SEEK Advertised Salary Index - January

The SEEK Advertised Salary Index (ASI) measures the growth in advertised salaries for jobs posted on SEEK in Australia. This quarterly SEEK ASI report contains industry and state trends. There will be briefer monthly reports in March and April.

NATIONAL ADVERTISED SALARY TRENDS

• Advertised salaries grew by 0.3% m/m in January. Monthly advertised salary growth has now been at or above 0.3% for six months.
• Annual advertised salary growth has accelerated over recent months, and at 3.8% is at its highest level since August 2024.

STATE ADVERTISED SALARY TRENDS

• The Australian Capital Territory recorded the fastest annual advertised salary growth over the year to January (4.3% y/y), with strong growth over the past three months (1.3% q/q).
• Victoria continues to have the slowest annual growth in advertised salaries (3.2% y/y), with relatively modest growth (0.7% q/q) over the past three months.

INDUSTRY ADVERTISED SALARY TRENDS

• Advertised salaries for Education & Training have accelerated to 6.2% y/y, driven by fastgrowth over the past three months.
• Advertised salaries for Science & Technology roles have declined slightly over thepast 12 months (-0.4% y/y) but have broadly sat at similar level since July2024.

SEEK Senior Economist, Dr Blair Chapman says:

“Advertised salary growth has continued to accelerate slightly, rounding to 3.8% year-ended, with relatively stable growth over the past six months.” 

“Annual growth is the fastest it has been since August 2024, after slowing in late 2024 and early 2025. This is despite the slowest annual employment growth since 2016, ignoring 2020, which was impacted by the pandemic.

“Employee living cost growth had slowed to 2.3% year-ended in the December quarter, meaning those able to take advantage of the rise in advertised salaries will have seen real wage growth. However, the recent increase in mortgage rates, following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to raise their policy rate, will likely see cost of living pick up as higher mortgage interest payments take effect.”

NATIONAL ADVERTISED SALARY TRENDS

Advertised salaries rose by 0.3% m/m in January and 1.0% q/q, with growth relatively stable over the past six months.

Figure 1: Month-on-month growth of SEEK Advertised Salary Index

Note: seasonally adjusted. Source: SEEK.

Monthly advertised salary growth of 0.3% and above for the past six months has resulted in annual growth accelerating to 3.8% y/y, from its trough of 3.4% in July. This is now the fastest annual growth since August 2024.

Figure 2: Year-on-year growth of SEEK Advertised Salary Index

Note: seasonally adjusted. Source: SEEK.

STATE ADVERTISED SALARY TRENDS

Despite employment data being little changed over 2025 and labour demand remaining weak, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) recorded the fastest annual advertised salary growth over the year to January (4.3% y/y), with strong growth over the past three months (1.3% q/q). A relatively low unemployment rate in the ACT is likely supporting salaries, while enterprise bargaining agreements across the public sector also likely put a floor on wage growth, making advertised salaries less reactive to labour demand.

New South Wales and Queensland both had advertised salary growth of 4.1% over the year to December. Job ads in both states have grown since their recent troughs, suggesting that demand is starting to pick-up, although it has been modest to date.

Annual advertised salary growth remains relatively subdued in Victoria (3.2% y/y), despite job ads remaining robust. The unemployment rate in Victoria is still relatively high, suggesting there is likely some spare capacity in the labour market preventing advertised salary growth accelerating too quickly in the state.

Table 1: SEEK Advertised Salary Index growth by state/territory

Note: seasonally adjusted. Source: SEEK.

Figure 3: Year-on-year growth of SEEK Advertised Salary Index by state/territory

Note: seasonally adjusted. Source: SEEK.

INDUSTRY ADVERTISED SALARY TRENDS

The Education & Training industry recorded the fastest annual and quarterly advertised salary growth in December at 6.2% y/y and 1.9% q/q. Demand for staff in Education & Training has been robust for some time and teachers have been in shortage across early childhood education through to secondary school.

Advertised salary growth for Community Services & Development also had relatively fast annual and quarterly advertised salary growth (5.3% y/y and 1.8% q/q). The Fair Work Commission’s Aged Care Work Value Case, which recommended increases in the wages of personal care workers and nurses in Aged Care across multiple stages, including award wage increases in 2025, has probably contributed to the faster advertised salary growth in the industry.

Advertised salary growth for Consulting & Strategy remains faster than most industries over the year to December (5.3%), despite demand for workers in the industry easing slightly over 2025.

The Science & Technology industry has experienced relatively weak advertised salary growth for some time (-0.4% y/y). The stagnation reflects ongoing falling demand, with job ads in the industry continuing to decline from their post-COVID peak.

Table 2: SEEK Advertised Salary Index growth by industry

ENDS

The data contained in this report can be downloaded here.

When reporting SEEK data, we request that you attribute SEEK as the source and refer to SEEK as an employment marketplace.

Commentary relating to the SEEK ASI can be attributed to Dr Blair Chapman, SEEK Senior Economist.

About the SEEK ASI

The SEEK ASI measures the change in advertised salaries over time for jobs posted on SEEK in Australia, removing much of the effect of compositional change. 

The SEEK ASI is a complement to existing data about the growth in wages and salaries in Australia, including the ABS’ WPI. The WPI is a measure of the pace of wages growth across the economy. 

The SEEK ASI provides a timely and frequent read on the pulse of advertised salary growth in Australia for vacant roles.

Disclaimer

The Data should be viewed and regarded as standalone information and should not be aggregated with any other information whether such information has been previously provided by SEEK Limited, ("SEEK"). The Data is given in summary form and whilst care has been taken in its preparation, SEEK makes no representations whatsoever about its completeness or accuracy. SEEK expressly bears no responsibility or liability for any reliance placed by you on the Data, or from the use of the Data by you