Top ten highest salaries

highest salaries in Australia
 
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If you're planning your future career goals and want a long and happy working life, don’t just focus on going after the jobs with the highest salary. However, knowing what jobs pay the best in your preferred industry can help you map out career moves for future prosperity.
 

The highest paying jobs in Australia in 2024-2025

Along with the latest market insights and trends, our Hays Salary Guide reveals typical salaries for thousands of jobs across Australia. Based on this data, we’ve collated the following list of some of Australia’s highest paying jobs.
 
While most of the salaries listed here are for roles in Sydney, there are a few exceptions for specific roles in Victoria, Western Australia and even the Northern Territory. For example, sectors like mining and oil and gas often have top earners based in Western Australia.
 
For salaries in other locations or other roles in your field, please see our complete Hays Salary Guide and to check if your salary stacks up, try the Hays Salary Checker.
 

Executive: CEO and MD (up to $700K)

Running the company is a good place to plan to end up with you want to take home a top pay packet.
 
For CEOs and managing directors in commercial organisations with turnovers between $50-$500m, the typical income is $600k and can reach up to $700k.
 
For Chief Operating Officers (COOs) and Executive General Managers, incomes in commercial organisations with turnovers between $50-$500m are typically around $500k but can reach up to $600k as well. Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and Financial Directors in the same organisations typically earn around $450k but can reach up to $600k in Australia.
 
For smaller companies with turnovers less than $50m those salaries average at around $350k for CEOs, although can reach up to $450k. COOs can earn up to $300k and CFOs up to $350k.
 
CEOs and other executives seeking new opportunities should demonstrate how they have advanced service delivery in their organisation by introducing new technologies and strategies. Executives also need to demonstrate their ability to foster collaboration and strengthen team culture in remote work environments to attract new career opportunities and top salaries.
 

Accountancy: Head of Treasury (up to $510k)

Within the accountancy & finance sector, heads of treasury have some of the top paying jobs in Australia. The typical pay for a head of treasury in Sydney is $410k, but it can be as high as $510k. For accounting professionals aspiring towards jobs that pay well in treasury management, expect that you will require more than 10 years’ experience in finance, banking, accounting and/or in-house corporate treasury experience.
 
Other top paying roles can be found for Head of Tax (up to $400k), Head of Internal Audit (also up to $400k), Group Financial Controllers (up to $315k in organisations with turnover exceeding $300m), Senior Commercial Managers/Directors (up to $300k in organisations with turnover exceeding $300m), and Managers/Heads of Financial Planning/Analysis (up to $300k).
 

Education: Principal (up to $500k in non-government Schools)

Perhaps it’s a surprise to see education so far up the list, but there is big money to be earnt as Principals of non-government schools. For government schools the Principal role has an upper limit of $260k. The typical salary for a non-government school principal is also $260k, so it is only certain prestige schools where the figure reaches half a million dollars per year.
 
The upper limit for a Deputy Principal at a non-government school is $240k, so they can more than double their salary by taking the step up.
 

Logistics and Procurement: Chief Procurement Officer (up to $450k)

While there aren’t that many higher end salaries in the logistics sector, there are a couple of big roles at the top of the pile – Chief Procurement Officers can earn up to $450k, with a typical salary sitting at $300k; while Supply Chain Directors can earn up to $260k.
 

Banking and Finance: Head of Risk (up to $400k)

The banking and finance market continues to grow, with organisations expanding to offer many attractive career opportunities, some of which overlap with the world of accountancy.
 
Where there is risk there seems to be reward - Head of Risk can earn up to $400k, while other jobs in the area have salaries well over $300k, these include: Head of AMI and Regulatory Risk (up to $350k), Head of Compliance (also up to $350k), and Head of Quantitative Risk (up to $300k).
 
Lending can also generate high salaries, with General Manager of Lending and State Managers for Commercial Lending both earning up to $300k.
Regional managers in Retail Banking tend to earn less, with salaries up to $220k, while Executive Managers of Private Banks can earn up to $280k.
 

Human Resources: Head of HR/HR Director (up to $400k)

Given how workplaces continue to transform, HR professionals are essential advisors for many organisations who need to navigate the changing world of business and industrial regulation. Demand for skilled and experienced HR professionals has consequently intensified. The Head of HR in a Sydney organisation of over 1000 employees can earn up to $400k with a typical salary of $290k. The typical salary drops to $280k for organisations of between 250 and 1000 employees, and $245k for less than 250 employees.
 
Other upper limits for members of the HR team include Director of Remuneration (up to $320k), WHS Director (also up to $320k), Learning and Development Director (up to $255k) and Change Manager (up to $245k).
 

Property: Development Director (up to $388k)

Jobs with the highest salary in Australia’s property sector today include development directors, who can earn up to 388k in Sydney, as can Acquisitions Managers with more than four years’ experience.
 
Meanwhile, client-side project directors can earn up to $300k, while a Development Manager or Asset Manager can earn up to $250k.
 

