Slovakia
+25%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in Ireland
Updated Data years: 2021, 2022, 2025 How we use data
Older data (2021) The latest official figure is from 2021. It may not reflect today's labour market.
Quick answer
In Ireland, employees with tertiary education earned a median of €4,336 a month in 2021 (PPP$ 4,524) — +26% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 3.0%, against 3.6% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +26%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2021)
- €4,336median monthly pay with tertiary education (2021)
- 3.0%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 3.6%, 2025)
Do graduates earn more in Ireland?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic education | €2,248 | 2,345 | -35% |
| Intermediate education | €2,652 | 2,767 | -23% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | €4,336 | 4,524 | +26% |
| All levels | €3,446 | 3,595 | — |
The degree premium ranks 97 of 128 countries with data. That is above the Europe and Central Asia median of +25%.
Earnings over time (PPP$ a month)
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
PPP$ values are in current international dollars, so part of the rise reflects inflation.
Earnings compared with upper secondary education (OECD)
The OECD compares the earnings of adults aged 25–64 with each level of education to those who finished upper secondary school (= 100). Latest year: 2022.
| Education level | Index (upper secondary = 100) |
|---|---|
| Short-cycle tertiary | 141 |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | 156 |
| Master's, doctoral or equivalent | 188 |
| All tertiary | 165 |
| Below upper secondary | 90 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Which occupations pay the most in Ireland?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2025, from highest to lowest. Examples link to our career profiles.
| Occupation group | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | €6,252 | 6,917 | +56% |
| Managers Construction manager, Marketing manager, Project manager, Supply chain manager | €6,040 | 6,682 | +51% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | €4,436 | 4,908 | +11% |
| Craft and related trades workers | €3,606 | 3,989 | -10% |
| Clerical support workers | €3,481 | 3,851 | -13% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | €3,463 | 3,830 | -13% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | €2,779 | 3,074 | -30% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | €2,497 | 2,762 | -38% |
| Elementary occupations | €2,327 | 2,574 | -42% |
| All occupations | €3,999 | 4,423 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in Ireland?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic education | 5.2% | 21.3% |
| Intermediate education | 4.3% | 10.0% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 3.0% | — |
| All levels | 3.6% | 11.8% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 41 lowest of 130 countries with data. The Europe and Central Asia median is 3.6%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Graduate employment by field of study in Ireland
Employment rate of adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education, by field of study (OECD, 2021).
| Field of study | Employment rate |
|---|---|
| Engineering, manufacturing and construction Aerospace engineering, Architecture, Chemical engineering, Civil engineering | 94.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary Agriculture, Veterinary science | 93.8% |
| Information and communication technologies Computer science | 89.0% |
| Health and welfare Biomedical science, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing | 88.8% |
| Business, administration and law Accounting and finance, Business management, Law, Marketing | 88.6% |
| Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics Biology, Chemistry, Data science, Environmental science | 87.2% |
| Education Education | 85.8% |
| Social sciences, journalism and information Criminology, Economics, Geography, International relations | 85.8% |
| Services Hospitality and tourism, Sports science | 85.3% |
| Generic programmes and qualifications | 81.6% |
| Arts and humanities Design, English literature, History, Modern languages | 72.1% |
| All fields | 86.9% |
Studying and working in Ireland
Rules on student visas, work after graduation and recognition of qualifications change often. Use the official sources below and check the date on any advice you read.
- Official study portal
- Student visa and residence information
- Public job portal
- Recognition of foreign qualifications
Ireland is in the European Union: EU citizens can study and work there without a visa. EURES lists jobs across Europe and the ENIC-NARIC network advises on qualification recognition. EURES · ENIC-NARIC
Guide: how to choose a country to study in · Guide: getting your degree recognised abroad
Country context
- Population
- 5.5M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $155,089 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 77.6% (2022)
Questions about graduate jobs in Ireland
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in Ireland?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in Ireland with tertiary education earned a median of €4,336 a month in 2021, compared with €3,446 for all employees — +26%. The degree premium ranks 97 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in Ireland?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in Ireland was 3.0%, compared with 3.6% for all adults.
Which jobs pay the most in Ireland?
The best-paid occupation group in Ireland in 2025 was “Professionals”, with median monthly earnings of €6,252 (PPP$ 6,917). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of €6,252.
Where can I find official information about studying in Ireland?
Start with the official study portal and immigration pages linked on this page. They set out entry requirements, student visas and any rights to work after graduating, which change more often than most guides are updated.
Compare with other countries in Europe and Central Asia
-
-
Norway
+12%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Finland
+17%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Denmark
+15%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Bulgaria
+53%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Serbia
+21%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — HIES - EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, 2021
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — HIES - EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - EU Labour Force Survey, 2025
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Relative earnings and employment by field of study
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). Ireland: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/ireland/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
Notes from the data source
- Age coverage - minimum age: 16 years old
- Repository: Eurostat special tabulation