Find a realistic contractor rate range for your role, then calculate what you keep after tax and the structure that applies to you.
74roles tracked6cities covered€1120/daytop day rate5roles with rising rates
How to use these rates
Start with the benchmark for your role, check the usual range, then use the calculator to see what the rate means for your own working pattern and structure. City pages are useful when location is part of the decision.
All contract day rate benchmarks
Featured technology roles appear first, followed by the full set of verified contractor benchmarks.
At the top end
Roles with the highest current rate benchmarks
Rates on the move
Where matched data shows the biggest rises
Software Engineering
Software Engineer
€325/day
€313/day – €338/day
Software Engineering
Senior Software Engineer
€338/day
€338/day – €395/day
Software Engineering
Lead Software Engineer
€451/day
€451/day – €479/day
Data & Analytics
Data Analyst
€376/day
€357/day – €391/day
-3.1% YoY
Data & Analytics
Data Engineer
€500/day
€463/day – €538/day
-4.8% YoY
Project & Change
Business Analyst
€538/day
€506/day – €569/day
+2.4% YoY
Product & Design
Product Manager
€713/day
€644/day – €781/day
+14.0% YoY
Infrastructure & Cloud
DevOps Engineer
€406/day
€391/day – €422/day
Infrastructure & Cloud
Cloud Architect
€575/day
Range: limited data
-11.5% YoY
Infrastructure & Cloud
Cloud Engineer
€475/day
Range: limited data
-17.4% YoY
Software Engineering
Full Stack Developer
€550/day
Range: limited data
+4.8% YoY
Data & Analytics
Data Scientist
€550/day
€525/day – €575/day
0.0% YoY
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Analyst
€469/day
€422/day – €516/day
+10.4% YoY
Data & Analytics
AI Engineer
€575/day
€550/day – €600/day
Infrastructure & Cloud
Site Reliability Engineer
€675/day
Range: limited data
+20.0% YoY
Product & Design
UX/UI Designer
€400/day
€375/day – €425/day
-5.9% YoY
Infrastructure & Cloud
Network Engineer
€450/day
Range: limited data
+12.5% YoY
Software Engineering
Java Developer
€650/day
Range: limited data
Software Engineering
Python Developer
€625/day
Range: limited data
+8.7% YoY
Project & Change
Scrum Master
€550/day
Range: limited data
-6.4% YoY
Software Engineering
QA Engineer
€500/day
€388/day – €525/day
+14.2% YoY
Infrastructure & Cloud
Service Delivery Manager
€563/day
€544/day – €581/day
+15.4% YoY
Cybersecurity
Penetration Tester
€532/day
€516/day – €547/day
+14.9% YoY
Software Engineering
Ruby Developer
€500/day
Range: limited data
+11.1% YoY
Project & Change
Agile Coach
€650/day
Range: limited data
+10.6% YoY
Leadership
IT Manager
€538/day
Range: limited data
+10.4% YoY
Data & Analytics
Data Governance Specialist
€575/day
€550/day – €600/day
+9.5% YoY
Infrastructure & Cloud
Network Architect
€688/day
Range: limited data
+5.8% YoY
Software Engineering
Front End Developer
€550/day
Range: limited data
+4.8% YoY
Project & Change
PMO Analyst
€394/day
€385/day – €404/day
+3.3% YoY
Cybersecurity
Security Manager
€644/day
€616/day – €672/day
+3.0% YoY
Product & Design
Product Owner
€500/day
Range: limited data
+2.6% YoY
Project & Change
Project Manager
€575/day
€550/day – €600/day
0.0% YoY
Project & Change
Programme Director
€850/day
Range: limited data
0.0% YoY
Software Engineering
C/C++ Developer
€525/day
Range: limited data
0.0% YoY
Software Engineering
Mobile Developer
€525/day
Range: limited data
0.0% YoY
Cybersecurity
Security Engineer
€519/day
€472/day – €566/day
-1.1% YoY
Data & Analytics
Data Architect
€588/day
€569/day – €606/day
-2.1% YoY
Data & Analytics
Database Administrator
€538/day
€519/day – €556/day
-2.3% YoY
Project & Change
Change Manager
€575/day
€550/day – €600/day
-4.2% YoY
Data & Analytics
Data Analytics Manager
€575/day
€550/day – €600/day
-4.2% YoY
Software Engineering
.NET Developer
€500/day
Range: limited data
-4.8% YoY
Project & Change
Programme Manager
€713/day
€694/day – €731/day
