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ABS Wage Price Index · March quarter 2026 · free to cite with attribution
How fast pay is rising across industries, states and sectors — with the dollar figure most wage tables leave out: what full-time Australians actually earn a week, and the gap between men and women.
3.2%
annual wage growth · WPI, March quarter 2026
$110,708
full-time adult earnings a year · November 2025
14.5%
gender pay gap · full-time adult
4.3%
fastest-growing industry — Electricity, gas, water and waste services
Headline annual growth in the Wage Price Index (all sectors, all industries), by quarter.
Annual Wage Price Index growth by ANZSIC division, March quarter 2026, fastest first.
| Industry | Annual wage growth |
|---|---|
| Electricity, gas, water and waste services | 4.3% |
| Public administration and safety | 3.7% |
| Other services | 3.7% |
| Mining | 3.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3.6% |
| Transport, postal and warehousing | 3.5% |
| Arts and recreation services | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.3% |
| Rental, hiring and real estate services | 3.3% |
| Manufacturing | 3.2% |
| Construction | 3.2% |
| Information media and telecommunications | 3.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3.0% |
| Education and training | 3.0% |
| Retail trade | 2.9% |
| Financial and insurance services | 2.9% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 2.9% |
| Administrative and support services | 2.8% |
Annual Wage Price Index growth, all industries, March quarter 2026.
Average weekly total earnings, full-time adults, November 2025 — with the annualised figure (× 52), highest first.
| State / territory | Per week | Annualised |
|---|---|---|
| Western Australia | $2,304 | $119,787 |
| Australian Capital Territory | $2,285 | $118,841 |
| New South Wales | $2,148 | $111,717 |
| Queensland | $2,099 | $109,138 |
| Victoria | $2,080 | $108,139 |
| Northern Territory | $2,044 | $106,278 |
| South Australia | $2,010 | $104,499 |
| Tasmania | $1,890 | $98,264 |
In November 2025, full-time adult men earned $2,257 a week on average versus $1,929 for women — women earning 85.5% of the male figure, a gap of 14.5%.
$2,257
men, per week
$1,929
women, per week
14.5%
pay gap
Wage growth is the annual change in the ABS Wage Price Index (total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses, March quarter 2026). Earnings are the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey (full-time adult total earnings, November 2025); annualised figures multiply the weekly figure by 52. Source data © Australian Bureau of Statistics, used under CC BY 4.0. Figures are indicative averages, not individual pay or advice.
You’re welcome to reference these figures with a link (CC BY 4.0). Suggested citation: “Australian wage growth statistics, Oz Finance Hub, ozfinancehub.com.au/australian-wage-growth”.
See how these medians translate to take-home pay in the Australian salary statistics page, or work out your own with the salary tax calculator.