Employment in pharma and medtech sectors jumps 60% – CSO

Total employment in the pharmaceutical and medical technology sector increased by 60% between 2019 and 2025 and the wage bill rose by 98%, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office.

Last year total employment earnings in the sector reached €7.9 billion, up from €4 billion in 2019.

More than half of the people, or 56%, working in the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors had a third level qualification.

The CSO said that total sales of goods in the sectors doubled from €105 billion in 2019 to €211 billion in 2025.

Total assets in the sectors was €436 billion last year, largely made up of financial assets of €237 billion and intangible fixed assets €137 billion.

The CSO said 85% of the assets were owned by US companies.

The highest percentage of those employed in the sectors lived in Co Cork (17.3%), followed by Co Dublin (15.6%) and Co Galway (15.1%).

CSO statistician Clare Sullivan said growth of employment rose from 60,537 in 2019 to 96,847 in 2025.