.
Open the full Education sector page
Jump into the broader benchmark view for Education.
See the biggest county gap for Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities
Dublin is one of the clearest local splits in this comparison.
Check the same county for Education
Use the same county lens to understand where Education lands.
Compare Education with a nearby peer
Keep exploring by testing the stronger sector against Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security.
Browse the sector rankings
Move from this head-to-head view into the full national league table.