The Gender Pay Gap by Occupation: What ATO Data Shows for Every Australian Job

We analysed ATO Taxation Statistics data across 425 occupations. The gender pay gap — measured as the difference between male and female median salary within the same occupation code — exists in the vast majority.

This is not about men and women doing different jobs. This is men and women in the same occupation, classified by the same ATO code, reporting different median incomes on their tax returns.

Some examples from the data:

• Accountants (2211): Male median ~$112,000, Female median ~$84,000 — gap of approximately 25%
• Registered Nurses (2544): Male median ~$95,000, Female median ~$83,000 — gap of approximately 13%
• Primary School Teachers (2412): Male median ~$99,000, Female median ~$89,000 — gap of approximately 10%
• Sales Assistants (6211): Male median ~$34,000, Female median ~$32,000 — gap of approximately 5%

The pattern is consistent: the gap tends to be larger in higher-paying occupations and smaller in lower-paying or award-dependent roles. The more "negotiable" the salary, the wider the gap.

The ATO data doesn't tell us why the gap exists — only that it does. But the research points to several compounding factors:

• Hours worked: women are more likely to work part-time or reduced hours, even within "full-time" roles. The ATO data captures total annual income, not hourly rates
• Career interruptions: parental leave, caring responsibilities, and career breaks disproportionately affect women's earnings trajectory
• Negotiation gap: research consistently shows women are less likely to negotiate salary offers, and when they do, they receive smaller increases
• Seniority concentration: within the same occupation code (e.g., "accountant"), men are more likely to be in senior or management-adjacent roles that pay more
• Industry and employer variation: a nurse in a metropolitan public hospital may earn differently from a nurse in a rural aged care facility

None of these explanations make the gap acceptable. They explain the mechanism, not justify the outcome.

If you suspect you're being paid less than a male colleague in the same role:

• Check the benchmark: use our Salary Benchmark Tool to see where you sit relative to the median for your occupation. If you're below the 25th percentile with solid experience, you have grounds to push for more
• Check your employer's WGEA data: since 2024, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency publishes individual employer gender pay gaps at wgea.gov.au. Look up your employer
• Know your rights: under the Fair Work Act, it's unlawful for an employer to discriminate on pay based on gender. If you have evidence of gender-based pay discrimination, you can lodge a complaint with the Fair Work Commission or the Australian Human Rights Commission
• Talk about pay: the pay secrecy ban (effective 7 December 2022) means your employer cannot prevent you from discussing your pay with colleagues. This is now explicitly protected under the Fair Work Act

Transparency is the enemy of the pay gap. The more workers know about what others in their role earn, the harder it is for unjustified gaps to persist.