Salaries in New Zealand vs Australia: Let’s Be Real [2024]
Will you earn more in Australia or New Zealand? This is a dilemma for many people, including the Kiwis, who are struggling to save enough money to buy a house while working in New Zealand. Although these countries might appear to be the same to you, they are certainly not. The economic situation, job and career opportunities, industries, and even the countries’ sizes are significantly different.
The average salary in Australia in 2022 was AU$93,964 in New Zealand, it’s NZ$58,000. Salaries tend to be higher in Australia than New Zealand, especially for trades like ones in the construction industry. At the same time, large cities in New Zealand, like Auckland and Wellington, offer competitive wages for those in higher rank positions and with plenty of experience. In addition, New Zealand has a lower cost of living and better work-life balance.
Should you move for work to New Zealand or Australia? Well, not a very simple question to answer. It all depends on your taste, goals, and lifestyle. Ultimately, New Zealand and Australia are very different countries, yet you will get better in AUS.
Related: How to move to New Zealand from Australia.
Wages in New Zealand vs Australia
New Zealand and Australia are two different countries with two different economies. Hence, we should expect salaries to be different. Plus, the population of AUS is five times larger than NZ (25,890,773 vs 5,124,100).
In New Zealand, with an average salary of only about NZ$58,000 (US$36,189) annually, you are considered a good earner if you make above NZ$80,000 annually.
The usual wage for a school teacher is NZ$80,000, while lower-qualified professionals like bakers make approximately NZ$50,000.
That said, most New Zealanders make between NZ$50,000 to NZ$80,000 annually.
In November 2022, the average annual salary of a typical full-time worker was AU$93,964 per year. This data is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
If you get a job in a major city like Sydney, you can expect to earn a bit more than the average salary. An employee will usually enjoy a higher income when working in Australia.
Here are some of the average salaries for typical jobs in Australia:
| Job | Average annual salary (AU$) |
|---|---|
| Lab Technician | $74,100 |
| Photographer | $77,074 |
| Service Engineer | $86,994 |
| Traffic Engineer | $97,376 |
| Technical Engineer | $100,004 |
| Design Engineer | $107,250 |
| Developer | $109,998 |
| Engineer | $112,469 |
| Full Stack Developer | $120,000 |
Here I compared average earnings across all industries in both countries. Guess who is the winner?
| Sector | Average annual salary in AUS (AU$) | Average annual salary in NZ (NZ$) |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Human Resource | $87,098 | $74,920 |
| Architecture & Creative Arts | $82,047 | $64,894 |
| Banking and Finance | $95,788 | $82,861 |
| Education and Childcare | $97,302 | $84,365 |
| Marketing & Sales | $97,444 | $82,240 |
| Engineering | $112,089 | $91,605 |
| Healthcare | $104,551 | $97,675 |
| Hospitality & Travel | $82,671 | $62,563 |
| Information Technology | $108,719 | $85,721 |
| Legal | $91,780 | $75,760 |
| Science | $105,923 | $90,123 |
| Security and Law Enforcement | $81,894 | $69,336 |
| Construction | $85,602 | $70,328 |
| Retail, Cosmetics & Customer Service | $68,339 | $50,879 |
| Food Services | $72,617 | $55,191 |
| Shipping, Manufacturing & Transportation | $76,570 | $49,886 |
Especially higher wages for labor workers and tradies attract Kiwis to move to Australia mainly because of the paycheck and employee benefits.
In New Zealand, earning an average salary of NZ$58,000 annually leaves you with NZ$3,891 in monthly disposable income. That’s enough for a decent standard of living in most main cities.
