Every role side by side
4 roles covered so far, ordered by starting salary, each from its entry grade to its highest. Every grade and scale within them has its own row further down. The ceiling column includes any long service increments, and the years column is how long it takes to get there.
| Grade | Starts on | Ceiling | Years to ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defence Forces enlisted personnel | €33,636 | €62,505 | 4 years |
| Prison Officer | €37,161 | €41,450 | 3 years |
| Garda | €39,194 | €60,333 | 8 years |
| Defence Forces officer | €39,858 | €125,371 | 4 years |
Defence Forces enlisted personnel, about €2,380 a month take-home.
Defence Forces officer, reached after 4 years.
Every grade, one row each
All 15 grades on the 2026 scales, each on its own row, ordered by starting salary. The ceiling includes any long service increment. Type to find yours.
| Grade | Starts on | Ceiling |
|---|---|---|
| Defence Forces enlisted personnel: Private 3 Star | €33,636 | €40,851 |
| Prison Officer: Recruit | €37,161 | €41,450 |
| Defence Forces officer: Second-Lieutenant | €39,858 | €43,766 |
| Defence Forces enlisted personnel: Corporal | €41,803 | €44,170 |
| Defence Forces officer: Lieutenant | €45,247 | €56,850 |
| Defence Forces enlisted personnel: Sergeant | €45,277 | €48,124 |
| Prison Officer: Established | €46,492 | €61,022 |
| Defence Forces enlisted personnel: C.Q.M.S. | €51,455 | €55,143 |
| Defence Forces enlisted personnel: Company Sergeant | €52,318 | €56,053 |
| Defence Forces enlisted personnel: B.Q.M.S. | €56,599 | €61,020 |
| Defence Forces enlisted personnel: Sergeant-Major | €58,074 | €62,505 |
| Defence Forces officer: Captain | €58,182 | €73,520 |
| Defence Forces officer: Commandant | €73,590 | €90,701 |
| Defence Forces officer: Lieutenant-Colonel | €89,425 | €99,910 |
| Defence Forces officer: Colonel | €103,087 | €125,371 |
No grade matches that. Try a shorter word, such as "senior" or "manager".
How pay works in this sector
Two things set this sector apart. Both employers pay allowances that are not optional extras: Military Service Allowance for the Defence Forces, and shift and overtime payments for Gardai, where overtime runs at time and a half or double time on Sundays and public holidays. Basic pay alone understates both jobs.
Both are also on fast accrual pension schemes, reflecting earlier retirement ages. That makes the Additional Superannuation Contribution harsher than for other public servants: it exempts only the first €28,750 of pensionable pay rather than €34,500, and charges 10% above it rather than 3.33%. On a starting salary that difference is several hundred euro a year.
The two structures overlap more than the uniforms suggest. The most senior enlisted rank, Sergeant-Major, sits inside the officer Captain scale, and a newly commissioned Second-Lieutenant starts below the first point of Corporal.
Pick a grade
Every grade in this sector, including any kept out of the table above because their pay is not a salary.