In 2024, AI emerges as the core breakthrough, reshaping the digital landscape and job market. According to Labour Market Pulse Edition 8 by IDA Ireland, AI is predicted to reach a value of $422.4 billion by 2028 with a remarkable 39.4% annual growth rate, with significant implications for the digital field. The World Economic Forum anticipates the creation of 97 million AI-related jobs by 2025, ensuring substantial employment opportunities in the digital sector as AI becomes increasingly integrated into digital technologies and services. To seize these opportunities, upskilling and staying at the forefront of AI developments will be crucial for individuals in the digital job market.
The massive adoption of the Internet around the world makes the demand for professional profiles in the digital sector does not stop growing. Source: Oberlo
According to the Salary Guide prepared by Prosperity Digital, the average annual salary of a worker in the digital sector has increased by 3% in 2024 accross different roles.
5 highest paying jobs in Digital
Here's the jobs with the highest salaries in the digital sector:
CTO
The role of a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is pivotal in shaping the technological vision of a company and driving its technical strategies to new heights. A CTO is responsible for aligning technology initiatives with business goals, overseeing the development of cutting-edge solutions, and managing technical teams to ensure optimal performance. With the potential to make a substantial impact on the company's success, CTOs are compensated based on their experience and expertise. Salaries for this role are as follows:
- With 1 to 3 years of experience: from 70,000 to 90,000 euros.
- With 3 to 5 years of experience: from 90,000 to 130,000 euros.
- With more than 5 years of experience: from 130,000 to 180,000 euros.
A CTO's leadership in technology and innovation is invaluable to the organization, making this role highly rewarding and impactful.
Commercial Director
The position of Commercial Director holds a vital role in driving a company's revenue growth and market success. Commercial Directors are responsible for leading sales and marketing efforts, developing strategies to expand market presence, and forging key partnerships to drive business success. The salary for this role is determined by experience and expertise, with the following salary ranges:
- With 1 to 3 years of experience: from 70,000 to 75,000 euros.
- With 3 to 5 years of experience: from 75,000 to 100,000 euros.
- With more than 5 years of experience: from 100,000 to 125,000 euros.
The Commercial Director plays a pivotal role in shaping the company's commercial strategy and achieving its revenue objectives, making it a highly rewarding and influential position. If you're interested in exploring salary information for other leadership roles, we encourage you to reach out to our dedicated salary survey for comprehensive insights.
Head of Search (SEO and PPC)
The role of Head of Search, encompassing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and PPC (Pay-Per-Click), is instrumental in driving a company's online visibility and digital marketing success. These professionals are responsible for leading search marketing strategies, optimizing website traffic, and managing paid advertising campaigns. Salaries for the Head of Search position vary based on experience and expertise, with the following salary ranges:
- With 1 to 3 years of experience: from 75,000 to 80,000 euros.
- With 3 to 5 years of experience: from 80,000 to 90,000 euros.
- With more than 5 years of experience: from 90,000 to 130,000 euros.
Head of Product
The Head of Product position is instrumental in driving a company's product strategy and innovation efforts. These professionals are responsible for leading product development teams, defining product roadmaps, and ensuring the successful delivery of high-quality products to the market. Compensation for the Head of Product role varies based on experience and expertise, with the following salary ranges:
- With 1 to 3 years of experience: from 80,000 to 90,000 euros.
- With 3 to 5 years of experience: from 90,000 to 100,000 euros.
- With more than 5 years of experience: from 100,000 to 120,000 euros.
Head of UX
The role of Head of UX (User Experience) is pivotal in shaping a company's user-centric design strategy and ensuring the delivery of exceptional user experiences across products and services. UX leaders are responsible for leading UX teams, defining UX strategies, and driving user-centered design principles. Salaries for the Head of UX position are determined by experience and expertise, with the following salary ranges:
- With 1 to 3 years of experience: from 85,000 to 95,000 euros.
- With 3 to 5 years of experience: from 95,000 to 110,000 euros.
- With more than 5 years of experience: starting from 110,000 euros and potentially higher.
The Head of UX holds a crucial position in elevating user satisfaction and optimizing product usability, making it a highly rewarding and impactful role. If you're interested in exploring salary information for other UX-related roles or industry-specific benchmarks, consult our dedicated page.
What factors cause salaries to rise for certain positions?
When establishing a worker's salary, companies consider various aspects, so that two professionals who are at the same level and have the same studies may receive significantly disparate remuneration.
The factors that are usually considered by companies and that imply that an employee may receive a higher salary are the following:
Skills in high demand
In general, these are technical skills. The law of supply and demand comes into play here in full force, since the shortage of certain technical profiles means that companies have to raise their salary prospects to attract the few available on the market. This happens for example in Automation Marketing profiles, which combine marketing expertise with technical capacity at a basic programming level.
City of residence
In Ireland, for example, the counties where the average salary is higher are Dublin, Cork, and Limerick while at the opposite extreme, with the lowest salaries, we find Kerry, Mayo, and Monaghan. In Dublin, salaries for any position are on average 10% to 20% higher than in other Irish cities.
Responsibility for the position
The responsibility that each person assumes in his or her job is another factor that can increase the salary. For example, elements such as the team of people being managed or the need for decision-making involved in the position will be valued.
Type of company
The type of company also affects the salary. A technology startup that is just starting is not the same as a more established company. Working in a small SME is not the same as working in a large corporation. Working in one industry is not the same as working in another as some industries like renewables are on the rise whereas others like coal mining might be waning.
Conclusion
In summary, the digital sector is undergoing transformation, driven by AI, offering expanding job opportunities. Notably, roles in product and UX continue to grow in demand year by year. To thrive in this dynamic field, individuals should acquire essential technical skills and remain mindful of factors affecting salary variations in the digital job market.
If you want to explore more roles and salaries in the digital sector for these types of professions, here is the complete Salary Guide for the Irish digital market with all the available ranges. If you are looking for jobs in digital, don't hesitate to look at the job offers at Prosperity Digital. Our clients range from the most cutting-edge startups to the most consolidated companies, so sign up at Prosperity Digital and receive job offers in your inbox every week.
