Highest CSO median
€64,662
Professionals · #1
🇮🇪CSO 2022
Highest Paying Jobs in Ireland
Ranked national median wages from CSO SES 2022 for 9 major occupation groups — from Professionals (€64,662) to Sales & customer service (€27,381). Full-time employee medians (hourly × paid weekly hours × 52). Compare any two groups, see hourly equivalents, and modeled take-home at each median with Single (PAYE) vs married one income.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
€64,662
#1 · Professionals
9
Major groups tracked
10
Featured compare pairs
2
Take-home · Single · Married
Lowest in this set
€27,381
Sales & customer service · #9
Professionals
€64,662
€33.16/hr · rank #1
Single take-home at professionals median
€47,409
vs managers & directors €47,343
Key finding: CSO medians + take-home
Professionals lead our CSO SES 2022 table at €64,662 median; Sales & customer service rank last at €27,381 among 9 major occupation groups. Professionals (€64,662) vs managers & directors (€64,537) is the top of the ranking corridor.
CSO 2022 national medians; take-home uses 2026 paycheck model. Data refreshed 2026-08-24.
Key takeaways
- Professionals vs Managers & directors: €64,662 vs €64,537 CSO medians — €47,409 vs €47,343 modeled single take-home.
- Professionals top the CSO SES 2022 full-time median at €64,662 — about €33.16/hr.
- Take-home columns apply our paycheck model at each CSO median for single PAYE (baseline) and married one income (wider standard-rate band) — USC and PRSI on, full personal and employee credits.
- Ireland PAYE is nationwide — there is no regional wage income tax on this hub. Revenue income tax, USC, and PRSI apply the same way in every county.
- Medians are full-time employee figures from SES 2022 (hourly × paid weekly hours × 52). Pair any two groups below, then open profiles for calculator deep links.
- Elementary occupations outrank Sales & customer service on annual median (€27,984 vs €27,381) even though sales hourly (€13.93) is slightly higher — hours worked drive the hourly×hours×52 gap.
What this hub covers
This hub ranks 9 Ireland major occupation groups by CSO Structure of Earnings Survey 2022 full-time national median annual gross pay (hourly × paid weekly hours × 52) — the midpoint where half of full-time employees in that occupation group earn more and half earn less.
Each row links to an occupation profile with CSO source links, hourly figures, paid weekly hours, and modeled take-home at the median for single PAYE and married one income.
Compare pages pit any two groups head-to-head: gross median gap, hourly spread, rank, and a two-scenario take-home ladder using the same paycheck rules as our Ireland calculator.
Sibling hubs: US (BLS OEWS), Canada (Job Bank / StatCan), UK (ONS ASHE), Australia (ABS Employee Earnings), and New Zealand (Stats NZ HLFS) — same ranking, compare, and profile pattern.
Compare any two careers
Pick two occupation groups to see CSO median wage gaps, hourly figures, and take-home for Single (PAYE) and married one income.
Featured career comparisons
ProfessionalsvsManagers & directors
€125 median gap · €64,662 vs €64,537
ProfessionalsvsAssociate professional & technical
€15,589 median gap · €64,662 vs €49,073
Managers & directorsvsAssociate professional & technical
€15,464 median gap · €64,537 vs €49,073
Skilled tradesvsAdministrative & secretarial
€1,105 median gap · €36,673 vs €35,568
ProfessionalsvsSales & customer service
€37,281 median gap · €64,662 vs €27,381
Associate professional & technicalvsSkilled trades
€12,400 median gap · €49,073 vs €36,673
Caring & leisure servicesvsSales & customer service
€4,710 median gap · €32,091 vs €27,381
Elementary occupationsvsSales & customer service
€603 median gap · €27,984 vs €27,381
Process & plant operativesvsSkilled trades
€683 median gap · €35,990 vs €36,673
Rankings by CSO median (2022)
9 major occupation groups sorted by national median annual wage (hourly × paid weekly hours × 52). Medians are full-time employee figures from CSO SES 2022. Take-home columns apply our 2026 paycheck model at each median — nationwide PAYE + USC + PRSI (Married = one-income standard-rate band).
| # | Occupation | CSO median | Single take-homeat median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional occupationsProfessionals · professional | €64,662 | €47,409 |
| 2 | Managers, directors and senior officialsManagement · managers | €64,537 | €47,343 |
| 3 | Associate professional and technical occupationsEngineering & trades · associate-professional | €49,073 | €39,178 |
| 4 | Skilled trades occupationsEngineering & trades · skilled-trades | €36,673 | €31,165 |
| 5 | Process, plant and machine operativesTransportation · process-plant | €35,990 | €30,668 |
| 6 | Administrative and secretarial occupationsBusiness & clerical · admin | €35,568 | €30,361 |
| 7 | Caring, leisure and other service occupationsCommunity & labour · caring | €32,091 | €27,829 |
| 8 | Elementary occupationsCommunity & labour · elementary | €27,984 | €24,832 |
| 9 | Sales and customer service occupationsBusiness & clerical · sales | €27,381 | €24,387 |
Median wages by occupation category
Professionals and managers & directors dominate the top tier; elementary and sales & customer service anchor the lower end of this major-group set.
