Men hold nearly three quarters of employments among Ireland’s highest paid workers, new Central Statistics Office data reveals, despite representing just over half of the workforce active for at least 50 weeks during 2025. The figures show males accounted for 71.9 per cent of employments with earnings in the top one per cent, while forming 50.6 per cent of all employments that were active for at least 50 weeks.
Female workers represented 49.4 per cent of employments active for at least 50 weeks in the year, yet their share of top one per cent earnings positions stood at 28.1 per cent. The data does indicate gradual improvement, with women’s representation among the highest earners climbing from 24.8 per cent in 2020 to the current level, following 27.6 per cent recorded in 2024.
Key facts
- Males accounted for 71.9 per cent of employments in the top one per cent of earners in 2025
- Dublin recorded median annual earnings of €50,474, nine per cent above the State median of €46,305
- Women’s proportion of top one per cent earners rose from 24.8 per cent in 2020 to 28.1 per cent in 2025
- Public Administration and Defence had 39.2 per cent female representation among top one per cent earners
- The gender earnings gap was narrowest in Sligo at 8.5 per cent
Sectoral and Regional Variations in Top Earner Gender Balance
Public Administration and Defence recorded the highest proportion of female employment among top one per cent earners at 39.2 per cent, according to the Central Statistics Office. Human Health and Social Work followed closely at 38.7 per cent. Administrative and Support Services showed the most substantial annual improvement, with the female share of top earners increasing by 2.3 percentage points during 2025. Conversely, Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities experienced a decline of 1.8 percentage points in female representation among the highest paid.
Significant regional disparities emerged in the earnings data. Dublin recorded the highest median annual earnings at €50,474, surpassing the national median of €46,305 by nine per cent. More than half of employments in the top one per cent of earners, specifically 54.9 per cent, were held by individuals residing in Dublin, despite the capital accounting for merely 29.5 per cent of all employments. The economy shows marked geographic concentration of high earners in the capital region.
Gender earnings gaps varied considerably across counties. Sligo displayed the narrowest differential at 8.5 per cent, while male median earnings in Meath exceeded female earnings by 30 per cent, representing the widest gap nationally.
Long Term Financial Implications for Women Workers
Sinéad Cullen, co-founder of Irish corporate wellness and financial planning firm Lifecraft, emphasised that the figures demonstrate persistent underrepresentation of women among the nation’s highest earners. Cullen, who serves as vice president of Corporate Partners at the Professional Women’s Network Dublin, noted that lower earnings, career interruptions and missed advancement opportunities create financial consequences that compound over decades.
The pension implications are particularly stark, with Eurostat figures indicating women’s average pension income in Ireland was 31 per cent lower than men’s in 2024. “Financial education and planning are essential, but women cannot be expected to close structural inequalities through better financial decisions alone,” Cullen said. “Ultimately, this is about financial independence, security and having choices, both during our working lives and in retirement.”
The data underscores ongoing challenges in achieving pay parity and equal advancement opportunities in Irish workplaces, despite gradual progress in female representation among the highest earning bracket over recent years.
Reporting based on original coverage by Business Plus.