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Data Governance Specialist Salary in Ireland 2026: €94K Median & Range

What does a Data Governance Specialist earn in Ireland?

The median Data Governance Specialist salary in Ireland is €94K in 2026, with a typical range from €81K to €99K. Pay has moved -6.3% year-on-year. Dublin currently leads city pay at €107K. This is base salary for permanent employees.

What does A Data Governance Specialist do?

A Data Governance Specialist is responsible for designing and implementing data governance frameworks, managing data catalogues and metadata with Collibra and Microsoft Purview, and ensuring GDPR, Data Act, and AI Act compliance across the data estate.

Day-to-day responsibilities

  • Developing and maintaining data governance frameworks and policies
  • Managing data catalogues and metadata repositories
  • Working with data stewards to define data quality standards
  • Conducting data lineage mapping
  • Supporting DPO activities with DPIA processes
  • Coordinating with legal and compliance teams
Low demand+20% GDPR Compliance+22% Data Catalogue Tools (Collibra, Alation)+18% Data Quality Management

Permanent Salary Benchmark for Data Governance Specialist

Permanent salary benchmarks for Data Governance Specialist in Ireland, from the low end to the top of the range, based on published market compensation data.

€94K

national median per year

-6.3% year on year

€94K
€55K€140K
Low
€55K
P25
€81K
Median
€94K
P75
€99K
High
€140K

High evidence · Ireland annual benchmark · 2026 data · How we check our numbers

Data Governance Specialist Salary by Seniority Level

Seniority bands are shown where independent benchmarks exist across experience levels for this role and market.

General

€61K

€56K-€67K middle band

Manager

€94K

€81K-€99K middle band

Mid

€60K

€58K-€63K middle band

Junior

€58K

€56K-€59K middle band

Senior

€63K

€61K-€64K middle band

Skills That Command a Premium for Data Governance Specialists

Certain technical skills push Data Governance Specialist salaries in Ireland significantly above the €94K median. These are the most impactful skills to develop or highlight when negotiating.

GDPR Compliance

+20%

salary premium vs median

Data Catalogue Tools (Collibra, Alation)

+22%

salary premium vs median

Data Quality Management

+18%

salary premium vs median

Metadata Management

+16%

salary premium vs median

Data Lineage

+15%

salary premium vs median

Microsoft Purview

+17%

salary premium vs median

Data Governance Specialist Salary in Cork, Galway, Waterford, Limerick and Dublin

How much does a Data Governance Specialist earn by city in Ireland?

Data Governance Specialist salary varies meaningfully by location. Dublin pays the most at €107K (14% above the national benchmark), while Galway sits at €89K (5% below the national benchmark). Location is worth factoring into any offer negotiation.

Data Governance Specialist Take-Home Pay in Ireland (2026)

After Income Tax, USC & PRSI · single, standard payroll deductions

Entry

Take-home/year

€55,457

Effective rate

31.5%

Median

Take-home/year

€61,666

Effective rate

34.4%

Senior

Take-home/year

€64,054

Effective rate

35.3%

See the full band-by-band breakdown for Data Governance Specialist

Adjust for your actual salary, see each Income Tax, USC, and PRSI band, and get monthly and weekly figures.

Contract day rates available for this role

Median €575/day, see full breakdown, city rates, and take-home calculator

View Data Governance Specialist day rates →

Contract break-even

What day rate beats a €94K Data Governance Specialist salary after tax?

Break-even day rate

€427/day

to match €94K permanent net

Permanent net take-home

€61,666/yr

€94K gross, single, 2026 rates

Sole trader, 220 days, single, no pension. Net figures are estimates; use the calculators for exact results.

Market Demand & Outlook

Hiring demand, top locations, and career outlook for Data Governance Specialist

High Confidence

Demand level

Low

Based on hiring signals relative to similar roles in this market.

Top hiring locations

DublinCorkGalwayWaterford

Career outlook

Emerging market

Data Governance Specialist demand should be monitored against newer benchmark cycles and employer hiring appetite.

Compare this role

Put the Data Governance Specialist benchmark in context

Compare adjacent roles, employer estimates, published agency guides, and an offer against the market before you make a decision.

Why Data Governance Specialist Salaries Are at This Level

Data Governance Specialists in Ireland earn a median salary of €94K in 2026, with a typical range from €81K at the 25th percentile to €99K at the 75th percentile. This benchmark reflects published market compensation data for annual pay across the Ireland market.

Dublin currently leads city pay at €107K, which is 14% above the national benchmark. City coverage for this role includes Cork, Galway, Waterford, Limerick, Dublin, helping you compare local pay differences without needing separate city-role pages.

At experience level, entry roles start around €58K, senior roles sit near €63K, and upper bands continue to trend above the median. Demand is currently steady for this role based on recent coverage and salary momentum signals.

