What people earn in Sydney: employee income across Greater Sydney and its regions from the ABS's Personal Income in Australia (2022–23, the latest available), with the latest New South Wales average and median weekly earnings.
Key facts
- Employees in Greater Sydney earned a median of $66,619 and an average (mean) of $83,795 from their jobs in 2022–23 (ABS, latest available), compared with $61,966 and $74,579 across Australia.
- The latest full-time figures are for the whole of New South Wales: average ordinary time earnings of $2,108.80 a week ($109,658 a year, ABS May 2026) and a median of $1,464 a week for all employees (August 2025).
- On the NSW full-time average of $109,658, take-home pay is about $84,047 a year after tax at 2026–27 rates.
- The Sydney median employee income rose 19.7% from 2018–19 to 2022–23. Outside Sydney, the rest of New South Wales has a median of $57,421.
- The highest-earning part of Sydney is North Sydney and Hornsby (median $81,308); the lowest is Central Coast ($59,400).
Sydney at a glance
| Measure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Median employee income, Greater Sydney (2022–23) | $66,619 |
| Mean employee income, Greater Sydney (2022–23) | $83,795 |
| Median employee income, 2018–19 | $55,672 |
| New South Wales full-time average ordinary time earnings (May 2026) | $2,108.80 a week ($109,658 a year) |
| New South Wales full-time average, men / women | $114,634 / $102,476 |
| New South Wales median weekly earnings, all employees (August 2025) | $1,464 ($76,128 a year) |
| Employees | 3,022,150 |
| Median age of employees | 38 |
Employee income by area of Sydney (2022–23)
| Area (ABS SA4) | Median | Mean | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney - North Sydney and Hornsby | $81,308 | $116,233 | 245,589 |
| Sydney - Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury | $75,000 | $91,655 | 155,592 |
| Sydney - Eastern Suburbs | $74,938 | $112,675 | 167,104 |
| Sydney - Sutherland | $74,099 | $89,231 | 133,217 |
| Sydney - Ryde | $72,137 | $91,264 | 119,709 |
| Sydney - Inner West | $71,375 | $92,184 | 189,316 |
| Sydney - Northern Beaches | $70,977 | $103,284 | 156,937 |
| Sydney - City and Inner South | $69,287 | $88,856 | 240,375 |
| Sydney - Blacktown | $66,452 | $74,078 | 238,078 |
| Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains | $66,171 | $73,108 | 186,985 |
| Sydney - Outer South West | $64,457 | $71,138 | 168,544 |
| Sydney - Parramatta | $61,021 | $70,255 | 275,681 |
| Sydney - Inner South West | $60,000 | $70,020 | 325,841 |
| Sydney - South West | $59,729 | $66,154 | 239,199 |
| Central Coast | $59,400 | $69,300 | 179,990 |
Highest-income suburbs in Sydney (2022–23)
| Rank | Area (ABS SA2) | Average income | Median income | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mosman - South | $170,509 | $86,269 | 8,125 |
| 2 | Mosman - North | $161,697 | $82,207 | 7,571 |
| 3 | Woollahra | $158,609 | $85,546 | 4,291 |
| 4 | Castle Cove - Northbridge | $149,568 | $78,563 | 7,034 |
| 5 | Bellevue Hill | $149,010 | $76,312 | 8,271 |
| 6 | Rose Bay - Vaucluse - Watsons Bay | $148,559 | $72,735 | 6,068 |
| 7 | Hunters Hill - Woolwich | $147,287 | $77,439 | 5,032 |
| 8 | Balmain | $143,442 | $96,199 | 9,346 |
| 9 | Balgowlah - Clontarf - Seaforth | $141,607 | $78,733 | 11,915 |
| 10 | Greenwich - Riverview | $139,320 | $85,506 | 7,582 |
See the top 25 richest suburbs in Sydney.
Areas with at least 1,000 employees, ranked by average employee income.
Compared with other capital cities (2022–23)
| City | Median employee income | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | $66,619 | $83,795 |
| Melbourne | $63,274 | $76,405 |
| Brisbane | $62,853 | $74,246 |
| Perth | $66,543 | $81,163 |
| Adelaide | $60,000 | $68,201 |
| Canberra | $79,659 | $87,801 |
| Australia | $61,966 | $74,579 |
Common questions
What is the average salary in Sydney?
The average (mean) employee income in Greater Sydney was $83,795 in 2022–23, and the median $66,619 (ABS). For full-time workers in New South Wales, average ordinary time earnings are $109,658 a year (May 2026).
What is the average salary in New South Wales?
Full-time adults in New South Wales average $2,108.80 a week in ordinary time earnings, or $109,658 a year (ABS, May 2026): $114,634 for men and $102,476 for women. The median for all employees is $1,464 a week (August 2025).
What is a good salary in Sydney?
Anything above the NSW full-time average of $109,658 is above what most employees earn; half of Sydney's employees earned less than $66,619 in 2022–23.
How much is the average Sydney salary after tax?
About $84,047 a year, or $3,232.58 a fortnight, on the NSW full-time average of $109,658 (2026–27 tax rates, no HELP debt).
Why is the median lower than the average in Sydney?
The median is the middle income, so a small number of very high earners doesn't move it; the mean adds everyone up, so high incomes pull it up. Both include part-time workers.
See also average salary in Melbourne, average salary in Brisbane, average salary in Perth, average salary in Adelaide, average salary in Canberra, Australia and median income in Australia, and the salary after tax calculator.
Sources: ABS Personal Income in Australia, 2022–23 (employee income, Table 5; next release 27 November 2026), Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026 and Employee Earnings, August 2025. Checked 22 October 2026.