Talent.com estimates the following annual averages for different jobs across New Zealand (NZ$):
- Data analyst: $84,047
- Office manager: $45,645
- Strategy analyst: $56,832
- Operation analyst: $61,473
- Architect: $135,000
- Professor: $143,251
- Electrician: $67,928
- Bartender: $46,118
- Dentist: $196,000
- Writer: $76,442
- Security guard: $47,834
- Market analyst: $48,236
- Cashier: $44,753
Melbourne and Sydney are the highest-paying Australian cities across most professions. In New Zealand, Aucklanders earn the most. Here are the average salaries for typical jobs in Sydney:
| Job | Median salary in US$ |
|---|---|
| C LEVEL EXECUTIVE | $141,527 |
| IT MANAGER | $83,077 |
| PHYSICIAN | $81,875 |
| BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | $75,496 |
| DENTIST | $73,484 |
| HARDWARE ENGINEER | $72,165 |
| PRODUCT MANAGER | $69,555 |
| PROJECT MANAGER | $69,022 |
| DATA SCIENTIST | $68,011 |
| SALES MANAGER | $66,919 |
| MOBILE DEVELOPER | $66,678 |
| FINANCE MANAGER | $64,398 |
| UX DESIGNER | $64,283 |
| OPERATIONS MANAGER | $63,379 |
| FINANCIAL ANALYST | $62,945 |
| BUSINESS ANALYST | $60,738 |
| MARKETING MANAGER | $59,268 |
| MECHANICAL ENGINEER | $59,138 |
| LECTURER | $58,065 |
| SOFTWARE ENGINEER | $57,981 |
| DATA ANALYST | $57,363 |
| ACCOUNT MANAGER | $56,939 |
| INTERIOR DESIGNER | $56,512 |
| POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER | $56,400 |
| ATTORNEY | $56,169 |
| ELECTRICAL ENGINEER | $56,074 |
| CIVIL ENGINEER | $56,042 |
| EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT | $54,160 |
| HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER | $54,100 |
| SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR | $52,347 |
| CHEMICAL ENGINEER | $51,667 |
| CONTENT MARKETING | $51,304 |
| ACCOUNTANT | $51,098 |
| WEB DEVELOPER | $50,908 |
| PHARMACIST | $50,091 |
| TEACHER | $49,605 |
| RESEARCH SCIENTIST | $49,539 |
| QA ENGINEER | $48,966 |
| NURSE | $45,492 |
| WEB DESIGNER | $44,549 |
| ARCHITECT | $44,540 |
| COPYWRITER | $44,111 |
| INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER | $43,274 |
| OFFICE MANAGER | $42,873 |
| FASHION DESIGNER | $42,550 |
| CHEF | $40,895 |
| CUSTOMER SUPPORT | $38,372 |
| GRAPHIC DESIGNER | $36,905 |
| ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT | $36,550 |
| RECEPTIONIST | $31,007 |
| CASHIER | $27,706 |
| WAITER | $24,168 |
To compare apples to apples, I took the Teleport.org data for Auckland:
| Job | Median salary in US$ |
|---|---|
| C LEVEL EXECUTIVE | $131,623 |
| DENTIST | $89,366 |
| DATA SCIENTIST | $88,987 |
| FINANCE MANAGER | $73,912 |
| OPERATIONS MANAGER | $70,972 |
| IT MANAGER | $69,400 |
| POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER | $67,529 |
| PHYSICIAN | $64,733 |
| PHARMACIST | $62,088 |
| CHEMICAL ENGINEER | $60,441 |
| ATTORNEY | $58,478 |
| HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER | $57,176 |
| SOFTWARE ENGINEER | $55,453 |
| FINANCIAL ANALYST | $55,203 |
| MARKETING MANAGER | $54,644 |
| WEB DESIGNER | $54,445 |
| SALES MANAGER | $53,663 |
| PRODUCT MANAGER | $52,109 |
| CIVIL ENGINEER | $51,563 |
| SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR | $50,101 |
| ACCOUNT MANAGER | $49,993 |
| BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | $48,814 |
| PROJECT MANAGER | $48,460 |
| ARCHITECT | $48,085 |
| LECTURER | $48,073 |
| BUSINESS ANALYST | $47,805 |
| CONTENT MARKETING | $47,277 |
| UX DESIGNER | $46,970 |
| ELECTRICAL ENGINEER | $46,531 |
| QA ENGINEER | $46,478 |
| DATA ANALYST | $46,102 |
