The average weekly pay in Australia is $1,344. Is it enough to lead a comfortable life Down Under? What’s a good salary in Australia and how much do you need to make to cover your expenses?
We have the answers below.
What Is a Good Salary in Australia in 2024?
Full-time employees need to make over $91,000 a year to be considered above-average earners in the country. However, this number varies significantly according to where you live, the industry you work in, your gender, education and experience.
For instance, a good salary for a software engineer living in Sydney is anything above $115,000, whereas a woman working in the public sector needs to make more than $1,820 a week to be considered a high earner.
There are differences between cities as well—a CEO based in Sydney gets about 308,000, while the same position pays $235,000 in Melbourne.
Those just starting out their career should expect to earn around $4,000 or $5,000 a month, whereas employees in highly competitive fields with years of experience should have a salary higher than $120,000.
In general, you should aim for the average wage or higher. In other words, a good salary in Australia is anything between $90,000 and $108,000 a year or $7,500 to $9,000 a month.
The median income is $72,000 a year, which is a good reference point as to how much you should be earning.
Did you know that 66.2% of Aussies aged 55 and over are still in the workforce?
What Is the Average Australian Salary in 2024?
The latest report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that the average salary for all employees is $1,344.70 per week, or $69,888 a year.
Full-time workers earn an average of $1,769.80 a week or $92,029 a year before taxes— up by 1.9% from last year.
This does not include overtime, bonuses and commissions, which brings the average full-time salary to $1835.20 a week, or $95,000 annually (pre-tax).
The minimum wage is $812.60 per week for full-time employees (i.e. those working at least 38 hours a week). All businesses must pay the minimum wage to their employees and contribute a certain percentage to their superannuation.
Facts about salaries in Australia
- Median weekly earnings were $1,200, an increase of 50%.
- The median average salary in Australia per hour has remained at $36 since 2020.
- In general, workers in the public sector earn more than private-sector employees. Thus the average salary for full-time employees is $1,725 in the private and $1,936 in the public sector, or $1,277 and $1,647 for all employees, respectively.
- The construction industry, which employs over one million Australians, saw the biggest annual increase in wages of 3.4%.
- WA had the highest quarterly growth (0.8%), the ABS June 2022 report reveals. The Northern Territory had the lowest (0.3%).
- Workers with two to five years of experience earn about 32% more than juniors, while the pay increases by 21% after ten years and by an additional 14% once you have more than 15 years on the job.
- Australian workers get a salary increase of 8% every 16 months. Top management positions can get an annual salary boost of 15 to 20%.
- The highest-paid workers in Australia are managers and professionals (with hourly rates of $52.40 and $50.20, respectively). The lowest-paid employees, like check-out operators and dishwashers, get the minimum wage of $21.38 per hour.
Average Australian Salary in 2022
As stated above, the average salary in Australia per month varies according to several factors. Here is a breakdown of how much Aussies make on average depending on gender, industry and place of residence.
Keep in mind that these figures are general guides only as there are a lot of other factors that play a great role in determining your overall salary..
Average salary in Australia by gender
Australia has faced a serious gender pay gap for years, with the national gap in pay currently standing at 14.1%.
As of May 2022, the average weekly earnings for full-time male employees are $1,872.90, while women make $263 less than that, or $1,609.
Average salary in Australia by state and territory
Unsurprisingly, states where the cost of living is higher have higher average salaries. Thus, the average annual salary for those living in ACT, which houses Canberra’s public servants, is $103,080, or almost $19,000 higher than in South Australia, where average wages are $84,390.
Did you know that you can find some of the cheapest properties in the country in South Australia’s suburbs?
Here is a more detailed look at wages in different states.
| State | Average weekly earnings | Average yearly earnings |
| ACT | $1,983 | $103,152 |
| WA | $1,937 | $100,724 |
| NSW | $1,790 | $93,080 |
| VIC | $1,750 | $91,036 |
| Northern Territory | $1,710 | $88,935 |
| Queensland | $1,705 | $88,665 |
| South Australia | $1,622 | $84,390 |
| Tasmania | $1,568 | $81,536 |
Judging by the table, two states have below average annual earnings for full-time employees with Queensland and the Northern Territory bordering on the average.
What are the 5 Highest-Paying Australian industries?
These are the top five highest-paying Australian Industries:
| Industry | Average weekly earning | Average yearly earning |
| Mining | $2,701 | $140,478.00 |
| IT | $2,236 | $116,287 |
| Financial & insurance services | $2,148 | $111,722 |
| Professional, scientific & technical services | $2,081 | $108,258 |
| Electricity, gas, water & waste services | $2,014 | $104,748 |
The table above shows that the top five paid industries make more than the average Australian salary.
Gender also plays a role here—for instance, in the Mining industry, where 83% of employees are male, men make $444 more on average than women. On the other hand, in Health care & social assistance, which is a female-dominant industry, men still make more than women, or $2,049 vs $1,595.
The accommodation and food industry has the lowest average salary of just $1,220 a week. It is also the sector with the youngest workforce—45% of employees here are aged under 25.
Average salary by education level
Below are the median salaries in August 2021 based on the employees’ education level.
| Education level | Median weekly earnings | Median yearly earnings |
| Postgraduate degree | $1,747 | $90,844 |
| Graduate diploma | $1,600 | $83,200 |
| Bachelor degree | $1,428 | $74,256 |
| Advanced diploma | $1,207 | $62,764 |
| Certificate III/IV | $1,000 | $52,000 |
| Certificate I/II | $900 | $46,800 |
| Non-school qualifications | $800 | $41,600 |
Post-grads naturally earn more, however, a Master’s or Doctoral education is quite the investment. Post-graduate studies, pursued by 38% of Aussies, cost between $37,000 to $114,000 a year.
