Earnings rose faster than inflation last year — CSO

CSO data shows men out-earn women by €150 a week

Earnings were up 3.9%, while the Consumer Price Index measure of inflation increased by 2.2%. Picture: Collins

Median gross earnings for workers in Ireland rose 3.9% to €759.21 last year, with men out-earning women by €150 a week.

New earnings analysis data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows average earnings in the same period stood at €974.08 per week.

The median weekly earnings recorded for employment among those usually resident in Dublin were €848.06, which was 11.7% higher than the median weekly earnings for the State at €759.21, and 33.5% higher than Donegal at €635.29, which had the lowest median weekly earnings in 2025.

The lowest median weekly earnings were recorded for employment among 15- to 24-year-olds, at €384.07, while employment among those aged 40 to 49 years had the highest weekly earnings at €925.54 in 2025.

Employment in information and communication (€1,515.67), financial, insurance and real estate (€1,086.76), and public administration and defence (€1,033.04) recorded the highest median weekly earnings in 2025, while those in accommodation and food services (€409.00) and arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (€464.63) recorded the lowest.

Dr Eimear Heffernan, statistician in the earnings analysis division of the CSO, noted earnings were up 3.9%, while the Consumer Price Index measure of inflation increased by 2.2%. 

"The median weekly earnings recorded for employment among males (€832.71) in 2025 were more than €150 higher than those among females (€681.01). However, since 2023, median weekly earnings for employments among females have increased by 9.3%, compared with 8.1% among males."

However, the disparity in earnings varied by county, with the largest gap recorded in Cork, where men on €902.79 earned 31.2% more than their female counterparts on €687.95.

The CSO also notes data in relation to hours worked is not available but data provided by the CSO's Labour Force Survey shows men had higher average hours worked per week (38.7), compared with their female counterparts (31.8). 

Based on nationality, Indians again recorded the highest median weekly earnings at €862.14, but they were the only group of listed nationalities to record a decrease in weekly earnings, down 1.6% from 2024. 

The CSO said the decrease was possibly linked to the fall in the proportion of employment among Indian nationals in human health and social work, information and communication, and professional, scientific and technical activities, as these are typically high-earning economic sectors. UK nationals earned a median weekly income of €814.30, with Irish nationals in third place at €792.89.

Average weekly earnings among Polish and Romanian nationals increased by 5.3% and 5%, respectively.

Irish nationals recorded the highest earnings in four of the 13 economic sectors last year, including public administration and defence (€1,046.35) and industry (€1,017.41), while employments among Indian and UK nationals recorded the highest median weekly earnings in a further three sectors, respectively.