Average annual earnings in Ireland increased by €400 (1.1%) to €36,919 last year, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office.
This compares with an increase of 1.2% between 2014 and 2015.
Mean annual earnings have risen by more than €1,000 since the height of the economic downturn in 2011.
Average earnings for full-time employees in 2016 stood at €45,611 (+1.2% on 2015), with the average for part-time workers coming in at €16,597 (+1.6%).
The average hourly rate of pay last year was €22.04.
The professional, scientific and technical sector saw the largest increase, at 6.4%, with average annual earnings rising from €41,973 to €44,667 between 2015 and 2016.
However, the information and communication sector had the highest average regular earnings of €49,319 and highest average irregular earnings of €6,216, making it the highest paid sector in 2016.
The accommodation and food services sector had average annual total earnings of €17,214, the lowest of the sectors.
Total employee earnings rose by 4% to €61.2 billion across the year, driven mainly by an increase in the number of people at work, as well as a slight rise in the number of weekly hours worked and the small increase in average earnings.
Meanwhile, the CSO figures also show the total cost of employing labour increased by 4.1% in 2016to €70.8 billion.
Full-time employee regular earnings comprised €48.4 billion (68.3%) of the €70.8 billion total labour costs, while part-time employee regular earnings were €7.5 billion (10.6%).
The other main components were €9.7 billion (13.7%) other labour costs, €3.2 billion (4.6%) irregular earnings, €1.6 billion (2.3%) overtime earnings, and €0.4 billion (0.6%) apprentice/trainee earnings.
Total annual labour costs increased each year between 2011 and 2016.
