Australia's average salary revealed: How much the 'ordinary' Aussie earns (2024)

The average salary in Australia is now just over $60,000, new data from the Australian Tax Office has revealed.

Data from the 2018-2019 financial year shows that the average salary for Australians who submitted tax returns was $63,085, up by $1634 from the year prior.

The median reported salary (which provides a more accurate picture of the "average" Aussie as the figure is not pulled higher by millionaires) for 2018-19 was $52,732.

Australia's average salary revealed: How much the 'ordinary' Aussie earns (1)

The data revealed a stark difference between the earnings of Australian men and women.

For that same financial year, Australians paid a median net tax of more than $11,000.

Australia's average salary revealed: How much the 'ordinary' Aussie earns (2)

When broken down by locality, NSW home by the lion's share of high-income earners.

Australia's wealthiest suburb was Double Bay (postcode 2028) in Sydney, where individuals boasted an average taxable income of $202,598.

It was closely followed by Toorak (3142) in Melbourne, with an average income of $201,926.

The only suburb in the top 10 that was not in NSW or Victoria was Cottesloe (6011) in Western Australia.

Cottesloe ranked six, with its residents earning an average income of $179,376.

Australia's average salary revealed: How much the 'ordinary' Aussie earns (3)

A full list of the top 10 postcodes – and highest-earning occupations – can be found below.

Surgeons were once again the country's highest-paid individuals on average, earning $394,303.

They were closely followed by anaesthetists on $386,065 and internal medicine specialists on $304,752.

Other noticeable inclusions were financial dealers ($275,984), mining engineers ($184,507) and chief executive officers ($164,896).

Australia's average salary revealed: How much the 'ordinary' Aussie earns (4)

Australia's top 10 richest people revealed

Australian's Average Taxable Income 2018-2019*

Male

Female

Total

Average taxable income ($)

73,218

51,382

62,549

Median taxable income ($)

55,829

40,547

47,492

Top 10 Postcodes by Average Taxable Income 2018-2019*

Rank

Postcode

Suburb

State

Income

1

2028

Double Bay

NSW

$202,598

2

3142

Hawksburn, Toorak

VIC

$201,926

3

2027

Darling Point

NSW

$199,813

4

2030

Dover Heights, Vaucluse

NSW

$197,886

5

2025

Woollahra

NSW

$183,418

6

6011

Cottesloe

WA

$179,376

7

3944

Portsea

VIC

$175,356

8

2023

Bellevue Hill

NSW

$173,356

9

2088

Mosman

NSW

$171,135

10

2063

Northbridge

NSW

$168,891

Top 10 Occupations by Average Taxable Income 2018-2019*

Rank

Occupation

Income

1

Surgeon

$394,303

2

Anaesthetist

$386,065

3

Internal Medicine Specialist

$304,752

4

Financial Dealer

$275,984

5

Psychiatrist

$235,558

6

Other Medical Practitioner

$222,933

7

Judicial or other legal professionals

$188,798

8

Mining Engineer

$184,507

9

Chief Executive Officer

$164,896

10

Engineering Manager

$159,940

*Australian Tax Office data for financial year 2018-2019.

Australia's average salary revealed: How much the 'ordinary' Aussie earns (2024)
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