Pay rises revealed: The Aussie jobs getting the most (and the least)

Discussing what your pay may be taboo but the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) can get away with it, and it’s revealed the most recent data found a full-time worker earned, on average, $1,888.80 a week - $98,217 a year.

“The annual increase of 4.5 per cent, or $81 a week, was the strongest since May 2013, other than a brief spike in average earnings early in the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bjorn Jarvis, ABS head of labour statistics, said.

The “strong” growth comes as the wage price index lifted 4.2 per cent in the year up to December 2023 and was ahead, albeit slightly, of inflation at 4.1 per cent, meaning Australians got their first real pay rise in almost three years.

Pay transparency: While mining workers get paid the most, healthcare workers received the biggest wage rise. (Getty)

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A slew of data released this week has revealed where Australians are being paid the most, which industries are cashing in on the biggest pay rises, and which jobs netted the most money. Here’s a breakdown.

Location, location location: Best and worst paid parts of Australia

Those working full time in Western Australia are being paid the most in the country, netting $2,108 a week. They were followed by the Australian Capital Territory, where the average earnings were $2,080.

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New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland were all pretty close and ranked in that order, with workers taking home $1,891, $1858 and $1844, respectively.

The worst-paid Aussies are living in Tasmania and South Australia, taking home an average weekly pay of $1,670 and $1,735, respectively.

3 highest-paying industries

1. Mining - $2,952 a week

2. Information media and telecommunications - $2,406

3. Professional, scientific and technical services - $2,223

3 worst-paying industries

1. Accommodation and food services - $1,397

2. Retail trade - $1,435

3. Other services - $1,439.10

‘Other services’ seemed a bit vague so Yahoo Finance contacted the ABS, which advised that included jobs like repair and maintenance, and private households who employ staff. This can be personal care services like hair, beauty, diet and weight management too.

Jobs with the best and worst pay rises

Financial and insurance service workers had the smallest increase in pay recorded, while healthcare and social workers had the largest bump. Here’s the full round up:

1. Healthcare and social assistance - up 5.5 per cent

2. Education and training - up 4.8 per cent

3. Administration and support services - up 4.5 per cent

4. Retail trade - up 4.3 per cent

5. Manufacturing - up 4.2 per cent

6. Construction - up 4.1 per cent

7. Mining - up 4.1 per cent

8. Transport, postal, and warehousing - up 4.1 per cent

9. Information media and telecommunications - up 4 per cent

10. Arts and recreation services - up 3.8 per cent

11. Professional, scientific, and technical services - up 3.8 per cent

12. Electricity, gas, water and waste services - up 3.7 per cent

13. Public administration and safety - up 3.6 per cent

14. Financial and insurance services - up 3.2 per cent

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