| MECHANICAL ENGINEER | $45,224 |
| WEB DEVELOPER | $43,579 |
| EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT | $43,066 |
| RESEARCH SCIENTIST | $42,120 |
| NURSE | $42,086 |
| ACCOUNTANT | $40,712 |
| INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER | $40,520 |
| TEACHER | $39,474 |
| OFFICE MANAGER | $38,775 |
| COPYWRITER | $35,964 |
| INTERIOR DESIGNER | $35,795 |
| CUSTOMER SUPPORT | $35,477 |
| ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT | $33,150 |
| MOBILE DEVELOPER | $32,333 |
| GRAPHIC DESIGNER | $32,084 |
| FASHION DESIGNER | $30,693 |
| CHEF | $29,825 |
| HARDWARE ENGINEER | $27,013 |
| RECEPTIONIST | $21,917 |
| CASHIER | $19,439 |
| WAITER | $17,428 |
| Job | Melbourne (US$) | Auckland (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| IT MANAGER | $83,077 | $69,400 |
| FINANCE MANAGER | $64,398 | $73,912 |
| DENTIST | $73,484 | $89,366 |
| SOFTWARE ENGINEER | $57,981 | $55,453 |
| CIVIL ENGINEER | $56,042 | $51,563 |
| NURSE | $45,492 | $42,086 |
As you can see, across the board, salaries are actually pretty equal in both cities. Although, I doubt the accuracy of these numbers and how fresh they are. Plus, the cost of living is higher in Melbourne and Sydney than in Auckland.
Which city is the best for jobs in New Zealand? Find out in the article below.
Minimum wage New Zealand vs Australia
From April 2023, the minimum wage in New Zealand is set to NZ$22.7 per hour, which translates to about NZ$3,588 per month. Consequently, even if you earn a minimum wage, you still can afford to pay for the rent and all other basic needs.
In Australia, the National Minimum Wage is AU$21.38 (NZ$23,60) per hour or AU$812.60 per week or AU$3,518 per month. This rate was set on 1 July 2022 and is expected to increase in the future.
Therefore, there is a minimal difference between minimum wages in both countries.
Statistical data on salaries in New Zealand vs Australia
New Zealand
- In 2022, the national median income from wages and salaries was NZ$1,189 per week or NZ$4,756 or NZ$57,072 per year.
- Median hourly earnings was NZ$29.66 per hour.
- Minimum wage is NZ$22.7 per hour from April 2023.
- Highest paying jobs are Information architects, other IT specialists, Quantity surveyors, Finance managers, and, of course, chief executives.
- Income by gender: The gender pay gap in the June 2022 quarter was 9.2%. This means men earned 9.2% more than women.
Source: www.stats.govt.nz
Australia
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average weekly earnings for full-time working adults are as follows:
- $1,807.70 in November 2022. That translates to $93,964 per year.
- For males $2,091.20 (in public sector), and $1,874.40 (in private).
- For females $1,857.50 (public), and $1,573.00 (private).
However, if we look at employee earnings, the data is different (August 2022), and average employees actually earn less:
- Median employee earnings were $1,250 per week – $65,000 a year
- Median hourly earnings was $37,3 per hour
- 25% of all employees earned less than $800 per week
- 50% of all employees earned less than $1,250
- 75% of all employees earned less than $1,900
- 90% of all employees earned less than $2,720 per week
Therefore, median earnings are $65,000 annually, and only 10% of all workers make above $2,720 per week or $141,440 annually.
Employees in Australia work 38 hours per week on average. The top three reported occupations were Sales Assistants (General) (514,084), Registered Nurses (262,742), and General Clerks (244,849).