Professionals
1 occupations tracked
- Top
- Professionals · €64,662
- Lower in set
- Professionals · €64,662
Management
1 occupations tracked
- Top
- Managers & directors · €64,537
- Lower in set
- Managers & directors · €64,537
Engineering & trades
2 occupations tracked
- Top
- Associate professional & technical · €49,073
- Lower in set
- Skilled trades · €36,673
Transportation
1 occupations tracked
- Top
- Process & plant operatives · €35,990
- Lower in set
- Process & plant operatives · €35,990
Business & clerical
2 occupations tracked
- Top
- Administrative & secretarial · €35,568
- Lower in set
- Sales & customer service · €27,381
Community & labour
2 occupations tracked
- Top
- Caring & leisure services · €32,091
- Lower in set
- Elementary occupations · €27,984
Top 5 medians
- #1Professionals€64,662
- #2Managers & directors€64,537
- #3Associate professional & technical€49,073
- #4Skilled trades€36,673
- #5Process & plant operatives€35,990
Lowest 5 in this set
- #9Sales & customer service€27,381
- #8Elementary occupations€27,984
- #7Caring & leisure services€32,091
- #6Administrative & secretarial€35,568
- #5Process & plant operatives€35,990
How to read this ranking
1Step 1
Read the median rank
Occupation groups sort by CSO SES full-time national median annual gross pay (hourly × paid weekly hours × 52, highest first). #1 is the highest published median in this set. Figures are full-time employee medians from SES 2022.
2Step 2
Scan take-home columns
Single and Married show modeled take-home at each median — nationwide Revenue PAYE, USC, and PRSI. Married uses the one-income standard-rate band; Single matches our metro paycheck examples vignette.
3Step 3
Compare two careers
Use the pair picker or featured corridors (professionals vs managers & directors, elementary vs sales & customer service) for wage gaps, hourly figures, and scenario take-home ladders.
4Step 4
Model your offer
Open an occupation profile or the Ireland paycheck calculator for marital status, credits, and USC/PRSI detail beyond these vignettes.
Professionals vs managers & directors
CSO SES 2022 lists professionals at €64,662 (€33.16/hr) and managers & directors at €64,537 (€31.58/hr) — a €125 median gap. At those medians, modeled single take-home is €47,409 vs €47,343; married one income moves net pay to €49,209 vs €49,143.
How married one income changes take-home at the same CSO median
Gross medians ignore filing status. These four major groups show modeled take-home when gross equals the published CSO median — single PAYE vs married one income (wider standard-rate band). Both vignettes include USC and PRSI with full personal and employee credits.
| Occupation | CSO median | Single take-home | Married take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals | €64,662 | €47,409 | €49,209 |
| Managers & directors | €64,537 | €47,343 | €49,143 |
| Associate professional & technical | €49,073 | €39,178 | €40,192 |
| Sales & customer service | €27,381 | €24,387 | €24,387 |
Married one income typically lifts annual take-home by about €1,800 versus single at the professionals median — before rent or pension. Ireland PAYE remains nationwide.
Learn: medians, SOC codes, and take-home
Median vs total compensation
SES cash-earnings medians may not capture every bonus or equity package. Senior professional and manager total pay often runs above major-group medians even when base salary matches.
Why single anchors take-home
Ireland PAYE is nationwide — there is no regional wage income tax. Single PAYE (full personal + employee credits, USC + PRSI on) matches our metro paycheck examples vignette and is the primary take-home column before you compare married one income.
Hours vs hourly rate
Annual rank uses hourly × paid weekly hours × 52. A group with a lower hourly median can still rank higher on annual pay when typical hours are longer — elementary vs sales & customer service is the clearest example in this table.
Full-time employees
These CSO SES medians cover full-time employees only. That differs from all-earners main-job tables in some other countries.
Employees only
SES earnings by occupation focus on employees. Self-employed consultants, partners, and sole traders sit outside these occupation medians.
Geography matters
National medians blend high-COL Dublin with regional markets. A CBD professional offer and a regional elementary role can both be 'typical' while far from the national midpoint.
Myths vs facts
Myth: Highest median always means highest lifetime earnings.
Fact: Career length, unemployment risk, training debt, and pension balances vary by field. A lower-median caring & leisure row can still win on job security or defined pathways not in SES cash wages.
Myth: CSO medians match every job posting.
Fact: SES aggregates employee reports nationally by major group. A senior specialist in Dublin can exceed the occupation-group median while an entry role sits below it.
Myth: Take-home at median is your paycheck.
Fact: The take-home columns are a standardized Ireland model at the published median. Your marital status, credits, and pension settings change the result.
Myth: Gross median gap equals lifestyle gap.
