Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures published today show a man’s median weekly earnings were €770 compared with €623 a week for a woman last year.
Men earned €47,187 a year, according to separate yearly figures. This was almost 21pc more than women earned in a year, at €39,039.
The new figures include most part-time workers so the possibility of a higher portion of women working fewer hours may partly explain the gender pay gap.
Median weekly earnings rose by 4.2pc among all employees across the economy in the year to 2023. Those figures stood at €699 a week, a 4.2pc increase from €670 in 2022.
Median earnings reflect the middle earners in the national workforce, or a sector of the economy.
They are seen to be more reflective of average earnings than the “mean” figure, which is often higher because it is skewed by higher earners.
A spokesperson at the CSO’s Earnings section said those earning less than €500 a year and those whose employment was less than two weeks a year were excluded from the study. Other employees were included, regardless of hours.
In addition, those who were active for less than 50 weeks in the year were not included in the annual earnings calculations.
Median annual earnings were highest in the information and communications sector, at €76,002 a year, according to the Earnings Analysis using Administrative Data Sources 2023.
This was followed by annual earnings of €56,582 in financial, insurance and real estate, and €54,760 in public administration and defence.
The lowest annual earnings recorded were in accommodation and food services at €24,464 and €26,811 in arts, entertainment, recreation and other services.
Annual earnings rose in all economic sectors since 2022.
This ranged from a hike of just 0.4pc in transportation and storage to €41,609 a year to a 6.3pc increase in the information and communication sector to €76,002 last year.
Median weekly earnings were €763 in Dublin last year, 13.5pc higher than the median weekly earnings for the state at €699.
Dublin earnings were 40pc higher than Donegal, at €567, which had the lowest median weekly earnings.
The 40-49 age group had the highest overall median weekly earnings at €855 last year, a 4.3pc increase since 2022.
Indian nationals were the only cohort whose median weekly earnings among women at €908 were higher than men’s earnings at €849. The gap between men and women’s weekly earnings was largest among UK nationals.
Dr Eimear Heffernan, Statistician in the Earnings Analysis Division of the CSO, said more than a fifth of those in jobs earned less than €400 per week last year. “Employments earning between €400 and €800 per week accounted for 36.4pc of all employments,” she said.
She said almost a third of “employments” had weekly earnings between €800 and €1,600, while a further 11pc earned €1,600 or more per week.
Ms Heffernan said “employments” refer to individuals in jobs, but they could be included more than once if they had another job with earnings of €4,000 or more a year.