-8.1% YoY
Enterprise Applications
ERP/CRM Specialist
€588/day
€556/day – €619/day
-9.6% YoY
Software Engineering
Scala Developer
€500/day
Range: limited data
-16.7% YoY
Software Engineering
Solutions Architect
€519/day
€503/day – €534/day
-17.0% YoY
Enterprise Applications
SAP Specialist
€310/day
€310/day – €324/day
Enterprise Applications
Oracle Specialist
€308/day
€308/day – €317/day
Leadership
IT Director
€703/day
€701/day – €703/day
Software Engineering
Engineering Manager
€590/day
€590/day – €616/day
Software Engineering
Enterprise Architect
€505/day
€450/day – €533/day
Cybersecurity
Security Architect
€423/day
Range: limited data
Data & Analytics
BI Developer
€400/day
€369/day – €450/day
Infrastructure & Cloud
Infrastructure Manager
€393/day
€393/day – €423/day
Software Engineering
Android Developer
€325/day
€283/day – €325/day
Software Engineering
iOS Developer
€325/day
€283/day – €325/day
Cybersecurity
GRC Analyst
€268/day
Range: limited data
Cybersecurity
IT Auditor
€268/day
€268/day – €298/day
Data & Analytics
SQL Developer
€263/day
€263/day – €268/day
Software Engineering
PHP Developer
€253/day
€253/day – €283/day
Infrastructure & Cloud
Network Administrator
€228/day
€228/day – €244/day
Enterprise Applications
SharePoint Developer
€203/day
€203/day – €283/day
Infrastructure & Cloud
Systems Administrator
€507/day
€491/day – €522/day
Enterprise Applications
Salesforce Specialist
€369/day
€359/day – €378/day
Software Engineering
Back End Developer
€525/day
€513/day – €538/day
Infrastructure & Cloud
Application Support Engineer
€350/day
Range: limited data
Infrastructure & Cloud
IT Support Specialist
€325/day
Range: limited data
Product & Design
Technical Writer
€300/day
Range: limited data
Data & Analytics
Head of Analytics
€750/day
Range: limited data
+15.4% YoY
Leadership
Chief Data Officer
€1120/day
Range: limited data
Leadership
Chief Technology Officer
€1120/day
Range: limited data
Leadership
Chief Digital Officer
€1038/day
Range: limited data
Leadership
Chief Product Officer
€925/day
Range: limited data
Leadership
Chief Information Security Officer
€850/day
Range: limited data
Contractor rate intel
Ireland contractor rates are moving in 2026
Day rates for senior tech contractors in Ireland shifted in Q1 2026. We track the market monthly. Get the update before your next rate negotiation.
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See how contractor day rates vary across Ireland cities.
Contractor day rates in Ireland vary significantly by role and seniority. The highest benchmark on this page is Chief Data Officer at €1120/day. Use the role cards below to find benchmarks for your specific discipline.
Use the Irish Contractor Calculator to compare take-home under PAYE umbrella, umbrella director, and sole trader structures. Your gross rate, working days, pension contributions, and marital status all affect the net figure.
Year-on-year signals are shown on each role card where matched prior-year data exists. Currently the fastest-growing contract rate tracked is Site Reliability Engineer at +20.0% YoY.
Use the range for your role as the evidence base, then adjust for seniority, specialist skills, contract length, location, and whether the rate needs to cover unpaid time or business costs. A benchmark is a starting point for negotiation, not a guaranteed offer.
Use the days you realistically expect to invoice, not every weekday in a year. Allow for holidays, public holidays, gaps between contracts, sick time, training, and non-billable administration. The calculator lets you test the assumption rather than relying on a single annualised number.
A headline rate does not show the effect of tax, unpaid leave, insurance, pension saving, equipment, or the structure through which you work. Model the rate with realistic billable days and your local calculator before comparing it with a permanent salary.