In Australia, wages also range depending on the region. In 2022, the highest median weekly wages were recorded in the Australian Capital Territory at $1,518 per week.
- Northern Territory ($1,400)
- Western Australia ($1,315)
- New South Wales and Victoria (both $1,250)
- The lowest were Tasmania ($1,075 per week), South Australia ($1,125), and Queensland ($1,211).
Median weekly wages in various industries in Australia according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics:
To dive deep into industries, I have presented the data from Hays salary guide for 2022/2023 for both countries, Australia and New Zealand.
1. Jobs in Accountancy and Finance
New Zealand
| City | Managerial positions | CPA | Internal Auditor | Risk Analyst |
| Auckland | NZ$120,000 – 170,000 | NZ$68,000-80,000 | NZ$66,000-87,000 | NZ$71,000-82,000 |
| Wellington | NZ$115,000 – 180,000 | NZ$66,000-82,000 | NZ$71,000-92,000 | NZ$71,000-87,000 |
| Christchurch | NZ$110,000 – 180,000 | NZ$66,000-80,000 | NZ$71,000-92,000 | NZ$71,000-92,000 |
Australia
| City | Managerial positions | CPA | Internal Auditor | Risk Analyst |
| Sydney | AU$100,000 – 200,000 | AU$80,000-100,000 | AU$90,000-110,000 | AU$92,000-112,000 |
| Melbourne | AU$100,000 – 180,000 | AU$80,000-95,000 | AU$82,000-102,000 | AU$77,000-102,000 |
| Perth | AU$90,000 – 170,000 | AU$70,000-80,000 | AU$82,000-102,000 | AU$92,000-102,000 |
2. Jobs in Architecture
New Zealand
| City | Architect | CAD Manager | Planner | Landscape Architect |
| Auckland | NZ$90,000-130,000 | NZ$120,000-160,000 | NZ$65,000-95,000 | NZ$85,000-120,000 |
| Wellington | NZ$85,000-120,000 | NZ$110,000-140,000 | NZ$65,000-90,000 | NZ$85,000-110,000 |
| Christchurch | NZ$85,000-120,000 | NZ$110,000-130,000 | NZ$65,000-85,000 | NZ$80,000-110,000 |
Australia
| City | Architect | CAD Manager | Planner | Landscape Architect |
| Sydney | AU$80,000-120,000 | AU$100,000-200,000 | AU$61,000-92,000 | AU$65,000-130,000 |
| Melbourne | AU$85,000-120,000 | AU$100,000-200,000 | AU$65,000-95,000 | AU$70,000-130,000 |
| Perth | AU$90,000-120,000 | AU$110,000-160,000 | AU$70,000-110,000 | AU$85,000-150,000 |
3. Jobs in Construction
New Zealand
| City | Leading Hand | Project Manager | Site Engineer | Project Engineer | Quantity Surveyor |
| Auckland | NZ$56,000-71,000 | NZ$112,000-163,000 | NZ$67,000-92,000 | NZ$77,000-112,000 | NZ$46,000-97,000 |
| Wellington | NZ$51,000-80,000 | NZ$100,000-150,000 | NZ$61,000-92,000 | NZ$82,000-130,000 | NZ$51,000-92,000 |
| South Island | NZ$65,000-80,000 | NZ$85,000-150,000 | NZ$60,000-90,000 | NZ$80,000-120,000 | NZ$55,000 – 90,000 |
| Job | New Zealand | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Builder | NZ$59,600/year | AU$105,196 |
| Carpenter | NZ$56,900/year | AU$76,394 |
| Civil Engineer | NZ$91,800/year | AU$105,140 |
| Quantity Surveyor | NZ$90,081/year | AU$140,000 |
| Structural Engineer | NZ$86,513/year | AU$115,000 |
Australia
| City | Leading Hand | Project Manager | Site Engineer | Project Engineer | Quantity Surveyor |
