Property developer salary: what the data shows
If you work as a property developer in Australia, you might wonder how your pay compares to the national average. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) does not publish a specific average salary for property developers. However, the role typically falls under the Managers or Professionals occupation groups, for which the ABS does provide earnings data. This page explains how to benchmark a property developer salary using the national full-time average, medians, and related occupations.
The national benchmark
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 gives the national full-time adult ordinary-time average as $2,083.70 per week, which works out to about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52). This is the line on this site. The full-time median is lower: about $1,887 per week ($98,124 per year), and the all-employees median is $1,436 per week ($74,672 per year) (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). These figures help you see where a property developer salary sits in the broader distribution.
Where property developers sit
Property developers often work as managers or professionals. According to the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025), the average hourly earnings for:
- Managers: $69.20 per hour
- Professionals: $64.50 per hour
These are averages across all industries. A property developer earning at the Manager average would make about $2,629 per week on a 38-hour week, or roughly $136,700 per year. At the Professional average, that would be about $2,451 per week ($127,452 per year). Keep in mind these are broad categories – actual pay varies by experience, location, and company size.
Using the line
You can place a salary on the line to see how it compares to the national full-time average. The tool shows your yearly salary before tax, then calculates the weekly and hourly equivalents on a 38-hour week, plus the distance from the $108,352 line. For example, a property developer earning $130,000 per year would be about $21,648 above the line. The site also shows the full-time median and the national minimum wage for context.
State comparisons
Property developer salaries can vary by state. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings (May 2026) provides full-time adult ordinary-time averages for each state and territory. Using the on-site figures:
- New South Wales: about $109,658 per year
- Victoria: about $106,137
- Queensland: about $106,064
- South Australia: about $102,450
- Western Australia: about $115,825
- Tasmania: about $96,008
- Northern Territory: about $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: about $119,090
If you work in Western Australia or the ACT, your property developer salary is likely to be higher than the national average, reflecting stronger mining and public sector economies. In Tasmania, the average is lower. You can explore states and territories for more detail.
Occupation and industry medians
The ABS also publishes median earnings by occupation and industry. For property developers, the closest occupation groups are Managers and Professionals. The full-time median for Managers is about $2,200 per week ($114,400 per year) and for Professionals about $1,900 per week ($98,800 per year) (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). These are medians, meaning half earn more and half less. Job medians and industry medians pages let you drill down further.
Tax and take-home pay
A property developer salary is subject to Australian resident tax rates for 2026–27:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% on income above $190,000
Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (with possible reductions for low-income earners). For example, a property developer earning $120,000 per year would pay about $29,467 in tax plus $2,400 Medicare levy, leaving about $88,133 after tax. The Guides section has more on tax and salary packaging.
How the figures are set
The national full-time average comes from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, conducted twice a year (May and November). The medians come from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, conducted every two years. The minimum wage is set by Fair Work and updated annually. For more on methodology, see How the figures are set.
Summary
While there is no single published average for a property developer salary, you can benchmark your pay using the national full-time average of $108,352, the full-time median of $98,124, and the occupation averages for Managers ($69.20/hour) and Professionals ($64.50/hour). Use the line tool to see where your salary sits, and check state and industry pages for more context. For more about this site, visit About this site.