Keep in mind though that there are jobs you can do without experience or a degree and still get a decent salary. For instance, concreter ($109,200) and delivery driver ($27,400) are just some of the occupations you can take up without previous experience, while jobs like air traffic controller ($257,000) and construction manager ($153,000) pay above the average and don’t require employees to hold a degree.
Related Reading: What is the Average Flight Attendant Salary in Australia?
Highest-paying jobs in Australia
Medical professionals earn the most in Oz, with surgeons being the highest paid and earning well above the average Australian salary.
Here is a more detailed look at the 5 highest paid jobs in the country.
| Job | Average salary |
| Neurosurgeon | $600,387 |
| Anaesthetist | $386,065 |
| Internal Medicine Specialist | $304,752 |
| Financial Dealer | $275,984 |
| Psychiatrist | $235,558 |
Overtime and bonuses
According to Fair Work, employees in Australia working overtime are paid 150% of their minimum hourly rate and 200% if they work for more than two hours. Bonuses can be anywhere from 6 to 10% of your annual wage, depending on your employer and the sector you are working in.
Note: If your bonus or overtime payment goes directly to your super, you need to report it to the ATO as extra super contributions.
How Much Money Do You Need to Live Comfortably in Australia?
Average living expenses vary according to where you live and the size of your household. That said, a single person would need around $1,362 (without rent) or between $2,000 and $3,537 a month for a budget lifestyle.
However, if you want a better lifestyle, $4,000 a month is a good salary in Australia for a single person. This involves renting a one-bedroom apartment, spending around $200 on food and $10 on an evening out.
When it comes to what is a good salary in Australia for a family of 4, however, estimates point to them needing at least $6,600 to cover monthly living expenses or $4,905 (rent not included).
What are the most common living expenses in Australia
Housing
If you are planning to rent, expect to spend between $1,000 and $1,500 a month, or more if you want to rent a bigger apartment in the centre of a major city.
If you have bought a property you will pay between $1,728 and $1,993 a month on mortgage, depending on the size of your home loan, your LVR and interest rate.
Food
According to the latest food spending statistics, the average Australian spends about $608 on groceries a month. An average three-course meal for two people costs around $100 to $150 in a mid-range restaurant. Drinks are extra with the average price of domestic beer at $8, while coffee costs about $4.
Transport
Transportation costs amount to $200 to $300 a month, with fuel taking up the lion’s share of expenses—coming in at almost $100 in October 2022 and rising. In August, Aussie households were paying an average of $100.39 for fuel a week—the first time fuel prices went over the $100 mark.
Other car running costs easily add up, amounting to an annual average of $16,912 for a two-car household.
Utilities
The average electricity bill in Australia is $1,645 per year. Other utilities like internet, water and gas bills amount to $250 a month. An internet subscription for instance costs $77 a month, mobile phone bills are estimated between $50 and $80 a month, while the average water bill is in the range of $200 per quarter.
Entertainment & Leisure
Aussies households are reportedly spending $4,500 annually on entertainment, most of which is taken up by streaming and gaming costs. In fact, 62% of Aussies used video streaming services weekly last year with the number estimated to go up to 80% by the end of the year.
Health insurance and medical expenses
Aussies spend an average of $7,926 per person on health and health-related expenses, with health insurance taking up $166 a month from the amount.
Holidays
Australians spent an average of $385 per person on domestic travel in the second half of 2020 during border closures, however the number has since risen to $5,072 on overseas trips. The average Aussie spends $4,000 to $5k on a holiday abroad, although there are several cheap countries you can visit from Australia that might cost you less than that.
Taxes in Australia
Aussies pay 15.4% tax on what they earn (the marginal tax rate is 34.5%). So if you make $50,000 annually, you pay $7,717 in taxes.
The average tax of 15.4% withholds $6,717 in income tax and another $1,000 for the Medicare levy. Additional income will be taxed at the marginal tax rate of 34.5%, so if you get a $100 raise, you will be taxed $34.50 and only get a $65.50 salary hike.
Bottom Line
Living in Australia is not cheap and you would need at least $90,000 a year to support a comfortable lifestyle. The amount varies according to your needs, your city and the size of your household.
A good rule of thumb is to check the average salary in Australia per hour for your sector or occupation, gender and region and try to find a job that pays the same or higher than that.
FAQs
1. What is considered high pay in Australia?
Anyone earning over $180,000 a year is considered a top-earner and falls in the 3.5% of Aussies in the top tax bracket. Singles and families could lead a very comfortable life in Australia with this annual salary.
2. Is 60,000 a good salary in Australia?
No. Although it is a bit over the annual average of $69,888 (for all workers), a family will not be able to make ends meet in a big city like Brisbane or Melbourne. In rural areas, $60,000 a year might be enough, but you will need to live very frugally.
3. What is a normal salary in Australia?
As of May 2022, the average salary for all workers in the county is $1,344 a week or $5,378 a month.
4. What is a good salary in Melbourne?
Those living in Melbourne need to make between $110,000 and $150,000 a year, as this is one of the most expensive and 7th best overall city to live in. Melburnians just starting with work should earn between $60,000 and $70,000 a year.
5. Is 100k per year a good salary in Australia?
Yes, a salary of over $90,000 is considered above-average and more than enough to lead a comfortable life in the country, even in big cities like Sydney and Melbourne. Keep in mind that if you are a family of four you would need a bit more for housing and transport expenses.
6. What is a good salary in Sydney in 2022?
To have a nice life in NSW’s capital you would need a salary of $80,000 or $95,000 a year before tax. In other words, a single individual in Sydney would need $5,500 a week while a couple with children would require twice as much.
7. What’s a good salary in Australia for entry level positions?
The average wage for entry-level positions is $32 an hour ($62,400 annually).