| Sydney | AU$100,000-120,000 | AU$160,000-210,000 | AU$100,000-140,000 | AU$100,000-160,000 | AU$80,000-140,000 |
| Melbourne | AU$80,000 – 100,000 | AU$130,000-190,000 | AU$90,000-130,000 | AU$90,000-160,000 | AU$70,000-90,000 |
| Perth | AU$80,000-100,000 | AU$140,000-220,000 | AU$90,000-110,000 | AU$110,000-150,000 | AU$90,000 – 100,000 |
4. Jobs in Human Resources
| Trainer | Recruitment Advisor | HR Admin | Senior HR Business Ptr | HR Manager | Head of HR | |
| New Zealand | NZ$71,000-112,000 | NZ$85,000-120,000 | NZ$55,000-65,000 | NZ$115,000-160,000 | NZ$110,000-143,000 | NZ$180,000-300,000 |
| Trainer | Recruitment Advisor | HR Admin | Senior HR Business Ptr | HR Manager | Head of HR | |
| Australia | AU$85,000-125,000 | AU$90,000-140,000 | AU$65,000-80,000 | AU$140,000-215,000 | AU$133,000-215,000 | AU$204,000-420,000 |
5. Jobs in Engineering
New Zealand
| City | CAD Drafter | CAD Manager | Entry-level Design Engineer | Supervisor | Project Manager | Structural Engineer | Land Surveyor |
| Auckland | NZ$60,000-95,000 | NZ$90,000-130,000 | NZ$65,000-80,000 | NZ$65,000-85,000 | NZ$95,000-120,000 | NZ$95,000-160,000 | NZ$80,000-150,000 |
| Wellington | NZ$60,000-90,000 | NZ$85,000-115,000 | NZ$65,000-75,000 | NZ$55,000-70,000 | NZ$95,000-120,000 | NZ$75,000-155,000 | NZ$75,000-130,000 |
| Christchurch | NZ$55,000-87,000 | NZ$85,000-112,000 | NZ$60,000-75,000 | NZ$60,000-80,000 | NZ$95,000- 115,000 | NZ$65,000-140,000 | NZ$65,000-120,000 |
Australia
| City | CAD Drafter | CAD Manager | Entry-level Design Engineer | Supervisor | Project Manager | Structural Engineer | Land Surveyor |
| Sydney | AU$60,000-100,000 | AU$90,000-130,000 | AU$54,000-65,000 | AU$77,000-130,000 | AU$92,000-160,000 | AU$74,000-176,000 | AU$82,000-143,000 |
| Melbourne | AU$50,000-100,000 | AU$85,000-115,000 | AU$56,000-71,000 | AU$66,000-77,000 | AU$92,000-143,000 | AU$74,000-143,000 | AU$56,000-153,000 |
| Perth | AU$75,000-100,000 | AU$90,000-115,000 | AU$70,000-80,000 | AU$71,000-102,000 | AU$95,000- 135,000 | AU$80,000-140,000 | AU$92,000-143,000 |
6. Jobs in Logistics
| Warehouse coordinator | Stock Controller | Storeperson | Driver HR/MR | Mechanic | |
| New Zealand | NZ$60,000-75,000 | NZ$60,000-75,000 | NZ$50,000-60,000 | NZ$60,000-80,000 | NZ$70,000-120,000 |
| Warehouse coordinator | Stock Controller | Storeperson | Driver HR/MR | Mechanic | |
| Australia | AU$65,000-75,000 | AU$65,000-80,000 | AU$50,000-65,000 | AU$46,000-61,000 | AU$61,000-77,000 |
7. Jobs in Marketing & Digital
| E-commerce Specialist | Marketing Manager | Event Coordinator | Graphic Designer | Ecommerce Specialist | Digital Marketing Executive | Content Writer | |
| New Zealand | NZ$50,000-80,000 | NZ$96,000-137,000 | NZ$52,000-78,000 | NZ$54,000-103,000 | NZ$63,000-97,000 | NZ$69,000-99,000 | NZ$64,000-81,000 |
| E-commerce Specialist | Marketing Manager | Event Coordinator | Graphic Designer | Ecommerce Specialist | Digital Marketing Executive | Content Writer | |
