Average Salary in Australia 2026
Currency: AUD · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Australia make?
Average Monthly Salary
8,205 AUD
( 98,460 AUD yearly )
~ 5,398 USD per month ( 64,776 USD yearly )
LOW
1,642 AUD
1,080 USD
AVERAGE
8,205 AUD
5,398 USD
HIGH
32,820 AUD
21,592 USD
A person working in Australia typically earns around 8,205 AUD per month. Salaries range from 1,642 AUD (lowest average) to 32,820 AUD (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in Australia
Median and salary distribution monthly Australia
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What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated.
The median (6,974 AUD) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (8,205 AUD) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers, and can be skewed by extremely high or low salaries.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
- 0–2 Years (Entry Level)49,230 AUD
- 2–5 Years (Junior)63,998 AUD
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)83,691 AUD
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)98,460 AUD
- 15+ Years (Senior)118,151 AUD
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average +30% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average +31% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by +18% and an additional +20% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
“On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years experience mark.”
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
- High School59,076 AUD
- Certificate68,921 AUD
- Associate78,768 AUD
- Bachelor's98,460 AUD
- Master's118,151 AUD
- PhD137,843 AUD
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High School → Certificate
+17%
Certificate → Bachelor's
+43%
Bachelor's → Master's
+20%
Master's → PhD
+17%
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average +17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn +43% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are +20% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn +17% more than Master's Degree holders on average.
Salary Comparison By Gender
Salary comparison by gender monthly Australia
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Australia earn 8% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Australia
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
12%
Average Raise
20 months
Review Frequency
5%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Australia are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% every 20 months.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Australia is 5%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Australia
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
46%
Received Bonus
54%
No Bonus
46% of surveyed staff in Australia reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
7%
of annual salary
Types of Bonuses Considered:
• Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
• Company Performance Bonuses
• Goal-Based Bonuses
• Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
Top 5 Highest Paying Industries
Annual average salaries
- Legal132,921 AUD
- Aviation127,998 AUD
- Information Technology127,998 AUD
- Banking123,074 AUD
- Pharmaceuticals123,074 AUD
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 246,149 AUD | 20,512 AUD |
| Pilot | 196,919 AUD | 16,410 AUD |
| Software Developer | 177,227 AUD | 14,768 AUD |
| Data Scientist | 167,381 AUD | 13,949 AUD |
| Financial Manager | 157,536 AUD | 13,128 AUD |
| Database Administrator | 147,689 AUD | 12,307 AUD |
| Engineer | 137,843 AUD | 11,487 AUD |
| Marketing Manager | 127,998 AUD | 10,666 AUD |
| Project Manager | 123,074 AUD | 10,257 AUD |
| Accountant | 108,306 AUD | 9,026 AUD |
| Hotel Manager | 98,460 AUD | 8,205 AUD |
| Nurse | 88,613 AUD | 7,384 AUD |
| Graphic Designer | 83,691 AUD | 6,974 AUD |
| Chef | 73,845 AUD | 6,154 AUD |
| Teacher | 68,921 AUD | 5,744 AUD |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Canberra | 113,228 AUD |
| Sydney | 103,383 AUD |
| Melbourne | 103,383 AUD |
| Brisbane | 103,383 AUD |
| Perth | 103,383 AUD |
| Adelaide | 103,383 AUD |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
7,795 AUD
Private Sector
8,615 AUD
Public Sector
+11%
Public sector employees in Australia earn 11% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Australia
47 AUD
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Australia is 47 AUD. This means that the average person in Australia earns approximately 47 AUD for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Australia
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
1,465 AUD
/month
Food
468 AUD
/month
Transport
176 AUD
/month
Utilities
234 AUD
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Australia and explore top-paying jobs.