Save the Children CEO salary: where does it sit against the national line?
When you search for "save the children ceo salary", you are likely trying to understand how the top executive at one of Australia's largest children's charities is paid relative to the broader workforce. The short answer is that the exact figure is not publicly disclosed by Save the Children Australia. However, industry estimates and the charity's own annual report provide enough context to place the role on the national salary line.
The national full-time average: the line we measure against
The Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year. For May 2026, the national full-time adult ordinary-time average was $2,083.70 per week. Multiplied by 52 weeks, that comes to about $108,352 per year. This is the line that Average line uses as its benchmark. It is an average, not a median, and it covers full-time employees only.
For comparison, the full-time median earnings are lower—around $90,532 per year—and the median for all employees (including part-time and casual) 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 we know about the Save the Children CEO salary
Save the Children Australia's CEO is Mat Tinkler, who has led the organisation since June 2022. The charity's 2025 Annual Report shows total expenditure broken into program (82.1%), fundraising (5.4%), administration (7.7%), and retail (4.8%), but it does not itemise individual salaries. The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) requires reporting of senior executive remuneration above a threshold, but the exact figure for the CEO is not separately published in the public register.
Third-party salary platforms such as SEEK provide an industry estimate for the Chief Executive Officer role at Save the Children. That estimate is $150,000–$161,000 per year, based on data from the non-profit organisations industry. It is important to note that this is an approximation, not an official figure. The charity itself may pay a different amount.
How that compares to the national average
If the SEEK estimate is accurate, the Save the Children CEO salary sits well above the national full-time average of $108,352. The midpoint of the estimate is about $155,500, which is roughly 44% above the average. It is also above the full-time median and significantly above the minimum wage.
But why might a charity CEO earn more than the average full-time worker? Several factors move executive pay off the national line:
- State location: Save the Children Australia is headquartered in Sydney, New South Wales. The state full-time average for NSW is about $109,658 per year, slightly above the national average. However, CEO salaries in Sydney often command a premium due to the competitive executive labour market. The Australian Capital Territory has the highest state average at $119,090, while Tasmania is lowest at $96,008. States and territories shows how location affects the line.
- Industry and sector: The non-profit sector typically pays less than for-profit companies for equivalent roles, but top executives at large charities can still earn six-figure salaries. The SEEK estimate places the role in the non-profit industry, which has its own pay dynamics.
- Award coverage: Most CEOs are not covered by modern awards or enterprise agreements. Their pay is set by individual contracts negotiated with the board. This means there is no award minimum to anchor the salary, unlike for many other roles. Job medians can help compare specific occupations.
- Organisational size and complexity: Save the Children Australia operates internationally and has an annual expenditure in the tens of millions. The CEO is responsible for a large workforce, fundraising, advocacy, and program delivery. Such responsibility typically commands a higher salary.
Medians, averages, and the minimum wage: keeping them distinct
It is easy to confuse different measures of pay. The national full-time average ($108,352) is pulled up by high earners. The full-time median ($90,532) is the middle point—half of full-time workers earn less, half earn more. The all-employees median ($74,100) includes part-time and casual workers, so it is lower. The minimum wage ($52,255) is the legal floor. The estimated CEO salary is above all of these, but that is typical for a senior executive role.
What about tax?
For the 2026–27 financial year, the resident tax rates are: nil on the first $18,200; 15% on income 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 CEO earning $155,500 would fall into the 37% marginal rate bracket (plus the 2% Medicare levy). Salary packaging arrangements common in the non-profit sector can reduce taxable income.
Where to find more information
If you want to place your own salary on the line, use the Place a salary on the line tool. For industry-specific medians, see Industry medians. For guides on how salaries are set, visit Guides. The methodology behind the national average is explained in How the figures are set. And for more about this site, see About this site.
The bottom line
While Save the Children Australia does not publish its CEO salary, industry estimates suggest it is well above the national full-time average. The exact figure depends on factors such as location, organisational size, and individual contract terms. The national line of $108,352 provides a useful benchmark, but executive roles in any sector will often sit above it.