Fact: A higher-paying occupation in Dublin can net less purchasing power than a lower median in a lower-rent city after housing. Pair wage tables with metro paycheck examples (Ireland).
Myth: Counties change your income tax rate.
Fact: Ireland PAYE is nationwide. Counties do not levy a separate wage income tax on this model — take-home at equal gross matches nationwide before marital-status and credit settings.
Glossary
- Median wage
- Half of full-time employees in the major group earn more and half earn less. CSO SES publishes Ireland medians by occupation group — not mean/average.
- SOC / occupation group
- CSO Structure of Earnings Survey groups jobs into major occupation categories (professionals, managers & directors, skilled trades, and so on). This hub uses those major groups, not detailed unit titles.
- Hourly × hours × 52
- CSO publishes full-time median hourly earnings and paid weekly hours; we annualize as hourly × hours × 52 (rounded to the nearest euro) for ranking and take-home modelling.
- Take-home at median
- Our paycheck model applied to the CSO median gross — nationwide Revenue PAYE + USC + PRSI. Single matches the metro paycheck examples vignette; Married uses married one-income (wider standard-rate band).
- Married one income
- Revenue standard-rate band for a married couple with one earner is wider than the single band, so modeled income tax at the same gross can be lower. USC and PRSI still apply.
Who this helps
Career changers
Compare published major-group medians and modeled take-home before committing to a degree or trade path.
Students & parents
See how professionals, managers & directors, trades, and sales medians stack nationally — then open a compare corridor.
Recruiters & coaches
Ground offer conversations in CSO SES anchors instead of anecdotal screenshots.
Career salary checklist
- Match the CSO occupation group to the job posting — Professionals ≠ Associate professional & technical
- Read the hourly and hours columns when comparing salaried roles to hourly offers — annual rank can diverge from hourly
- Check Single and Married take-home columns if your Revenue filing status differs
- Remember these medians are full-time employees from SES 2022
- Model your exact offer in the Ireland paycheck calculator — median vignettes are anchors only
- Pair high medians with training debt and licensing timelines before choosing a path
Common mistakes
- ✕Using national major-group medians as entry-level or senior offers without reading the job's seniority
- ✕Comparing total compensation (base + bonus + employer pension) to cash-wage SES medians
- ✕Assuming a county of residence changes your income tax rate — Ireland wage tax is nationwide PAYE
- ✕Assuming the highest median group is best without hours, shift work, or on-call schedules
- ✕Treating SES employee medians as sole-trader or contractor income
- ✕Skipping metro tables when the employer names a specific city
vs other salary & tax tools
| Topic | This hub | Related tool |
|---|---|---|
| Output | CSO median wage rank + take-home at median | Metro paycheck examples Ireland — Major Irish cities at €100k |
| Filing-status modelling | Married column inside take-home | Ireland paycheck calculator — Marital status, USC, PRSI detail |
| City context | Nationwide CSO medians | Metro paycheck examples — Dublin, Cork, Galway & more |
| Gross from net | Occupation vs occupation | Net to gross calculator — Reverse PAYE from take-home target |
Planning tips
- Cross-check metro paycheck examples (Ireland) when the offer names a specific city.
- Use the Married column when you file as married one income under Revenue rules.
- Remember pension contributions are separate — package comparisons should account for them on top of cash wages.
- Open the paycheck calculator with your marital status and credits — the median vignette is a starting anchor.
- Compare two career groups side-by-side before committing to a multi-year degree or certification path.
Highest paying jobs FAQs
On CSO SES 2022 full-time major-group medians in our table, Professionals lead at €64,662. Sales & customer service anchor the lower end of this set at €27,381.
CSO Structure of Earnings Survey 2022 (Table 4.2 — full-time median hourly × paid weekly hours × 52). Take-home uses our 2026 Ireland paycheck model at the published median.
Yes. Both the Single and Married columns include nationwide Revenue income tax, USC, and PRSI with full personal and employee credits — there is no regional income tax. Married uses the one-income standard-rate band.
Yes. CSO SES 2022 figures on this hub are full-time employee medians — hourly earnings and paid weekly hours for full-time workers, annualized as hourly × hours × 52.
Yes — use the pair picker on this page or open a featured corridor like professionals vs managers & directors. Compare pages show wage gaps, hourly figures, and take-home in both reference scenarios.
Elementary occupations list €27,984 annual (€13.87/hr × 38.8 hours) while sales & customer service list €27,381 (€13.93/hr × 37.8 hours). Ranking uses hourly × hours × 52 — longer typical hours can lift annual median even when hourly is slightly lower.
We multiply the full-time median hourly rate by full-time median paid weekly hours, then by 52, and round to the nearest euro.
Yes — see Highest paying jobs US (BLS OEWS), Highest paying jobs Canada (Job Bank / StatCan), Highest paying jobs UK (ONS ASHE), Highest paying jobs Australia (ABS Employee Earnings), and Highest paying jobs New Zealand (Stats NZ HLFS) for the same ranking, compare, and profile pattern.