The median wage in Australia from the ABS's Employee Earnings (August 2025, released 12 December 2025): for everyone, full-time workers, men and women, by state, industry, occupation and qualification, and where your income ranks.
Key facts
- The median employee in Australia earns $1,425.00 a week in their main job, about $74,100 a year (ABS, August 2025), up 1.9% in a year.
- Full-time employees have a median of $1,741.00 a week ($90,532 a year): $95,732 for men and $84,812 for women.
- Half of employees earn less than the median and half earn more. The top 10% earn more than $156,000 a year, and the bottom 10% less than $23,400 (many of them part-time).
- The median is lower than the average full-time salary ($108,352, ABS May 2026) because it includes part-time workers and isn't pulled up by very high earners.
- The median hourly wage is $42.90.
Median weekly earnings
| Employees | Weekly | Yearly | August 2024 | August 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All employees | $1,425.00 | $74,100 | $72,748 | $59,800 |
| Men | $1,600.00 | $83,200 | $82,056 | $67,600 |
| Women | $1,250.00 | $65,000 | $62,400 | $52,000 |
| Full-time employees | $1,741.00 | $90,532 | $88,400 | $74,620 |
| Full-time men | $1,841.00 | $95,732 | $93,080 | $78,000 |
| Full-time women | $1,631.00 | $84,812 | $83,096 | $69,784 |
Earnings distribution (August 2025)
| Percentile | Weekly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $450.00 | $23,400 |
| 25th percentile | $900.00 | $46,800 |
| 50th percentile | $1,425.00 | $74,100 |
| 75th percentile | $2,127.00 | $110,604 |
| 90th percentile | $3,000.00 | $156,000 |
Main job, all employees including part-time. Your rank in the calculator is estimated between these points.
Median income by state
| State or territory | August 2025 | August 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | $83,200 | $75,400 |
| Northern Territory | $78,520 | $63,492 |
| Western Australia | $78,000 | $65,000 |
| New South Wales | $76,128 | $59,800 |
| Queensland | $74,828 | $57,200 |
| Victoria | $71,760 | $59,800 |
| South Australia | $67,600 | $54,808 |
| Tasmania | $67,600 | $52,000 |
Median income by industry
| Industry | August 2025 | August 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Mining | $143,572 | $120,952 |
| Electricity, gas, water and waste services | $104,000 | $89,076 |
| Financial and insurance services | $104,000 | $80,028 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | $98,644 | $77,376 |
| Public administration and safety | $95,524 | $78,000 |
| Information media and telecommunications | $81,484 | $76,700 |
| Construction | $78,000 | $66,612 |
| Education and training | $78,000 | $65,884 |
| Manufacturing | $78,000 | $62,400 |
| Rental, hiring and real estate services | $78,000 | $54,964 |
| Transport, postal and warehousing | $76,440 | $62,400 |
| Wholesale trade | $74,880 | $62,400 |
| Health care and social assistance | $67,600 | $55,016 |
| Administrative and support services | $62,400 | $46,748 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | $62,400 | $49,556 |
| Other services | $62,400 | $52,000 |
| Arts and recreation services | $59,800 | $40,092 |
| Retail trade | $46,800 | $39,000 |
| Accommodation and food services | $36,400 | $33,436 |
Median hourly wage by occupation
| Occupation group | August 2025 | August 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Professionals | $59.50 | $49.90 |
| Managers | $58.80 | $50.20 |
| Clerical and administrative workers | $41.40 | $34.20 |
| Technicians and trades workers | $39.00 | $33.60 |
| Machinery operators and drivers | $36.40 | $30.50 |
| Community and personal service workers | $36.30 | $30.10 |
| Labourers | $32.00 | $26.30 |
| Sales workers | $30.80 | $26.30 |
Median income by highest qualification
| Qualification | August 2025 | August 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate degree | $104,000 | $83,200 |
| Graduate diploma or graduate certificate | $98,800 | $81,796 |
| Bachelor degree | $88,400 | $72,800 |
| Advanced diploma or diploma | $76,024 | $59,800 |
| Certificate III or IV | $72,800 | $59,280 |
| Certificate I or II and other | $67,600 | $54,496 |
| No non-school qualification | $52,000 | $44,200 |
Common questions
What is the median income in Australia?
$1,425.00 a week, or about $74,100 a year, for all employees in their main job (ABS, August 2025). For full-time employees it's $90,532.
What is the difference between median and average income?
The median is the middle wage: half earn less, half earn more. The average adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high incomes push it up. The average full-time salary is $108,352.
What income is top 10% in Australia?
More than $3,000.00 a week, about $156,000 a year, among employees (ABS August 2025). The top 25% earn more than $110,604.
Which state has the highest median income?
The ACT ($83,200 a year), then the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Tasmania and South Australia have the lowest ($67,600).
Is $100,000 a good salary in Australia?
Yes. At $1,923.08 a week, it's higher than about 68% of employees' earnings, and above the average full-time salary.
See also average salary in Australia, the salary after tax calculator and pay by job.
Sources: ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025 and Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026. Yearly = weekly × 52. Checked 22 October 2026.