Frequently Asked Questions About Data Governance Specialist Salary in Ireland

1

What is the median Data Governance Specialist salary in Ireland?

The median Data Governance Specialist salary in Ireland is €94K in 2026. The typical range runs from €81K at the 25th percentile to €99K at the 75th percentile, based on published market compensation data.

2

Is Data Governance Specialist salary increasing in Ireland?

Data Governance Specialist salaries have moved -6.3% year-on-year in Ireland.

3

How does Data Governance Specialist salary vary by city in Ireland?

Data Governance Specialist salaries vary across Ireland. Dublin leads at €107K (+14% vs the national benchmark), while Galway sits at €89K. Use the city breakdown above to compare all locations.

4

What does a Data Governance Specialist take home after tax in Ireland?

A Data Governance Specialist earning the median €94K gross in Ireland will take home a net amount after income tax and other deductions. Use the PayMetric Labs take-home calculator on this page for an exact breakdown by tax band.

5

What experience level earns the most as a Data Governance Specialist in Ireland?

Pay increases significantly with seniority for Data Governance Specialists in Ireland. See the seniority band breakdown above for exact figures at each level.

6

Is a €94K Data Governance Specialist hybrid role worth the commute in Ireland?

On a 3-day hybrid schedule with a typical Irish commute (€15/day travel, 60-minute round trip, daily meal premium, annual wardrobe costs), your true net income at €94K is approximately €50,648 per year, compared to €61,666 net without any commute. The commute costs €11,018 per year in direct expenses and lost time. A fully remote role paying €71,000 would leave you equally well off.

7

What remote salary is equivalent to a €94K hybrid Data Governance Specialist salary in Ireland?

Assuming a 3-day hybrid schedule with typical commute costs, you would need a remote salary of at least €71,000 to match the true net value of a €94K hybrid Data Governance Specialist role in Ireland. For a 5-day fully in-office role, the break-even remote salary rises to €57,700, as the higher office frequency increases travel, meal, and time costs significantly.

8

How many hours per year does a Data Governance Specialist in Ireland spend commuting?

On a 3-day hybrid schedule with a 60-minute round trip, a Data Governance Specialist in Ireland spends approximately 138 hours commuting per year, equivalent to 17 full working days. Valued at the implied hourly rate for a €94K salary (€54/hr), that time is worth €7,520 annually.

9

How does the 2026 Return to Office trend affect Data Governance Specialist compensation in Ireland?

As more employers in Ireland reintroduce hybrid or full in-office mandates in 2026, the true value of a Data Governance Specialist salary depends increasingly on the number of required office days. At €94K, each additional day in the office costs roughly €3,473 per year in direct and time costs (moving from 3 to 5 days). Candidates evaluating offers should compare true net income rather than gross salary alone.

10

What day rate do you need to earn more than a Data Governance Specialist permanent salary in Ireland?

A Data Governance Specialist earning €94K permanently takes home approximately €61,666 per year after tax in Ireland. As a sole trader contractor at 220 billable days, you need a day rate of at least €427/day to match that net income. Anything above that rate puts more money in your pocket compared to the permanent equivalent. Use the Irish contractor calculator at /ie/calculators/irish-contractor-calculator for a full breakdown.

11

Is contracting more profitable than a permanent Data Governance Specialist role in Ireland?

Whether contracting beats permanent pay for a Data Governance Specialist in Ireland depends entirely on the day rate you can command. The break-even rate is approximately €427/day (220 working days, sole trader), which is the minimum required to match the €94K median permanent net take-home of €61,666 per year. Day rates above this produce a higher net income; rates below it mean the permanent role pays more after tax.

12

How reliable is this Data Governance Specialist salary benchmark?

This benchmark is derived from verified market compensation data and is rated High Confidence. High Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only.

13

Is Data Governance Specialist pay increasing?

The latest year-over-year signal is -6.3%. Growth is matched using the closest comparable prior-year role, location, seniority, currency, and salary type available in the salary intelligence tables.

14

What should employers and candidates take from this benchmark?

Candidates should compare offers against the €81K-€99K middle-market band, while employers should treat €94K as the current market midpoint for this role.

Sources and review

How this salary is built

Reviewed 4 September 2026

This is a PayMetric Labs benchmark, not a salary quote or a guaranteed offer. We align available Ireland market-guide evidence by job title, seniority, pay period, and location before publishing the range.

01 · Collect

Recorded salary and rate-guide evidence

02 · Align

Role, seniority, location, and pay period

03 · Review

Outliers, coverage, and data quality

Recorded agency-guide evidence

These organisations have guide evidence recorded for this market. Coverage differs by role and location, so a listed organisation is not necessarily the direct source for every figure on this page.

BrightwaterClarkCollins McNicholasCPLHaysIT SearchMorgan McKinleySigmarStelfoxThe Panel
Read our methodology

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The same role has published benchmarks in these markets. Open each local page for its salary range, tax context, and city detail.

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