Average weekly earnings in Ireland hit €1,011

CSO estimates show average weekly earnings up 3.1% on previous year

The average weekly earnings in Ireland in the fourth quarter of 2025 was €1,011.88, up 3.1% from €981.45 in Q4 2024. File photo: iStock

The average weekly earnings in Ireland in the fourth quarter of 2025 was €1,011.88, up 3.1% from €981.45 in Q4 2024.

Preliminary estimates from the CSO showed average weekly earnings for October, November, and December 2025 rose across all sectors compared with a year previous.

The largest annual percentage increase in average weekly earnings in Q4 2025 was 6.8% in the accommodation and food services activities sector.  However, the accommodation and food service activities sector still has the lowest average hourly earnings by sector, at €17.99 per hour. Overall, average hourly earnings grew on an annual basis by 3.4% to €31.22, increasing in all 13 of the economic sectors covered by the CSO. 

“Average earnings in the economy continue to increase year-on-year, driven by a number of factors, including a stable job vacancy rate since over the last two years, as well as annual employment growth of 2% as reported in the latest CSO Labour Force Survey," said CSO statistician Niall O'Sullivan.

The sector with the highest average hourly total labour costs in Q4 2025 was information and communication, at €59.53.

There were 30,200 job vacancies at the end of Q4 2025, an increase of 3,300 from the 26,900 vacancies in Q4 2024. Mr O'Sullivan said the job vacancy rate in Q4 2025, which measures job vacancies on the last working day of the quarter, was 1.3%, up 0.1% from Q4 2024, but down 0.1% from the rate recorded at the end of Q3 2025.

The public administration and defence sector had the highest job vacancy rate at 5.7% in Q4 2025.