CSO – The Highest Gender Pay Gap is in the 50-59 Age Bracket

19th October 2023

Posted In: The Topic

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has issued the Structure of Earnings Survey for 2022.

Commenting on the data, Darragh Turner, Statistician in the Earnings Analysis Division, said: “Median hourly earnings in 2022 were €19.60 with 37.5 median paid weekly hours. Mean hourly earnings were €26.40 with 32.9 mean paid weekly hours.

There is a 34.7% difference between mean and median hourly earnings.

Median Hourly Earnings

The Economic sector with the highest median hourly earnings was Information & Communication at €31.97 with 39.8 median paid weekly hours. The lowest median hourly earnings were in Accommodation & Food Services Activities at €13.59 with 23.8 median paid weekly hours.

Full-time employees had median hourly earnings of €21.40 with 39.0 median paid weekly hours and part-time employees had median hourly earnings of €15.24 with 19.3 median paid weekly hours. Full-time employees had 28.8% higher median hourly earnings when compared with part-time employees.

Employees with a doctorate (PHD) or higher recorded the highest median hourly earnings in 2022 at €39.92 with 38.8 median paid weekly hours. The lowest median hourly earnings were recorded by employees with no formal education at €14.73 with 36.5 median paid weekly hours.

The Gender Pay Gap

Across the European Union the Gender Pay Gap (GPG) is measured as the difference between the average gross hourly earnings of male and female paid employees as a percentage of average gross hourly earnings of male paid employees.

Taking this into account, the focus of the GPG section in this publication will focus on mean hourly earnings.

In 2022, the GPG in Ireland was 9.6%. Mean hourly earnings for males were €27.73 and €25.06 for females.

The GPG varies between distinct characteristics. For example, the largest GPG is among UK nationals at 27%, male UK nationals earn €32.71 and female UK nationals earn €23.88. In comparison, the GPG for Irish nationals is 7.5%, with males earning €28.09 and females earning €25.98.

Age provides a useful insight into the breakdown of the GPG. As age increases the GPG grows, with a reverse GPG in the 15-24 age group at -0.2%, with males earning €17.54 and females earning €17.57.

The highest GPG is in the 50-59 age group at 16.7%, with males earning €33.03 and females earning €27.51.”

Key Findings:

•Median hourly earnings in 2022 were €19.60 with 37.5 median paid weekly hours.

•Employees in full-time work had median hourly earnings of €21.40 with 39.0 median paid weekly hours, while part-time workers had €15.24 with 19.3 median paid weekly hours.

•The Economic sector with the highest median hourly earnings was the Information & Communication sector at €31.97 with 39.8 median paid weekly hours. The lowest median hourly earnings were in Accommodation & Food Services Activities at €13.59 with 23.8 median paid weekly hours.

•Employees with a doctorate (PHD) or higher recorded the highest median hourly earnings in 2022 at €39.92 with 38.8 median paid weekly hours. The lowest median hourly earnings were recorded by employees with no formal education at €14.73 with 36.5 median paid weekly hours.

•In 2022, the Gender Pay Gap (GPG), which was measured as the average difference between males and females, was 9.6%, with mean hourly earnings for males at €27.73 and €25.06 for females.

•The GPG was reversed in the 15-24 age group at -0.2%, males and females had mean hourly earnings of €17.54 and €17.57.

•The highest GPG by age was in the 50-59 age group at 16.7%, with mean hourly earnings at €33.03 for males and hourly earnings at €27.51 for females.

The Structure of Earnings Survey (SES) is a nationwide survey of Irish employees conducted by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) that provides detailed information on earnings statistics. All European Union (EU) Member States are legally obliged to conduct a Structure of Earnings Survey on a four yearly basis as set out in the regulation (EC) No 530/1999 concerning structural statistics on earnings and on labour costs.

Image source: CSO Structure of Earnings Survey for 2022.