The COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions applied in response to it had a significant impact on the labour market in 2020 and 2021. Earnings statistics for those years and comparisons with earlier years are impacted by changes in the composition of the labour market across 2020 and 2021 and when compared to 2019 and earlier years. The level of earnings has also been impacted by the COVID-19 income support schemes in place in 2020 and 2021.
Median weekly earnings increased by 2.4% from €629.46 in 2020 to €644.55 in 2021. The Information & Communication sector recorded the highest median weekly earnings in 2021 at €1,154.56 where median earnings were €1,270.67 for males and €967.64 for females. The Financial, Insurance & Real Estate sector had the next highest median weekly earnings at €915.06. The lowest median earnings were in the Accommodation & Food Services sector at €346.13. See Table 4.3.
Mean weekly earnings in all sectors of the economy stood at €820.95 in 2021. The sector with the highest mean weekly earnings was the Information & Communication sector at €1,500.75 in 2021 followed by the Financial, Insurance & Real Estate sector at €1,225.26. The Accommodation & Food Services sector recorded the lowest mean earnings at €383.16. See Table 4.2.
Median weekly earnings in the public sector stood at €900.61 in 2021, an increase of 1.1% from €890.49 in 2020. In the private sector median weekly earnings were €576.61 in 2021, an increase of 2.9% from €560.40 in 2020.
In 2021 public sector mean weekly earnings were €997.05 while the private sector equivalent was €773.56. See Table 4.1 to 4.3 and Figure 4.1.
| X-axis label | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Industry (B-E) | 765.77 | 977.37 |
| Construction (F) | 692.98 | 767.94 |
| Wholesale & retail (G) | 479.43 | 615.3 |
| Transportation & storage (H) | 655.36 | 753.54 |
| Accommodation & food (I) | 346.13 | 383.16 |
| Information & communication (J) | 1154.56 | 1500.75 |
| Financial & real estate (K-L) | 915.06 | 1225.26 |
| Professional & technical (M) | 775.65 | 1030.07 |
| Admin & support service (N) | 550.06 | 684.78 |
| Public admin & defence (O) | 888.54 | 974.72 |
| Education (P) | 794.33 | 852.75 |
| Health & social (Q) | 671.92 | 767.45 |
| Arts & entertainment (R-S) | 405.07 | 516.75 |
| All sectors | 644.55 | 820.95 |
Table 4.5 below presents annual percentage change in median weekly earnings for employments that were active in October of each year being analysed i.e. where the employee is in the same employment, in October of the reference year, for both years being analysed. For example, for 2014-2015 only employments that existed in October in both 2014 and 2015 were included for analysis, if an employment existed in October 2014 but not October 2015, or vice-versa, then it was excluded from analysis.
Median weekly earnings were highest in enterprises with 1,000 or more employees at €842.79 in 2021, an increase of 2.0% from €826.63 in 2020, with median male earnings at €920.60 and females at €790.33 in 2021. See Table 4.7 and Figure 4.2.
Enterprises with 1,000 or more employees also recorded the highest mean weekly earnings at €1,004.69 in 2021 with males recording a mean of €1,143.34 and females a mean of €902.42. Enterprises with 1-9 employees had the lowest mean earnings at €544.71 with males earning a mean of €642.27 and females €438.60. See Table 4.6.
| X-axis label | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 9 employees | 525.99 | 351.46 |
| 10 to 49 employees | 600 | 413.26 |
| 50 to 249 employees | 698.6 | 504.19 |
| 250 to 499 employees | 784.61 | 612.91 |
| 500 to 999 employees | 888.06 | 692.24 |
| 1000+ employees | 920.6 | 790.33 |
| Total | 711.87 | 570.22 |
Please note: Estimates of earnings by size class for 2019 and 2020 have been revised to take account of the latest data available for firm sizes in those periods. The tables impacted are Tables 4.6 and 4.7 in this publication and PxStat Tables NSA90 and NSA99. Estimates of earnings for all size classes and breakdowns by other characteristics have not been affected.