Renewable Energy: Project Development Director (up to $357K)

As Renewable Energy grows in significance, its salaries rise as well – especially as it’s an area where skills shortages are prevalent. Project Development Directors are way out in front, commanding salaries up to $357k. Behind that a Project Development Manager can earn up to $280k.
 
As well as running projects, there is a huge demand for skills that connect green energy to the grid and their salaries have risen significantly in the last year: A Grid Connection Manager can earn up to $250k and a Grid Connection Engineer up to $220k.
 

Sales: General Manager of Sales and Sales Director (up to $350k)

Australia’s top sales jobs earners are Directors of Sales and General Managers, particularly in the areas of either FMCG and Consumer Goods, or Industrial and Technical Sales. General Managers in these areas can earn up to $350k. Sales Directors in FMCG can also earn up to $350k, while their counterparts in industrial sales can earn up to $300k.
 
There is a longer tail of high salaries in the area of FMCG, with Head of Sales and Head of Customer earning up to $250k, and Head of Category and Head of National earning up to $220k.
 

Defence: Sales Director (up to $350K)

Thanks to an increase in defence spending by the Federal Government, the highest paying jobs in Australia’s defence sector belong to Sales Directors (up to $350k), followed by Business Development Managers and Commercial Procurement Directors (up to $300k).
 
Operations is also a lucrative sector to work in, with Directors earning up to $350k, Consultants up to $300k, Program Managers (up to $260k) and Operations Managers and Engineering Managers (up to $250k).
 

Marketing & Digital: Executive Director of Communications (up to $350k)

If you work in marketing, it’s the PR and Comms area that earns the biggest bucks. Executive Directors of Communications have the biggest earning potential, commanding a salary of up to $350k in Sydney. An ordinary Director of Comms without the Exec tag can expect to earn up to $275k, Marketing Directors can earn up to $250k.
 

Sustainability & Environment: Head of sustainability / ESG (up to $330K)

Sustainability in organisations continues to rise in importance and this is shown with the rapid growth of not only roles, but wages in the sector itself. Heads of Sustainability/ESG can earn up to $330k, while a Sustainability Manager can earn up to $250k and an Environmental Manager up to $245k.
 

Mining: Jumbo Operator (Up to $330k)

There’s a lot of money to be made for those who can build a successful mining career. The unexpected highest salary in mining at the moment is for anyone can operate a Jumbo, the heavy excavators. Because of its specialised nature, Jumbo Operators can in some instances earn up to $330k. It’s a bigger salary than Registered Mining Managers who can earn up to $310k and typically make $300k.

There are a whole range of roles earning more than a quarter of a million dollars a year in the mining industry. In the area of metals, an Underground or Quarry Manager can earn up to $280k, while Chief Geologists, Exploration Managers and Technical Service Managers can all earn up to $260k.

Industrial construction and design are also very well paid in the mining industry – Construction Managers and Project Managers can earn up to $265k, Senior Estimators up to $255k and Engineering Managers up to $250k. Finally, there is good money to be made in Mobile Plant Maintenance, with Workshop Supervisors, HD Fitters and Auto Electricians all earning up to $250k.

Life Sciences: Medical Director (Up to $330k)

If you’re employed in life sciences, career opportunities abound. The biggest typical salary earners in life sciences nationally include medical directors (up to $330k), health economics/market access directors (up to $300k), sales director (up to $250k) and marketing director (up to $230k).

Construction: Construction Manager (up to $320K)

The construction sector has many in-demand and high paying roles across different areas and geographies. The highest paying jobs in building construction are Construction Managers (up to $320k), while in civil construction a Construction Manager will have a maximum salary of $280k, and in residential building it can hit $220k.

Other bigger salaries within building construction include Project Managers (up to $250k), Design Managers (up to $240k) and Site Managers (up to $220k).

Engineering: Rail Systems Assurance Specialist (up to $300k)

Rather like the specialist nature of the Jumbo Operator in the world of mining, there are some very well-paid jobs within the area of rail infrastructure for engineering specialists. A Systems Assurance Specialist can earn up to $300k, while a Signalling Specialist can earn up to $250k. Project Manager in this industry has an upper limit of $250k, as does a Design Director in Building Services, a Group Manager in Civil and Structural Engineering, and an Oil and Gas Engineering Manager.

Insurance: Head of Claims and Chief Underwriter (Up to $250k)

The highest salaries in the insurance sector belong to Heads of Claims and Chief Underwriters working in life insurance (up to $250k). Heads of Claims in general insurance can earn up to $220k as can Underwriter Managers. Account Directors in Insurance Broking can also earn up to $220k.

Find more of Australia’s highest paying jobs

As you can see, plenty of the highest paying jobs in Australia exist across a wide range of industry sectors. Whether you’re looking to get into mining, education, retail, defence, or any other area, many roles offer competitive pay and a secure, long-term future.

For more information on which jobs pay the most in Australia download the Hays Salary Guide. Our flagship report is full of findings pertinent to employers and candidates making smarter decisions in the world of work and offers an insightful portrait of typical salaries across 26 sectors and industries.

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