How much less women earn than men in Australia, from the ABS's earnings surveys: nationally, by state, by industry and by age.
Key facts
- Full-time women in Australia earn 11.3% less than full-time men in ordinary time earnings: $1,934.50 against $2,181.00 a week ($12,818 a year), ABS May 2026.
- Including overtime and bonuses the full-time gap is 14.1%, and across all employees, where more women work part-time, it's 27.3%.
- Comparing medians, full-time women earn 11.4% less ($1,631.00 against $1,841.00 a week, August 2025).
- The gap is widest in administrative and support services (24.3%) and reversed in other services, where full-time women earn 3.8% more; by state, it's widest in Western Australia (18.2%) and narrowest in Tasmania (1.3%).
- It grows with age: the median employee income gap is 17.8% at 25–34 and 30.5% at 45–54 (2022–23).
Gender pay gap (May 2026)
| Measure | Men | Women | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time, ordinary time earnings (weekly) | $2,181.00 | $1,934.50 | 11.3% |
| Full-time, total earnings incl. overtime (weekly) | $2,285.90 | $1,964.50 | 14.1% |
| All employees, total earnings (weekly) | $1,832.80 | $1,333.00 | 27.3% |
| Full-time median (weekly, August 2025) | $1,841.00 | $1,631.00 | 11.4% |
By industry (full-time, a year)
| Industry | Men | Women | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative and support services | $111,145 | $84,141 | 24.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | $128,653 | $97,526 | 24.2% |
| Information media and telecommunications | $151,408 | $120,869 | 20.2% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | $133,682 | $108,264 | 19% |
| Financial and insurance services | $133,619 | $108,316 | 18.9% |
| Arts and recreation services | $105,082 | $87,402 | 16.8% |
| Electricity, gas, water and waste services | $137,322 | $117,702 | 14.3% |
| Mining | $172,713 | $148,143 | 14.2% |
| Rental, hiring and real estate services | $108,727 | $94,468 | 13.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | $82,160 | $73,502 | 10.5% |
| Wholesale trade | $106,168 | $95,685 | 9.9% |
| Manufacturing | $97,999 | $88,509 | 9.7% |
| Transport, postal and warehousing | $107,801 | $98,077 | 9% |
| Retail trade | $84,739 | $78,307 | 7.6% |
| Education and training | $119,954 | $111,285 | 7.2% |
| Public administration and safety | $115,393 | $110,916 | 3.9% |
| Construction | $103,698 | $100,474 | 3.1% |
| Other services | $83,164 | $86,325 | -3.8% |
By state (full-time, a year)
| State or territory | Men | Women | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Australia | $123,692 | $101,145 | 18.2% |
| Victoria | $111,327 | $98,259 | 11.7% |
| Northern Territory | $108,956 | $96,382 | 11.5% |
| New South Wales | $114,634 | $102,476 | 10.6% |
| Queensland | $110,344 | $99,226 | 10.1% |
| South Australia | $106,246 | $96,616 | 9.1% |
| Australian Capital Territory | $121,259 | $116,698 | 3.8% |
| Tasmania | $96,455 | $95,170 | 1.3% |
By age (median employee income, 2022–23)
| Age | Men | Women | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 and Under | $25,811 | $21,000 | 18.6% |
| 25–34 | $70,402 | $57,890 | 17.8% |
| 35–44 | $95,234 | $65,743 | 31% |
| 45–54 | $99,122 | $68,919 | 30.5% |
| 55–64 | $85,122 | $59,629 | 29.9% |
| 65+ | $47,561 | $31,166 | 34.5% |
Gap = (men − women) ÷ men. Industry and state figures are original series; yearly = weekly × 52. Age figures include part-time workers.
Common questions
What is the gender pay gap in Australia?
11.3%, comparing full-time adults' average weekly ordinary time earnings: women $1,934.50, men $2,181.00 (ABS, May 2026).
How much less do women earn a year?
About $12,818 a year for full-time workers on ordinary time earnings, or $25,990 across all employees including part-time.
Which industry has the biggest gender pay gap?
Administrative and support services: full-time men average $111,145 and women $84,141, a gap of 24.3%. The gap is reversed in other services, where full-time women earn 3.8% more.
Is it illegal to pay women less in Australia?
Paying a woman less than a man for the same or comparable work is unlawful under the Fair Work Act. The gender pay gap is mostly about women working in lower-paid industries and roles, more part-time work and fewer senior positions, rather than unequal pay for the same job.
See also average salary in Australia, median income and average salary by age.
Sources: ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, Employee Earnings, August 2025 and Personal Income in Australia, 2022–23. Checked 22 October 2026.