Are They Earning More Than Me? How to Compare Your Salary in Australia

You don't talk about your salary with colleagues. It feels awkward, maybe even taboo. But in the back of your mind, the question sits there: "Am I being paid what I'm worth?"

The answer isn't a feeling — it's data. And Australia actually has some of the best salary data in the world, published by the ATO and ABS. The problem is that nobody makes it accessible. Until now.

We've compiled data from 14+ million Australian tax returns and blended it with the ABS's most detailed employer earnings survey to build a salary comparison tool that covers 428 occupations. No surveys, no estimates — real data from real pay packets.

Let's start with the big picture. For full-time adult employees in Australia (ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025):

• 10th percentile: $62,504/year — if you earn less than this full-time, you're in the bottom 10%
• 25th percentile: $74,672/year
• Median (50th percentile): $96,304/year — half of all full-time workers earn less, half earn more
• 75th percentile: $127,816/year
• 90th percentile: $166,088/year — top 10% territory

Notice that the median ($96,304) is well below the often-quoted "average salary" figure of around $100,000–$104,000. That's because averages are dragged up by high earners. The median is a more honest benchmark.

If you earn $96,000 or more, you're in the top half of all full-time workers. If you earn $128,000+, you're in the top quarter. If you feel like everyone earns more than you, it's probably because people who earn more talk about it more.

Not all occupations are created equal. Here are some of the starkest contrasts from the data:

Highest median salaries (ATO + ABS blended):

• Mining engineers: ~$170,000+
• IT managers: ~$155,000
• General managers: ~$144,000
• Software engineers: ~$130,000+
• Accountants: ~$100,000

Lowest median salaries:

• Checkout operators: ~$24,000 (reflects many part-time/casual)
• Sales assistants: ~$33,000 (same)
• Child carers: ~$47,000
• Aged care workers: ~$51,000
• Hospitality workers: ~$40,000-$50,000

The gap between the highest and lowest is over $250,000. And within occupations, the gap between the 10th and 90th percentile can be just as dramatic — a registered nurse at the 10th percentile might earn $55,000 while one at the 90th earns $120,000+.

This is why single "average salary" figures are misleading. The range matters more than the midpoint.

If you're going into a pay review or job negotiation, here's how to use the benchmark data:

• Know your percentile: if you're at the 25th percentile with 10 years' experience, you have a strong case for a raise to at least the median
• Lead with the data source: "According to ATO Taxation Statistics and ABS earnings data..." carries more weight than "Seek says..." or "I feel like I should earn more"
• Use the range, not a point: saying "the market range for this role is $X to $Y" is more credible and gives room to negotiate
• Account for your specifics: location, experience, certifications, and performance all shift where you should sit within the range
• Check the floor: always verify your award rate. If your employer is paying below the award minimum, that's not a negotiation — that's a legal issue

Use our Salary Benchmark Tool to search your occupation and see exactly where you sit. It takes 10 seconds, uses government data, and doesn't require sign-up or an email address.

If the result surprises you — good. That's the point. Whether you're earning more or less than you expected, now you know where you stand and you can act on it.