If you’re living in Australia or planning to move there, you probably want to know what the average salary is. Well, let us tell you right away: The average salary in Australia across all states and jobs was $90,917 Australian dollars in November 2021. This is based on an average weekly wage of $1,748. Of course, there is a lot of variation in salaries depending on where people live and the profession they have and, sadly, based on their sex too. So, let’s take a closer look at salaries in different areas and jobs in Australia.
- Where can I earn the most money in Australia?
- The gender wage gap in Australia
- Which jobs have the highest salaries in Australia?
- Which jobs have lower salaries in Australia?
- Salaries for skilled migration jobs
Ready to start learning with Lingoda?
Where can I earn the most money in Australia?
If you’re looking to make big bucks in Australia, your destination of choice should be the ACT, the Australian Capital Territory. That’s Canberra, basically. There, you can earn an average of $1,980 per week or $102,986 a year. In second place is the massive state of Western Australia, where the average pay is $1,896 a week or $98,582 a year. The place where salaries are lowest is Tasmania, where people earn an average of $1,542 a week, working out to an annual salary of $80,168. Wherever you choose to live in Australia, it’ll be worth picking up some Australian English so you can yabber with the locals.
The gender wage gap in Australia
Unfortunately, on average, women earn less than men in all states and territories in Australia. The biggest gap in wages between men and women is in Western Australia, likely because of the large number of mining jobs, in which men earn the highest salaries. The ACT is the best place for both men and women to work in terms of average wages, with New South Wales in second place for women. Remember, you might be able to negotiate your salary in Australia; it’s always worth a try.
Which jobs have the highest salaries in Australia?
As of November 2021, jobs in the mining industry are one of the highest earners in Australia. The average salary in this industry for men is a whopping $141,695, while for women it’s a still-respectable $119,928. There are a lot of mining jobs in the northern and central parts of Western Australia, which is a big reason why the state has such high overall salaries. Next on the list are jobs in Information Media & Telecommunications and those in Financial & Insurance Services.
Looking at some specific jobs, a data analyst can earn an average of $103,177 a year, while an investment advisor makes around $117,482 per year. A building inspector can make an average of $98,659 a year and an electrical engineer is set to make an average of $113,410 a year. Whatever job you’re going for, you’ll probably need to practice for your interview in English, especially if it’s your first one.
Ready to start learning with Lingoda?
Which jobs have lower salaries in Australia?
If you’re on a working holiday in Australia, you might find yourself in lower-paying professions. The lowest average salaries are in the accommodation and food services sectors; a bartender makes on average $59,475 a year while a concierge is making about $64,478. This is closely followed by workers in the retail trade industry; a cashier has an average salary of $62,004. You’ll probably notice that even “low” salaries in Australia really aren’t that low and you can certainly have a good standard of living in the country no matter what industry you work in. In fact, the median salary in Australia is $1,200 a week, which is much lower than the average.
Salaries for skilled migration jobs
If you’re in Australia on a visa and you’re looking to secure long-term residence, you might be interested to know the salaries for the jobs that are in the highest demand. One of the most in-demand jobs in Australia in terms of skilled migration is nursing. The average salary for a registered nurse in Australia is $73,000 per year; if you want to earn more, you should get a job in a rural area. For secondary school teachers, another high-demand job, the average salary is $93,000; working with teenagers earns you an above-average salary and possibly prematurely grey hair. Carpenters are also a much-needed profession in Australia and they can earn about $74,000 per year.
What’s the average salary in Australia?
If you’re making around $90,000 a year, you’re just about average in the Land Down Under. Working as a teacher or a data analyst will put you over this figure, while those in the service industry might be a little below it. And if you head west, you might be able to outearn your counterparts in the east of the country.
Ready to start learning with Lingoda?
Laura is a freelance writer and was an ESL teacher for eight years. She was born in the UK and has lived in Australia and Poland, where she writes blogs for Lingoda about everything from grammar to dating English speakers. She’s definitely better at the first one. She loves travelling and that’s the other major topic that she writes on. Laura likes pilates and cycling, but when she’s feeling lazy she can be found curled up watching Netflix. She’s currently learning Polish, and her battle with that mystifying language has given her huge empathy for anyone struggling to learn English. Find out more about her work in her portfolio.
