The best-paid occupations in Australia, from what people actually reported in their 2023–24 tax returns (ATO Taxation Statistics), with typical take-home pay.
Key facts
- Medical specialists dominate: 10 of the 15 highest-earning occupations in Australia are doctors, led by cardiologists with an average taxable income of $552,812 (2023–24, ATO).
- The highest-paid jobs outside medicine are in finance and mining: financial investment manager ($370,275), broker - stocks ($361,752) and engineer - petroleum ($231,614).
- Averages are pulled up by a few very high earners. By median salary or wage, emergency medicine specialists are top at $281,093, and air traffic controllers ($184,750) and mine deputies ($174,035) rank near the top without a medical degree.
- For comparison, the median employee earns about $74,100 a year (ABS, August 2025).
- Figures are from individual tax returns lodged for 2023–24, for occupations with at least 1,000 people; taxable income includes investment and business income as well as wages.
Top 50 highest paying jobs by average taxable income (2023–24)
| Rank | Occupation | Average taxable income | Median salary or wage | People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiologist | $552,812 | $195,993 | 1,065 |
| 2 | Diagnostic and interventional radiologist | $500,262 | $271,780 | 2,525 |
| 3 | Anaesthetist | $475,455 | $235,037 | 3,735 |
| 4 | Medical specialist - surgeon (general) | $438,505 | $208,000 | 1,900 |
| 5 | Gynaecologist | $436,019 | $186,516 | 1,448 |
| 6 | Financial investment manager | $370,275 | $209,537 | 4,583 |
| 7 | Broker - stocks | $361,752 | $180,000 | 1,674 |
| 8 | Securities and finance dealer | $350,028 | $169,580 | 1,339 |
| 9 | Emergency medicine specialist | $347,306 | $281,093 | 2,270 |
| 10 | Doctor - specialist - specialist physician - other | $343,479 | $210,094 | 1,975 |
| 11 | Medical specialist - specialist physician (general medicine) | $342,444 | $221,009 | 2,012 |
| 12 | Financial dealer - other | $316,020 | $174,498 | 1,748 |
| 13 | Medical specialist - psychiatrist | $305,282 | $197,138 | 3,335 |
| 14 | Medical specialist - paediatrician | $286,020 | $207,553 | 1,927 |
| 15 | Dental specialist | $265,110 | $89,440 | 1,045 |
| 16 | Chief information officer | $246,909 | $154,024 | 7,691 |
| 17 | Engineer - petroleum | $231,614 | $184,427 | 2,064 |
| 18 | Doctor - medical practitioner - other | $226,423 | $147,127 | 21,338 |
| 19 | Manager - mining production | $220,455 | $175,624 | 5,504 |
| 20 | Engineer - mining | $212,332 | $175,193 | 8,555 |
| 21 | Actuary | $208,520 | $166,678 | 2,927 |
| 22 | Medical specialist - pathologist | $205,492 | $76,762 | 2,749 |
| 23 | Chief executive officer | $200,418 | $80,000 | 237,168 |
| 24 | Medical practitioner - general practice | $196,060 | $122,319 | 27,776 |
| 25 | Engineer - engineering manager | $195,037 | $160,400 | 26,852 |
| 26 | Mobile plant operator - other | $194,237 | $209,939 | 1,184 |
| 27 | Aeroplane pilot | $190,185 | $161,049 | 9,840 |
| 28 | Director - wholesaling company | $189,838 | $71,999 | 2,407 |
| 29 | Mine deputy | $189,333 | $174,035 | 12,078 |
| 30 | Consultant - financial investment | $184,276 | $102,963 | 4,478 |
| 31 | Footballer | $184,211 | $99,963 | 3,123 |
| 32 | Metallurgist | $179,759 | $151,749 | 1,771 |
| 33 | Plant operator - power generation plant | $179,085 | $161,572 | 2,298 |
| 34 | Air traffic controller | $176,634 | $184,750 | 1,823 |
| 35 | Computing professional - account manager | $175,124 | $142,015 | 4,044 |
| 36 | Geologist | $173,529 | $140,552 | 9,440 |
| 37 | Plant operator - gas plant | $172,820 | $144,289 | 3,673 |
| 38 | Bank manager | $172,079 | $140,843 | 17,785 |
| 39 | ICT Manager - other | $171,948 | $148,897 | 41,404 |
| 40 | Barrister | $171,715 | $35,830 | 1,545 |
| 41 | Company secretary - corporate governance | $171,614 | $99,159 | 2,457 |
| 42 | Consultant - management | $167,591 | $120,000 | 29,898 |
