New research from hiring platform IrishJobs shows that based on their role, skills, and experience, men expect a median salary of €64,000, compared to €53,000 for women, a 17% gap in pay expectations.
The report is based on a survey of 470 recruiters and 670 candidates in Ireland, as well as an analysis of 1.3 million job adverts across the Irish labour market.
The data shows the median salary for male professionals in Ireland was €55,000 in 2025, compared to a median salary of €44,000 for women.
79% of men said they are satisfied with their salary, compared to 71% of women.
The average pay rise for men in 2025 was 6.5%, compared to 5.4% for women, according to the research.
Nearly half of women who received a pay rise said the level of increase did not fully reflect their work performance.
In comparison, 30% of men said that pay increases did not match their performance.
More than two-thirds of men said they feel confident negotiating a pay rise, compared to 47% of women.
The findings come ahead of the introduction of the EU Pay Transparency Directive in June.
The new rules will oblige employers to publish salary ranges for job adverts and report regularly on any gender pay gap in their organisation.
According to IrishJobs, only 38% of job adverts in Ireland currently display salary ranges.
“It’s clear from the findings that more work is needed to address the lingering cultural and structural barriers resulting in gender pay gaps,” said Christopher Paye, Country Director of The Stepstone Group Ireland with responsibility for IrishJobs.
“When women are not empowered to feel confident about their market value, it reinforces inequalities that already exist in the labour market.”
“With only 38% of job adverts in Ireland currently displaying salary ranges, increasing transparency on salary ranges can help to address these inequalities and ensure that talent is rewarded fairly, regardless of gender,” Mr Paye said.