Highest-paying occupations in Australia
When asking about the highest salary jobs in Australia, the most reliable source is the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025) provides average weekly total cash earnings by occupation. The occupation with the highest average is Managers, earning $2,800.90 per week (about $145,647 per year). Professionals follow at $2,049.60 per week (about $106,579 per year). These figures are averages across all levels and industries, so individual roles within these groups can vary widely.
For hourly earnings, the same survey shows Managers at $69.20 per hour and Professionals at $64.50 per hour. Other high-paying occupations include Technicians and Trades Workers ($1,756.90 per week) and Machinery Operators and Drivers ($1,695.70 per week).
Industries with the highest pay
By industry, the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026 shows that Mining has the highest full-time adult ordinary-time earnings at $3,224.20 per week ($167,658 per year). Other high-paying industries include Information Media & Telecommunications ($2,714.10 per week), Electricity, Gas, Water & Waste Services ($2,546.00), and Financial & Insurance Services ($2,341.30). All of these exceed the national full-time average.
How pay compares to the national average
The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 per year) from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026. This is the benchmark used on this site. Highest salary jobs, such as Managers and Mining workers, sit well above this line. For context, the full-time median is about $90,532 per year, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week.
What moves pay above or below the average
Several factors determine whether a job pays above or below the national average:
- Occupation: Managers and Professionals consistently earn above average. Sales workers ($878.20 per week) and Labourers ($1,067.70) are below.
- Industry: Mining, IT, and finance pay well above; Retail Trade and Accommodation & Food Services pay below.
- Full-time vs part-time: Full-time workers earn a median of $1,887 per week; part-time workers earn $769 per week.
- Location: State averages vary. The Australian Capital Territory has the highest full-time average at $119,090 per year, while Tasmania has the lowest at $96,008.
- Method of pay setting: Individual arrangement (38.5% of employees) often leads to higher pay than collective agreements or awards.
If you want to see where a specific salary falls on the line, place a salary on the line. For more detail on occupations, visit job medians. Industry breakdowns are available at industry medians.
Tax considerations for high earners
For the 2026–27 income year, resident tax rates are: nil up to $18,200; 15% from $18,201 to $45,000; 30% from $45,001 to $135,000; 37% from $135,001 to $190,000; and 45% above $190,000. A 2% Medicare levy applies before reductions. A Manager earning $145,647 would fall into the 37% marginal rate bracket, while a Mining worker earning $167,658 would also be in that bracket. Those earning above $190,000 face the top rate.
Understanding the data
The figures in this article come from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings (May 2026) and Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025). The ABS publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year (May and November). Medians are from the August 2025 release. The national minimum wage is set by Fair Work. For more on how these figures are calculated, see how the figures are set.
Remember that averages can be skewed by a small number of very high earners. Medians give a better sense of typical pay. The highest salary jobs in Australia are concentrated in management, professional roles, and resource industries, but individual circumstances vary.