| 43 | Economist | $166,556 | $128,928 | 4,109 |
| 44 | Analyst - financial risk | $163,491 | $134,696 | 11,084 |
| 45 | Computer sales representative | $163,110 | $115,393 | 10,800 |
| 46 | Dentist | $162,722 | $95,289 | 8,859 |
| 47 | Geophysicist | $162,235 | $128,246 | 1,145 |
| 48 | Lawyer | $162,065 | $119,210 | 73,929 |
| 49 | Cyber security advice and assessment specialist | $160,984 | $147,590 | 1,454 |
| 50 | Computing professional - project manager | $157,401 | $145,168 | 34,693 |
Top 25 by median salary or wage
| Rank | Occupation | Median salary or wage | After tax (2026–27 rates) | People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emergency medicine specialist | $281,093 | $183,109 | 2,270 |
| 2 | Diagnostic and interventional radiologist | $271,780 | $178,173 | 2,525 |
| 3 | Anaesthetist | $235,037 | $158,700 | 3,735 |
| 4 | Medical specialist - specialist physician (general medicine) | $221,009 | $151,265 | 2,012 |
| 5 | Doctor - specialist - specialist physician - other | $210,094 | $145,480 | 1,975 |
| 6 | Mobile plant operator - other | $209,939 | $145,398 | 1,184 |
| 7 | Financial investment manager | $209,537 | $145,185 | 4,583 |
| 8 | Medical specialist - surgeon (general) | $208,000 | $144,370 | 1,900 |
| 9 | Medical specialist - paediatrician | $207,553 | $144,133 | 1,927 |
| 10 | Medical specialist - psychiatrist | $197,138 | $138,613 | 3,335 |
| 11 | Cardiologist | $195,993 | $138,006 | 1,065 |
| 12 | Gynaecologist | $186,516 | $132,705 | 1,448 |
| 13 | Air traffic controller | $184,750 | $131,628 | 1,823 |
| 14 | Engineer - petroleum | $184,427 | $131,430 | 2,064 |
| 15 | Broker - stocks | $180,000 | $128,730 | 1,674 |
| 16 | Manager - mining production | $175,624 | $126,061 | 5,504 |
| 17 | Engineer - mining | $175,193 | $125,798 | 8,555 |
| 18 | Financial dealer - other | $174,498 | $125,374 | 1,748 |
| 19 | Mine deputy | $174,035 | $125,091 | 12,078 |
| 20 | Securities and finance dealer | $169,580 | $122,374 | 1,339 |
| 21 | Actuary | $166,678 | $120,604 | 2,927 |
| 22 | Plant operator - power generation plant | $161,572 | $117,489 | 2,298 |
| 23 | Aeroplane pilot | $161,049 | $117,170 | 9,840 |
| 24 | Engineer - engineering manager | $160,400 | $116,774 | 26,852 |
| 25 | Chief information officer | $154,024 | $112,885 | 7,691 |
Occupations as described in tax returns (ANZSCO), with at least 1,000 people (827 occupations). After tax = income tax and the Medicare levy at 2026–27 rates, no HELP debt.
Common questions
What is the highest paying job in Australia?
By ATO tax data for 2023–24, cardiologists, with an average taxable income of $552,812 and a median salary or wage of $195,993. Diagnostic and interventional radiologists ($500,262) and anaesthetists ($475,455) follow.
What is the highest paying job without a medical degree?
Financial investment managers average $370,275. Among jobs that don't need a degree at all, mine deputies ($174,035 median wage), power and gas plant operators and train controllers are near the top.
How much do CEOs earn in Australia?
Chief executives and managing directors had an average taxable income of $200,418 but a median salary or wage of $80,000 in 2023–24: the 237,168 people include many small business owners.
How much do GPs and lawyers earn?
General practitioners averaged $196,060 (median wage $122,319); lawyers averaged $162,065 (median wage $119,210).
Why is the average so much higher than the median?
A few people earning very large amounts raise the average. The median is the middle person, so it's a better guide to what a typical person in the job earns. Taxable income also includes investment and business income.
See also average salary in Australia, median income, pay by job and the salary after tax calculator.
Sources: ATO Taxation Statistics 2023–24, Individuals Table 15 (data.gov.au) and individuals statistics. Checked 22 October 2026.