New data from recruitment agency Hays has revealed the highest paying jobs in Australia.
New research from recruitment company Hays has revealed the highest paying jobs in Australia, with typical salaries as high as $410,000.·Source: Getty
Thehighest paying jobs in Australiahave been revealed, with the top job raking in a staggering $410,000 a year on average. Thenew data is based on a survey of thousandsof hiring managers and professionals and provides a look behind the curtain into the high incomes certain roles are pulling in.
Hays data shared exclusively withYahoo Financeshows C-Suite, executive and management level professionals are unsurprisingly the highest earners in the country, with 28.7 per cent making more than $250,000 a year. This was followed byworkersin the legal industry (8.5 per cent), construction and property (7.5 per cent), engineering (6.8 per cent) and accountants (6.3 per cent).
Heads of Treasury recorded the highest typical salaries across Australia out of all professions, with those in Sydney earning an impressive $410,000 on average and upper salary bands reaching up to $510,000.
Energy Project Directors were in second place, with typical salaries reaching $330,000 nationally, which Hays attributed to continued investment in large-scale energy transition and infrastructure projects.
Project Development Directors across the energy sector also ranked highly, with salaries reaching $320,000 nationally. As did Sales Directors in the defence sector, with typical salaries also $320,000.
Construction managersacross NSW, Victoria and Queensland were among the best-paid operational leadership roles, with typical salaries reaching $300,000.
What are the highest paying jobs in Australia?
Here are the highest paying jobs in Australia, according to the Hays Salary Guide FY26/27 and based on insights from 7,000 hiring managers and professionals.
Salaries are based on the maximum typical amount that can be earned, which may vary depending on location.
Head of Treasury$410,000
Energy Project Director$330,000
Project Development Director, Energy$320,000
Sales Director, Defence$320,000
Construction Manager$300,000
Head of Quantitative Risk$300,000
Head of Internal Audit, Head of Tax$300,000
Registered Mine Manager$300,000
HR Director, Head of HR$300,000
Chief Information Security Officers, Chief Technology Officer$300,000
Half of Aussies feel underpaid
It comes as half of Aussie professionals surveyed by Hays report feeling underpaid,despite receiving pay rises.
Shane Little, managing director of enterprise solutions at Hays APAC, toldYahoo Financeit highlighted a growing disconnect between wage growth and expectations, particularly where increases have been minimal.
Average salary increases are sitting at about 4 per cent, in line with inflation, and have been mostly driven by cost-of-living pressures and company-wide adjustments rather than workers getting a promotion or new job.
Only 12 per cent of professionals reported increases of between 6 and 10 per cent in the last 12 months, while 42 per cent said they received little or no meaningful increase.
Thelatest Wage Price Index datafrom the ABS shows annual growth in wages was 3.3 per cent in March, largely unchanged from 3.4 per cent in the December quarter.
