Salary in Donegal
Based on CSO data · 2024
County Donegal is Ireland's most north-westerly county, with an economy historically dependent on agriculture, fishing, and textiles. It remains one of the lower-paid counties nationally due to geographic isolation and limited FDI, though tourism along the Wild Atlantic Way is a significant employer.
Earning in Donegal: What the Data Shows
Donegal's salary profile is constrained by geographic isolation that no other Irish county experiences to the same degree. The county is further from Dublin than any other, its natural economic hinterland in Derry and the north-west straddles an international border, and its transport infrastructure has historically lagged behind other regions. These factors limit the types of employers that locate in Donegal and depress average wages below the national median.
The county's employment base is concentrated in healthcare, education, retail, and tourism, with smaller clusters in financial services and technology in Letterkenny. The Atlantic Technological University campus and Letterkenny University Hospital are among the largest employers, providing public sector salaries that represent the higher end of local earnings. Tourism along the Wild Atlantic Way supports significant seasonal employment but at wage levels that pull the annual average down.
Donegal's housing costs are among the lowest in Ireland, which partially offsets lower salaries in purchasing power terms. The county has benefited from remote working trends more than most, as workers who can earn Dublin or multinational salaries while living in Donegal achieve an exceptional quality-of-life trade-off. The salary trajectory is slowly improving as digital connectivity investments and remote work normalisation reduce the penalty of geographic distance.
Quick Answers
The current median salary in Donegal is €36,967 and sits 18% below the national median.
The highest-paying local sector is Education at €55,582, and the gender split is available on the county gender pages.
Use the sector table and age-band links below to move from the county headline into narrower salary pages, or compare Donegal directly with Dublin.
Median Salary
€36,967
per year · CSO 2024
Mean Salary
€43,445
per year · CSO 2024
vs National
N/A
-18% below average
Salary Analysis
+2.4%
Annual growth (CAGR) since 2011
+8.9%
Real growth (after inflation)
€25,384
After rent (31% of salary on rent)
169%
Sector pay spread (€20,663 – €55,582)
33.8%
Third-level educated (Census 2022)
+4.5%
Population growth 2016–2022
15,149
Live Register (2026 March)
In 2011 prices, today's €36,967 is worth €29,742 — a real increase in purchasing power. CPI data from the CSO.
Compare This County
Most county visitors want a fast second answer: compare Donegal with another county, check the gender split, or jump into the strongest local sector.
Search Another Sector Or County
Use Donegal as the anchor, then pivot into a sector page, a gender split, or another county without restarting your search.
Annual figures: CSO 2024 · National quarterly average (Q4 2025): €52,618 annualised · About our data
Donegal salary trend
Switch between median and mean, or compare this trend against the baseline.
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.
Gender Pay Gap
8%
Women earn €35,363 vs men at €38,425 (median)
Cost of Living
€965
Avg monthly rent (2025 H1)
€11,583
Annual rent cost
31%
of median salary on rent
Donegal Profile
166,321
Population (Census 2022)
+4.5%
Growth since 2016
33.8%
Third-level educated
15,149
Live Register (2026 March)
Border region
Salaries by Sector in Donegal
| Sector | Median Salary | |
|---|---|---|
| Education | €55,582 | |
| Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security | €51,423 | |
| Information and Communication | €49,369 | |
| Human Health and Social Work Activities | €43,273 | |
| Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities | €41,915 | |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities | €37,881 | |
| Industry (B to E) | €36,333 | |
| Construction | €35,000 | |
| Transportation and Storage | €33,828 | |
| Administrative and Support Service Activities | €30,278 | |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles | €26,325 | |
| Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities | €21,194 | |
| Accommodation and Food Service Activities | €20,663 |
Salary by Age Group in Donegal
40 - 49 years
€41,608
30 - 39 years
€40,011
50 - 59 years
€39,620
25 - 29 years
€36,185
60 years and over
€30,224
15 - 24 years
€21,592
Keep Exploring
Once you know the headline salary in Donegal, the next useful question is usually which sector, age band, or comparison explains that number.
Education is the top sector here
Education currently leads Donegal on median pay.
Check another strong sector
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security is another high-signal sector page for Donegal.
Open the top age band
40 - 49 years is the strongest age group for earnings in Donegal.
Review the gender split
Open the female salary view and compare it with the county-wide median.
Compare with Dublin
See how Donegal stacks up against another high-interest county.
Browse the county rankings
Move across the national league table and compare this county with the rest of Ireland.
Want to compare the salary data with real hiring demand?
Use this page as the benchmark, then check live roles to see what is actually being advertised now.
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