Australia’s average gross annual salary has hit $100,016.80 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, cracking $100k for the first time, though the impressive growth seen in previous months slowed substantially.
The ABS found that, as of May 2024, Australians are earning an average of $1,923.40 per week. The figures are skewed in favour of men, who earn on average $2,014.30 a week, compared to women at $1,782.80.
This puts Australian men’s average annual salary at $104,743.60, and leaves women shy of the $100k per year mark at $92,705.60.
It’s worth noting, of course, that average doesn’t mean it’s what most people are earning: the median annual salary is closer to $67,600, based on a weekly median of $1,300.
So, if you’re not cracking the $100k mark just yet, fear not: most of us aren’t, there’s just some overachievers at the top skewing the figures.
Kate Lamb, the ABS’ head of labour statistics, said that the average salary grew only 1.8 per cent in the six months to May 2024, compared to the 2.8 per cent growth enjoyed during the six months of November 2023.
In saying that, Australians were on average, $85 better off per week in the year to May 2023, or $4420 per year. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think most of that money went to groceries this year.
How Does it Differ by State and Profession?
We know the earning potential is pretty varied across Australia, and this latest round of data from the ABS proved it. Here is the average gross weekly salary in Australia by state.
| Average | Men | Women | |
| NSW | $1,935.70 | $2,013.00 | $1,814.90 |
| VIC | $1,882.00 | $1,962.70 | $1,757.40 |
| QLD | $1,901.00 | $2,002.10 | $1,750.60 |
| SA | $1,776.90 | $1,843.20 | $1,662.20 |
| WA | $2,094.30 | $2,257.60 | $1,819.70 |
| TAS | $1,710.80 | $1,741.60 | $1,654.70 |
| NT | $1,845.80 | $1,976.30 | $1,712.10 |
| ACT | $2,126.50 | $2,215.30 | $2,027.30 |
| AUS | $1,923.40 | $2,014.30 | $1,782.80 |
The ACT and Western Australia were the only states to enjoy an average weekly salary over $2,000.
Meanwhile, the highest paid (on average) sector in Australia is mining, bringing in an average of $3,015.30 per week, or $156,795.60 per year. Again, these are spread across the entirety of the mining sector, and might be skewed by the fact that Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, is probably throwing the needle off.
Related: Average Salary in Australia by Age, State, and Industry
Additionally, though Neurosurgeons are Australia’s highest paid profession, the Health Care & Social Assistance sector didn’t even crack the top 5 in terms of average weekly earnings – potentially highlighting why so many nurses are on strike at the moment.
The top 10 industries, ranked by average gross weekly earnings, are as follows.
| Average | Men | Women | |
| 1. Mining | $3,015.30 | $3,017.00 | $2,651.20 |
| 2. Information media & telecommunications | $2,437.20 | $2,582.90 | $2,144.00 |
| 3. Financial & insurance services | $2,283.20 | $2,497.90 | $2,048.20 |
| 4. Professional, scientific & technical services | $2,245.40 | $2,448.60 | $1,926.90 |
| 5. Electricity, gas, water & waste services | $2,243.80 | $2,307.10 | $2,033.30 |
| 6. Public administration & safety | $2,036.10 | $2,078.80 | $1,984.80 |
| 7. Education & training | $2,026.40 | $2,127.10 | $1,974.60 |
| 8. Health care & social assistance | $1,902.40 | $2,226.80 | $1,765.10 |
| 9. Transport, postal & warehousing | $1,893.20 | $1,930.00 | $1,753.60 |
| 10. Construction | $1,821.80 | $1,840.00 | $1,701.30 |
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