Salary Trends in Ireland

Historical salary data · 2011–2024

This page tracks how Irish salaries have changed over time using official CSO annual earnings data spanning from 2011 to 2024. The national median salary is currently €44,816, up 4% year-on-year. Scroll down to see the inflation-adjusted real earnings table and the year-on-year breakdown by sector.

National median salary up 4% in 2024

€43,221 → €44,816

National salary trend

Switch between median and mean to see how the trend changes.

€32,900€35,879€38,858€41,837€44,816201120142017202020232024

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.

Explore jobs on RoleUp Preview salary reports

Inflation-Adjusted Salaries

After adjusting for inflation (CPI, base Dec 2016), real median salaries grew 9% between 2011 and 2024.

Year Nominal Real (2024 prices)
2011 €33,157 €42,352
2012 €32,900 €41,520
2013 €33,059 €41,637
2014 €33,323 €42,096
2015 €33,688 €42,514
2016 €33,912 €42,797
2017 €34,658 €43,564
2018 €35,786 €44,671
2019 €37,001 €45,601
2020 €40,579 €50,504
2021 €41,222 €48,619
2022 €41,823 €45,579
2023 €43,221 €45,041
2024 €44,816 €46,057

Source: CSO CPM01 Consumer Price Index (All Items, Base Dec 2016 = 100)

Browse by Year

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Year-on-Year Change by Sector

Sector Median (2024) YoY Change
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €26,000 +6%
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €28,497 +6%
Construction €44,676 +5%
Transportation and Storage €43,823 +5%
Information and Communication €80,147 +5%
Human Health and Social Work Activities €44,622 +5%
Industry (B to E) €50,000 +5%
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €32,902 +4%
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €51,750 +4%
Administrative and Support Service Activities €37,125 +4%
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €56,745 +4%
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €59,023 +4%
Education €54,413 +3%

Frequently Asked Questions

Are salaries rising in Ireland?
Yes, the national median salary increased by 4% from €43,221 to €44,816 in 2024. This is the nominal change — see the inflation-adjusted table below for real purchasing power growth.
Which sector had the biggest salary increase?
Accommodation and Food Service Activities had the largest year-on-year increase at 6%, reaching a median of €26,000.
Which sector had the slowest or worst salary growth?
Education had the weakest year-on-year change at +3%, with a current median of €54,413.
Have Irish salaries kept pace with inflation?
After adjusting for inflation, real median salaries grew by 9% between 2011 and 2024. This means workers gained purchasing power in real terms over this period. See the inflation-adjusted table above for year-by-year figures.
Where does Ireland rank for salary growth in Europe?
Ireland has experienced above-average wage growth compared to most EU countries since 2020, driven by a tight labour market, strong multinational presence, and public sector pay agreements. However, high living costs — particularly housing — mean real purchasing power gains have been more modest than nominal figures suggest.