| Australia | AU$80,000-110,000 | AU$105,000-145,000 | AU$60,000-77,000 | AU$70,000-125,000 | AU$80,000-110,000 | AU$90,000-110,000 | AU$85,000-110,000 |
8. Jobs in Technology
New Zealand
| City | Service Desk | Network Administrator | Business Analyst | Developer | Cloud Engineer | Data Analyst |
| Auckland | NZ$50,000-60,000 | NZ$80,000-100,000 | NZ$90,000-120,000 | NZ$95,000-125,000 | NZ$115,000 – 155,000 | NZ$85,000-125,000 |
| Wellington | NZ$55,000-65,000 | NZ$90,000-110,000 | NZ$95,000-110,000 | NZ$90,000-120,000 | NZ$110,000 – 140,000 | NZ$90,000-125,000 |
| Christchurch | NZ$50,000-60,000 | NZ$80,000-100,000 | NZ$90,000-110,000 | NZ$80,000-110,000 | NZ$100,000 – 130,000 | NZ$80,000-120,000 |
Australia
| City | Service Desk | Network Administrator | Business Analyst | Developer | Cloud Engineer | Data Analyst |
| Sydney | AU$55,000-80,000 | AU$100,000-150,000 | AU$120,000-160,000 | AU$80,000-130,000 | AU$130,000 – 190,000 | AU$82,000-130,000 |
| Melbourne | AU$55,000-70,000 | AU$90,000-150,000 | AU$100,000-150,000 | AU$80,000-135,000 | AU$140,000 – 180,000 | AU$80,000-130,000 |
| Perth | AU$48,000-65,000 | AU$100,000-150,000 | NAU$100,000-135,000 | AU$80,000-120,000 | AU$130,000 – 160,000 | AU$90,000-122,000 |
9. Jobs in Medicine
Thousands of Kiwi nurses are moving to Australia each year mainly because of the higher salaries. About 8% of 65,000 nurses registered in New Zealand are registered in Australia.
Australian nurses make AU$81,501 on average, while Kiwi nurses get between NZ$62,847 and NZ$88,757 annually.
New Zealand
| Physician | $140,000 |
| Gynaecology – obstetric | $100,000 |
| Dentist | $130,000 |
| Physiotherapist | $70,000 |
Australia
| Physician | $120,000 |
| Gynecologist | $109,113 |
| Pediatrician | $100,478 |
| Dentist | $97,222 |
| Physiotherapist | $62,614 |
Salaries for tradies
Wages for tradies tend to be higher in Australia than in New Zealand by a significant amount. For instance, many Kiwis relocate to Australia to work as builders, carpenters, butchers, electricians, etc., to earn money on their first home in New Zealand. After several years overseas, they come back and continue working at home but with a property in their pocket.
In fact, some trades can make you quite a lot of money in Australia, like:
- Painter – $97,471
- Landscaper – $96,783
- Carpenter – $86,328
- Electrician – $95,108
- Dental hygienist – $84,469
- Concreter – $84,389
- Builder – $81,318
- Plumber – $98,488
- Bricklayer – $120,060
- Concreter – $121,800
In New Zealand, tradies can also make a good living, but they get significantly less than in Australia:
- Electrician – NZ$67,928
- Carpenter – NZ$58,500
- Builder – NZ$60,450
- Plumber – NZ$61,425
- Bricklayer – NZ$66,560
The average annual salary for Labourer jobs in New Zealand ranges from NZ$50,000 to NZ$60,000. According to Figure.nz, wages across all technicians and trades workers also vary by gender, so men earned NZ$32,05 per hour and women NZ$27,13 an hour in 2022.
