CEO salary in Australia: what the data says
If you are searching for a single, authoritative figure for a CEO salary in Australia, you will not find one. The Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a median or average for Chief Executives and Managing Directors in its main earnings surveys. The reason is statistical: the occupation is small, and the pay range is so wide that a reliable median cannot be calculated. Jobs and Skills Australia, which draws on ABS data, also reports 'N/A' for median weekly and hourly earnings in this occupation.
That does not mean the data is useless. The national full-time average – the line on this site – gives you a reference point. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 puts full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings at $2,083.70, or about $108,352 a year. That is the figure you can place a salary on the line against.
What we know about CEO working patterns
Jobs and Skills Australia provides useful context even without a pay figure. Chief Executives and Managing Directors work an average of 50 hours per week, compared to 44 hours for all occupations. They are overwhelmingly full-time: 85% work full-time hours, versus 69% across the workforce. The median age is 50, and women make up 31% of the role.
These patterns matter because the national full-time average is based on ordinary time earnings for full-time adults. A CEO working 50 hours may receive a salary that includes a component for extended hours, but the ABS average weekly ordinary time earnings only covers standard or agreed hours. Overtime is excluded from the ordinary time measure.
How CEO pay compares to other benchmarks
Even without a CEO-specific median, you can use other national figures to gauge where executive pay sits:
- The full-time adult median earnings (all occupations) are about $90,532 a year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025).
- The all-employees median, which includes part-time and casual workers, is about $74,100.
- The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, or $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week.
A CEO salary is almost certainly well above all of these. But the gap is not uniform. Some chief executives in small businesses or non-profits may earn only modestly above the full-time average, while those in large listed companies can earn millions. The lack of a published median reflects that diversity.
Gender and state differences
The full-time average varies by gender and location, which can help contextualise CEO pay. The ABS reports that men’s full-time ordinary time earnings average $2,181.50 a week (about $113,412 a year) and women’s $1,934.50 (about $100,594). The CEO occupation is 69% male, so the gender pay gap in executive roles may be even wider than the national gap.
State full-time averages also differ. The highest is the Australian Capital Territory at about $119,090 a year, followed by Western Australia at $115,825. The lowest is Tasmania at $96,008. States and territories shows the full breakdown. A CEO based in Sydney or Perth is likely to be paid more than one in Hobart, reflecting both industry mix and cost of living.
A resident take-home sketch
Suppose a CEO earns $500,000 a year. Under 2026–27 tax rates, the tax bill would be roughly:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on the next $26,800 ($4,020)
- 30% on the next $90,000 ($27,000)
- 37% on the next $55,000 ($20,350)
- 45% on the remaining $310,000 ($139,500)
Total tax: about $190,870. Add Medicare levy of 2% ($10,000) gives $200,870. After tax, take-home is about $299,130. That is nearly three times the national full-time average after tax (the average after tax would be roughly $82,000, depending on deductions).
For a CEO earning $200,000, the tax is lower: about $54,667 plus Medicare $4,000, leaving $141,333. That is still well above the average.
Where to find more detail
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings methodology explains that the survey excludes irregular payments like annual bonuses. Many CEOs receive a large portion of pay as bonuses or equity, which may not be captured in weekly earnings surveys. For a fuller picture, you would need to look at remuneration reports from listed companies or the ATO’s annual tax statistics (which publish average taxable income for top earners, but not by occupation).
If you want to see how your own salary compares, Place a salary on the line uses the national full-time average as the reference. You can also explore job medians for other roles or industry medians to see how different sectors pay.
The bottom line
There is no single CEO salary in Australia. The data simply does not support a precise figure. But the national full-time average of $108,352 a year gives you a benchmark. Most CEOs earn more than that, often much more, but the range is enormous. For a realistic view, look at industry-specific reports or the ATO’s income distribution tables. And remember: the average is just a line. Your own salary depends on your role, experience, and negotiation.