New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that average annual earnings increased by 2% to €37,646 in 2017 from €36,920 in 2016.
This compares to an annual increase of 1.3% in 2016 from €36,458 in 2015.
The CSO said that average annual earnings for full-time workers rose by 1.7% to €46,402, while the average for part-time employees were €17,059, up 3.2% on 2016.
Total earnings rose to €66.6 billion in 2017, an increase of 5.9% on 2016, the CSO said.
This increase was driven by a rise in the average numbers employed of 3.8%, a 0.2% increase in average weekly hours worked and a 1.7% increase in average hourly earnings, it added.
According to today's figures, average annual total earnings varied widely across the economy with the highest averages in Information and communication at €56,757 and Financial, insurance and real estate at €55,634.
The industry sector recorded the highest average annual overtime earnings of €2,427 in 2017.
But the accommodation and food services sector had the lowest average annual total earnings at €17,607.
Meanwhile the total cost of employing labour increased by 5.9% in 2017 with total annual labour costs reaching €77.2 billion.
Today's figures also showed that the average annual hourly earnings of all employees stood at €22.43 in 2017.
The CSO noted that the education sector recorded the highest average annual hourly earnings of €34.56, yet recorded the lowest number of average annual weekly paid hours of 23.7.
The financial, insurance and real estate sector and the Information and communication sector had the next highest earners.
They had average annual hourly earnings of €30.82 and €30.12 and average annual weekly paid hours of 34.7 and 36.2 respectively.