The highest-paid jobs in the trade sector in New Zealand are:
- Machines operators – NZ$38 an hour
- Air-conditioning or refrigeration mechanics – NZ$28.40 per hour
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Carpenters
How much does a typical person make in New Zealand vs Australia?
So, after all this data and information, how much does a typical working person earn in both countries? New Zealand and Australia are two very fair states where the majority of people fall into the middle class. Only under 10% of all workers earn significantly above the average.
For instance, in New Zealand, a typical salary for someone with a university degree, several years of experience, and working in one of the main cities is about NZ$80,000. Most employees and contractors in New Zealand make between NZ$45,000 and NZ$80,000 per year.
Other large groups of workers have the following income:
- NZ$40,000 to NZ$45,000: 146,690 taxpayers
- NZ$45,000 to NZ$50,000: 159,690 taxpayers
- NZ$50,000 to NZ$55,000: 157,590 taxpayers
- NZ$55,000 – NZ$60,000: 145,200 taxpayers
- NZ$60,000 – NZ$65,000: 128,480 taxpayers
- NZ$200,000 and more: 44,030 taxpayers
The majority of higher earners work in main cities like Auckland and Wellington.
Here is the graph of how much all taxpayers in March 2022 made:
In Australia, the average salary is $93,964. It’s also a very common salary for someone working full-time in one of the main cities.
Degree plays a significant role in salaries in Australia, so graduates with a Bachelor’s Degree earn 24% more than those with a certificate or diploma.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 40% of all employees make between $1,250 and $2,720 per week, while 10% of all workers have a salary above $2,720 per week or $141,440 per year.
That means over 40% of Australians earn between $65,000 and $141,440, and 10% above $141,440 per year.
Highest-paying jobs & industries
Despite maybe discouraging average salaries, there is always a chance to earn more, especially if you are a professional in one of the highest-paying jobs.
Here are some of the best-paying professions in New Zealand (source: Trademe.co.nz; Seek.co.nz):
- Information architects (IT): NZ$135,000
- Data warehousing and Business Intelligence (IT): NZ$115,000
- Cybersecurity specialists: NZ$105,000
- Construction project and contract management: NZ$105,000
- IT Sales: NZ$105,000
- Finance managers: NZ$100,000
- Database experts: NZ$95,000
- Quantity surveying: NZ$95,000
- Surveying: NZ$95,000
- Test analysts: NZ$95,000
- Architects: NZ$85,000
- Geotechnical engineers: NZ$85,000
- Civil and structural engineers: NZ$85,000
- Commercial property management: NZ$85,000
- Accountants: NZ$75,000
Highest-paying NZ industries
| NZ Industry | Average salary NZD (2018) |
|---|---|
| Accounting | $79,181 |
| Banking & Financial Services | $87,583 |
| Construction | $101,633 |
| Consulting & Strategy | $100,610 |
| Design & Architecture | $84,213 |
| Engineering | $92,205 |
| Government & Defence | $83,266 |
| Information & Communication Technology | $95,938 |
| Mining, Resources & Energy | $92,362 |
| Real Estate & Property | $84,504 |
| Science & Technology | $75,909 |
Highest-paying jobs in Australia
- Psychiatrist – $211,766
- General Practitioner – $218,268
- IT architect – $248,335
- Construction manager – $158,901
- Mining engineer – $151,038
- Financial controller – $144,528
- Corporate lawyer – $127,154
- Finance manager – $118,578
- IT manager – $115,757
- IT security specialist – $102,598
When it comes to industries, in August 2022, the following sectors had the highest median weekly earnings:
- Mining – $2,497 per week
- Electricity, gas, water and waste services – $1,855
- Financial and insurance services – $1,700
- Professional, scientific and technical services – $1,692
On the other hand, people earn the least in the industries:
- Accommodation and food services – $600 per week
- Retail trade – $800
- Arts and recreation services – $1,000
