47
2022
The Project Economy
“I have worked with most of my clients on multiple occasions and on multiple projects. You are recognised as part of the workforce albeit someone who comes and goes depending on the project.”
Quote from Respondent
The project economy typically entails the more dynamic and higher value-added component of the overall economy...
…involving activities such as innovation, scaling of business, new ventures and the adoption of new technologies. These encompass both corporate enterprise as well as entrepreneurial start-up and scaling by SMEs.
Our survey is predominantly drawn from high-skilled contractors. 94% of the participants in our survey are in managerial, professional, high-tech and associated professional occupations, or categorized as Standard Occupational Classifications (SOCs) 1-3. As the survey is focused on high-skilled independent contractors it covers both gig and project economy workers. The high skilled sector gig workers are better off than equivalent employees as they earn more and have higher levels of job satisfaction. However, high-skilled independent contractors working in the project economy earn even more and with higher levels of job satisfaction than high-skilled gig workers. The project economy workforce is nearly 7 times larger than the gig economy (75% project, 11% gig with the remainder doing both forms of contract). In terms of combined value of workers earnings the project economy workforce is worth 9 times more than the gig economy.
Amongst high skilled contractors in managerial, professional, high-tech and associated professional occupations, those who are engaged on a project basis are paid roughly €587 down from €597 per day in 2024, a slight drop year on year, while high-skilled contractors hired on a task/gig basis are earning €442 per day versus €535 per day in 2024 a drop of 17% year on year. In terms of annual earnings, those working in the Project Economy earned an average of €124,823 per annum, while those working on an ad-hoc task or gig basis average earnings came in at €94,498 per annum in 2025.
Gender Split
The project-based contractor is predominately male (74%) while task/gig sector has a higher percentage of females (36%). There has been a slight increase in the percentage of females engaging in both project and gig/task work in 2025 compared to 2024.
Additional Information
| 2024 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| Male | 65% | 78% |
| Female | 34% | 22% |
| Non-binary | 1% | 0% |
| 2023 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| Male | 66% | 79% |
| Female | 32% | 21% |
| Non-binary | 2% | 0% |
| 2022 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| Male | 66% | 79% |
| Female | 34% | 21% |
| 2021 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| Male | 60% | 79% |
| Female | 40% | 21% |
Age
Contractors in project-based work tend to be older than those completing gig/ task-based work. 41% of project contractors are 50 years of age or older, whereas only 21% of gig/task workers are aged 50 or older. The average age of project workers has decreased by 4 years from 50 to 46 years from 2022 to 2025. The average age of gig/task workers has decreased by 7 years from 47 to 40 years in the period from 2022 to 2025.
Additional Information
| 2024 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| 29 & below | 15% | 5% |
| 30 – 39 | 29% | 18% |
| 40 – 49 | 22% | 25% |
| 50 – 59 | 19% | 30% |
| 60 & over | 15% | 22% |
| 2023 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| 29 & below | 3% | 4% |
| 30 – 39 | 25% | 16% |
| 40 – 49 | 39% | 29% |
| 50 – 59 | 19% | 27% |
| 60 & over | 14% | 24% |
| 2022 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| 29 & below | 7% | 4% |
| 30 – 39 | 22% | 16% |
| 40 – 49 | 31% | 28% |
| 50 – 59 | 20% | 29% |
| 60 & over | 20% | 23% |
| 2021 | Task/Gig-based contractors | Project-based contractors |
| 29 & below | 17% | 5% |
| 30 – 39 | 32% | 21% |
| 40 – 49 | 22% | 32% |
| 50 – 59 | 18% | 27% |
| 60 & over | 11% | 16% |
46
2023
44
2024
40
2025
Average Age of Task/Gig-Based Contractors By Year
50
2022
50
2023
49
2024
46
2025
Average Age of Project-Based Contractors By Year
Education
Both project-based contractors and gig/task workers are highly educated, with 75% of project workers having a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree and 70% of gig workers having a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree.
Additional Information
What Professional Contractors are Earning
In terms of annual earnings, independent professionals working in the Project Economy earn an average of €124,823 per annum, 32% more than similarly skilled professionals working on an ad-hoc task or gig basis whose average earnings came in at €94,498 per annum in 2025. The difference in average annual earnings has increased significantly since 2024 when the reported differential was just 11%.
Additional Information
Job Satisfaction
Contractors working on projects reported higher satisfaction across seven key aspects of their job and working life compared to those in gig/task-based roles. 87% of project-based contractors expressed satisfaction with their life in general, compared to 77% of gig/task workers. Both groups reported an increase in life satisfaction in 2025 compared to 2024. 91% of project contractors were satisfied with their career success, compared to 82% of gig/task contractors.
Satisfaction with pay rates also improved significantly. In 2025, 86% of project workers were satisfied with their pay, up from 70% in 2024. Similarly, gig/task workers’ pay satisfaction rose from 62% in 2024 to 80% in 2025. However, satisfaction with remote work options declined for gig/task contractors, dropping from 49% in 2024 to 43% in 2025. In contrast, 80% of project contractors remained satisfied with their remote work options.
Additional Information
Wellbeing
Overall well-being remains high for both groups, though burnout rates differ slightly. Burnout among project workers was 13% in 2025, slightly higher than the 11% reported by gig/task contractors. However, burnout rates for both groups have declined, with gig/task workers showing a more significant drop from 24% in 2024 to 11% in 2025.
Feelings of loneliness were more common among gig/task workers, with 27% reporting loneliness in 2025, up from 24% in2024. In comparison, 22% of project-based contractors reported experiencing loneliness.
Additional Information
Business Confidence Index
Both groups of contractors remain positive in outlook towards the contracting sector in the next 3-5 years. Project-based contractors have a confidence index score of +28 down from +33 in 2024, while task/gig-based contractors have a score of +16 down from +17 in 2024. While both scores have dropped the project-based workers are more positive about the future of the contracting sector than the task/gig workers.
Looking to the Future
Project-based work typically focuses on innovation and business transformation, key drivers of economic growth. As a result, independent professional contractors involved in this high-skilled, project-driven work gain early insight into business expansion and emerging trends. This makes their perspective on the economy particularly valuable.
In 2025, project-based contractors remain confident in Ireland’s economic performance, reflected in a positive confidence index score of +18. Task and gig-based contractors are also optimistic, with a confidence index score of +12, up from +7 in 2024.
Confidence Index Contracting Sector
| Project-based contractors | Task/Gig-based contractors | |
| 2025 | +28 | +16 |
| 2024 | +33 | +17 |
| 2023 | +34 | +22 |
| 2022 | +34 | +38 |
| 2021 | +33 | +20 |
Confidence Index Irish Economy
| Project-based contractors | Task/Gig-based contractors | |
| 2025 | +18 | +12 |
| 2024 | +19 | +7 |
| 2023 | +13 | -9 |
| 2022 | +31 | +40 |
| 2021 | +12 | -14 |