Ireland’s median annual earnings reached €46,305 in 2025, a 3.3% increase from 2024, according to CSO figures released on 6 October 2026. The mean was higher, at €58,127. Neither figure describes what every worker took home or establishes the pay attached to a vacancy today. [1]

The annual calculation excludes employments lasting fewer than 50 weeks in the reference year. The CSO defines the median by employments: half have earnings above that amount and half below it. Readers should retain that coverage rule when sharing the headline number. [1]

Ask which average is being used

A mean adds the earnings and divides by the number of included employments. A median locates the middle of the distribution. Relatively high earnings can affect the mean without moving the middle by the same amount. The gap between these two statistics is therefore a reason to identify the measure, not to choose whichever number better supports an argument.

The CSO’s definition covers gross earnings before deductions and includes bonuses and benefits in kind. Its source is Revenue employee tax information linked to other administrative records. A gross annual figure is not a monthly net-pay estimate. [2]

Keep the year and comparison attached

When reading a job advertisement, distinguish its stated salary, hours and contractual conditions from a national statistic. Check whether an advertised range refers to basic pay or includes other elements. A sector-wide average cannot settle what a particular role offers.

The new publication measures 2025 rather than October 2026 pay. It also presents county tables using residence, which should not be described as wages paid exclusively by employers located in that county. [1]

Use the release to frame questions about a broad earnings pattern, then consult the definitions before making comparisons. It is not evidence of an identical raise for each employee or a personal salary entitlement.