Nurse Salary in Ireland (2026): HSE Pay Scale, Every Grade and Take-Home Pay

Last updated: 1 November 2026 | Pay figures from the HSE consolidated salary scales effective 1 June 2026 (read with Department of Health Circular 2/2026). Tax figures from Citizens Information’s 2026 income tax, USC and PRSI pages.

Nurses in Ireland’s public health service are paid on national pay scales, so the salary for a staff nurse in Dublin is the same as in Donegal. The scales rose by 1% on 1 June 2026 under the public service pay agreement.

This guide sets out every point on the HSE staff nurse scale, the pay for senior and specialist grades, what overseas nurses earn before they are registered, and what a nurse actually takes home after tax.

Nurse Pay in Ireland at a Glance (2026)

🔔 Looking for a nursing job? Jump to the nursing jobs open this week, checked on the HSE jobs site.

The HSE Staff Nurse Pay Scale, Point by Point

The same 13-point scale applies to staff nurses in general, children’s and intellectual disability nursing, community staff nurses and staff midwives. Mental health staff nurses have their own scale. You usually move up one point each year until you reach the long service increments.

The top points of the scale are long service increments (LSIs), which take longer to reach. The HSE says the first LSI is paid after three years on the maximum of the scale, the second after three years on the first LSI, and the third after three years on the second. Where you start on the scale is set out in your offer letter, so check it before you accept.

To work out weekly pay, the HSE divides the annual figure by 52.18. A staff nurse on the first point earns about €731 a week before tax.

Pay for Senior and Specialist Nursing Grades

Night, theatre and mental health versions of the CNM grades are paid on the same scales as the general CNM grades.

What Overseas Nurses Earn Before Registration

The HSE pay scales include separate grades for nurses who are not yet fully registered with NMBI:

• Staff Nurse (Adaptation Placement), including children’s and midwifery: €33,370
• Mental Health Staff Nurse (Adaptation Placement): €34,004
• Staff Nurse or Staff Midwife (Awaiting Registration): €33,370 (psychiatric €34,004)

Once you are on the NMBI Register you move onto the staff nurse scale. Our NMBI registration guide explains adaptation and the RCSI aptitude test, and the rules on working during the Atypical Working Scheme.

Take-Home Pay: What a Nurse Actually Keeps

How we worked it out: a single person on basic pay only, using the 2026 rates from Citizens Information. Income tax is 20% on the first €44,000 and 40% above, less the €2,000 personal tax credit and the €2,000 employee tax credit. USC is 0.5% up to €12,012, 2% up to €28,700, 3% up to €70,044 and 8% above. PRSI is 4.35%, the Class A employee rate from 1 October 2026. Your real figure will differ if you are married, have other credits, work overtime or pay pension contributions, which are deducted from public service pay. Treat these as estimates.

To try your own figures, including a partner’s income, use our Ireland salary calculator.

Extra Pay on Top of the Scale

• Unsocial hours. Nurses working nights, weekends and public holidays receive premium payments on top of basic pay, so ward nurses on rotating rosters usually earn more than the scale figure. Ask your employer for the rates that apply to your roster.
• Overtime is paid on top of basic pay where it is worked.
• Flat rate expenses. Revenue lets some occupations claim a fixed tax allowance for work expenses such as uniforms and statutory registration fees. Check Revenue’s flat rate expenses list for nurses and claim it through myAccount.

Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes

Private hospitals, nursing homes and agencies set their own pay, so it can be higher or lower than the HSE scale. For an overseas nurse on a Critical Skills Employment Permit, a private employer must offer at least €40,904 a year. Compare any private offer against the HSE scale above, and ask how your experience will be credited.

How Irish Nurse Pay Compares

• From the Philippines: see our guide for Filipino nurses in Ireland.
• From Pakistan: see Pakistani nurses in Ireland.
• From India: see Indian nurses in Ireland.
• From the US: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median for registered nurses at $97,550 (May 2025), well above the Irish scale. Our guide for American nurses in Ireland compares the two.

For other well-paid roles, see the highest-paying jobs in Ireland.

Nursing Jobs Open This Week

These are real vacancies we checked on the HSE’s own jobs site. HSE posts are paid on the scales above. “Open to all” means anyone can apply, not only current HSE staff.

Read how to apply for HSE jobs from abroad, and subscribe to job alerts to get new vacancies first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a nurse earn in Ireland?

A staff nurse on the HSE scale earns €38,166 to €56,592 a year from 1 June 2026. Senior and specialist grades earn more: a Clinical Nurse Manager 1 earns €57,780 to €70,087, and an Advanced Nurse Practitioner up to €89,894.

What is the starting salary for a nurse in Ireland?

The first point of the HSE staff nurse scale is €38,166 a year (€38,908 for mental health nurses). Your offer letter sets out the point you start on.

How much does a nurse take home a month in Ireland?

A single staff nurse on €38,166 takes home roughly €2,680 a month after income tax, USC and PRSI at 2026 rates, before pension contributions and before any premium pay for nights or weekends.

How much do overseas nurses earn during adaptation?

The HSE pays €33,370 a year on its Staff Nurse (Adaptation Placement) and Awaiting Registration grades, or €34,004 for mental health and psychiatric nurses.

How long does it take to reach the top of the nurse pay scale?

You usually move up one point a year until the top of the ordinary scale. The final points are long service increments: the HSE says the first is paid after three years on the maximum, and each further one after another three years.

Do nurses in Dublin earn more than elsewhere in Ireland?

Not on the HSE scale: the same national scale applies across Ireland. Private employers can pay differently.

What is the salary of a Clinical Nurse Manager in Ireland?

A CNM 1 earns €57,780 to €70,087, a CNM 2 €62,699 to €79,227 and a CNM 3 €72,146 to €81,478 on the HSE scales from 1 June 2026.

Do private hospitals pay nurses more than the HSE?

It varies by employer. Private hospitals and nursing homes set their own pay, but for a Critical Skills permit they must offer an overseas nurse at least €40,904 a year.

Sources

• HSE: consolidated salary scales, 1 June 2026
• Citizens Information: how your tax is calculated, tax credits, USC and PRSI classes
• Revenue: flat rate expenses
• US Bureau of Labor Statistics: registered nurses

This guide is general information, not tax or financial advice. QuickHireAlert is an independent publisher. Pay depends on your grade, point and contract, and tax depends on your personal circumstances. Check your offer letter and Revenue’s calculators before you make decisions.