Private equity salary in Australia
Private equity is a high-profile corner of the financial services industry, but the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a specific "private equity salary" figure. That’s because private equity professionals are spread across roles such as investment managers, analysts, partners, and support staff, and their pay is often a mix of base salary, bonus, and carried interest – components not captured in standard wage surveys.
Nevertheless, we can benchmark private equity pay against the national full-time average, the median for all employees, and the earnings of related occupations. This gives a clear picture of where private equity salaries typically sit.
The national full-time average
The most recent ABS Average Weekly Earnings release (May 2026) shows that full-time adult ordinary time earnings are $2,083.70 per week. Multiplied by 52 weeks, that’s about $108,352 per year. This is the line used on this site – the benchmark for comparing any salary.
For private equity professionals, this figure is almost certainly a floor. Even entry-level roles in finance often exceed the national average, and senior private equity positions can be multiples of it.
Related occupation averages
The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025) provides average hourly earnings for non-managerial employees by occupation. The two highest-paid occupation groups are:
- Managers: $69.20 per hour
- Professionals: $64.50 per hour
On a standard 38-hour week, that translates to roughly:
- Managers: $69.20 × 38 × 52 = about $136,700 per year
- Professionals: $64.50 × 38 × 52 = about $127,500 per year
Private equity professionals typically fall under the Managers or Professionals categories, and their pay is often at the upper end of these ranges or beyond. Note that these averages include all managers and professionals across all industries, not just finance. The finance sector tends to pay higher than the all-industry average.
Industry context
While the ABS does not break out "private equity" as an industry, the broader Financial and Insurance Services industry is known for above-average earnings. Unfortunately, the provided ABS data does not include a specific industry average for financial services in the May 2026 release, but the Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025) shows that the Mining industry had the highest average hourly earnings at $74.10, followed by Electricity, gas, water and waste services at $63.80. Financial services would likely fall somewhere in that range for non-managerial employees, and higher for managerial roles.
Other benchmarks
- Full-time median earnings: About $90,532 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). This is the midpoint for all full-time employees. Private equity salaries are well above this.
- All-employees median: About $74,100 per year. Again, private equity pay exceeds this.
- National minimum wage: From 1 July 2026, the minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week. Private equity salaries are far above the minimum.
State variations
Private equity firms are concentrated in Sydney and Melbourne. The full-time average weekly earnings by state (May 2026) are:
- New South Wales: $2,108.80 per week ($109,658 per year)
- Victoria: $2,041.10 ($106,137)
- Queensland: $2,039.70 ($106,064)
- South Australia: $1,970.20 ($102,450)
- Western Australia: $2,227.40 ($115,825)
- Tasmania: $1,846.30 ($96,008)
- Northern Territory: $1,984.10 ($103,173)
- Australian Capital Territory: $2,290.20 ($119,090)
Private equity salaries in Sydney and Melbourne are likely to be above these state averages, given the premium for finance roles in those cities.
How this site works
The tool on this page converts any yearly salary into weekly and hourly figures based on a 38‑hour week. It then shows the distance from the national full-time average of $108,352. You can Place a salary on the line to see where your pay sits. For occupation-specific medians, see Job medians.
If you have a base salary for a private equity role, enter it into the tool. The site will show the weekly equivalent (divide by 52) and the hourly equivalent (divide by 52 × 38). It will also tell you how far above or below the national average your salary is.
Tax considerations
For the 2026–27 financial 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
- 45% above $190,000
Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (reductions may apply). A private equity salary of, say, $200,000 would fall into the 37% bracket (up to $190,000) and then 45% on the excess. The after-tax amount can be calculated using the ATO’s tax tables, but the site focuses on pre-tax comparisons.
Limitations of the data
The ABS averages and medians are based on base salary or ordinary time earnings. They do not include bonuses, carried interest, or other variable compensation that is common in private equity. Therefore, the total remuneration for private equity professionals is often higher than the base salary figures suggest. When comparing, keep in mind that the national average is a base salary benchmark.
Summary
While there is no official "private equity salary" published by the ABS, the available data strongly suggests that private equity professionals earn well above the national full-time average. The average for managers ($136,700) provides a conservative floor, and senior roles can command significantly higher compensation. For the most accurate comparison, use the tools on this site with your specific salary figure.