28 October 2026
Real earnings reach record high in Northern Ireland
Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in Northern Ireland reached £754 in April 2026, up £44 or 6.1% on 2025, according to the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings published by NISRA on 22 October. Adjusted for inflation, earnings grew by 3.1%, and real earnings are now at their highest point in the 20-year series, 7.1% above their 2019 level. However, weekly earnings remain 7.0% below the UK median of £811, and median annual full-time earnings stood at £38,200, around £2,700 below the UK figure.
Private sector pay grew faster than public sector pay over the year, by 6.8% compared with 5.0%. The public sector rise of 9.3% in 2025 partly reflected backdated multi-year pay settlements. Public sector weekly earnings of £840 remain higher than the private sector figure of £708, but the gap is narrowing with private sector real earnings now 12.3% above their 2019 level, against 2.0% in the public sector.
Low-paid jobs, defined as paying below two-thirds of the UK median hourly rate (£12.67 in 2026), rose to 4.0% of employee jobs, up from a record low of 3.5% in 2025. That is far below the 26.0% recorded in 2016, but Northern Ireland has the highest proportion of low-paid jobs of the 12 UK regions. The gender pay gap across all employees narrowed slightly to 7.1%, from 7.4%, compared with 12.3% across the UK.
For careers practitioners, the figures give an up-to-date baseline for conversations about pay and progression. The narrowing gap between public and private sector earnings in real terms is relevant to clients weighing a public service career against private sector roles. The rise in low pay is a reminder to look beyond the headline median, and NISRA publishes detailed tables by occupation, industry and working pattern that can bring those conversations down to the level of specific jobs.
Read the latest Employee Earnings in Northern Ireland release.
Private sector pay grew faster than public sector pay over the year, by 6.8% compared with 5.0%. The public sector rise of 9.3% in 2025 partly reflected backdated multi-year pay settlements. Public sector weekly earnings of £840 remain higher than the private sector figure of £708, but the gap is narrowing with private sector real earnings now 12.3% above their 2019 level, against 2.0% in the public sector.
Low-paid jobs, defined as paying below two-thirds of the UK median hourly rate (£12.67 in 2026), rose to 4.0% of employee jobs, up from a record low of 3.5% in 2025. That is far below the 26.0% recorded in 2016, but Northern Ireland has the highest proportion of low-paid jobs of the 12 UK regions. The gender pay gap across all employees narrowed slightly to 7.1%, from 7.4%, compared with 12.3% across the UK.
For careers practitioners, the figures give an up-to-date baseline for conversations about pay and progression. The narrowing gap between public and private sector earnings in real terms is relevant to clients weighing a public service career against private sector roles. The rise in low pay is a reminder to look beyond the headline median, and NISRA publishes detailed tables by occupation, industry and working pattern that can bring those conversations down to the level of specific jobs.
Read the latest Employee Earnings in Northern Ireland release.
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