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    Hiring Advice  >   Salary trends   >   The highest paying jobs in your state | 2018
    The highest paying jobs in your state | 2018
    Salary trends Infographic
    Written by Susan Muldowney

    The highest paying jobs in your state | 2018

    Where is the highest-paying job in Australia? We reveal the latest salary trends across the country and which roles are paying the most in their location.

    The tighter labour market has had little impact on salaries in recent times with wage growth hovering around 2% for much of the year. However, the latest salary data from SEEK shows green shoots emerging across every state and territory. So, which locations are leading the way and which roles are commanding the biggest pay packets?

    • Growth across the country
    • Where are the highest paying jobs?
    • Engineering in the top end

    Select your state from the dropdown below to reveal the highest paying jobs: 

    Explore highest paying jo bs

    Rank
    Industry
    Role type
    2018 salary
    1 Accounting Strategy & Planning $133,437
    2 Information & Communication Technology Architects $130,185
    3 Engineering Management $127,343
    4 Engineering Supervisors $127,000
    5 Construction Project Management $126,559
    6 Construction Management $124,770
    7 Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics Import/Export & Customs $123,333
    8 Information & Communication Technology Management $122,956
    9 Mining, Resources & Energy Power Generation & Distribution $122,857
    10 Consulting & Strategy Corporate Development $121,666
    11 Information & Communication Technology Product Management & Development $121,406
    12 Information & Communication Technology Sales - Pre & Post $120,807
    13 Engineering Project Management $118,633
    14 Consulting & Strategy Strategy & Planning $118,448
    15 Construction Foreperson/Supervisors $118,419
    16 Banking & Financial Services Management $117,625
    17 Mining, Resources & Energy Management $116,875
    18 Information & Communication Technology Team Leaders $116,636
    19 Real Estate & Property Retail & Property Development $116,355
    20 Legal Corporate & Commercial Law $116,200

    Source: SEEK Salary Report, July 2017 - June 2018 vs July 2016 - June 2017

    Rank
    Industry
    Role type
    2018 salary
    1 Information & Communication Technology Architects $139,883
    2 Legal Generalists - In-house $135,264
    3 Information & Communication Technology Management $134,639
    4 Engineering Management $134,479
    5 Accounting Financial Managers & Controllers $131,993
    6 Mining, Resources & Energy Management $130,697
    7 Construction Project Management $130,207
    8 Accounting Strategy & Planning $129,238
    9 Accounting Company Secretaries $128,641
    10 Construction Management $128,073
    11 Legal Construction Law $127,484
    12 Information & Communication Technology Security $127,235
    13 Consulting & Strategy Management & Change Consulting $126,016
    14 Insurance & Superannuation Management $124,480
    15 Information & Communication Technology Programme & Project Management $123,875
    16 Information & Communication Technology Product Management & Development $123,292
    17 Real Estate & Property Retail & Property Development $122,570
    18 Construction Foreperson/Supervisors $122,547
    19 Information & Communication Technology Team Leaders $122,210
    20 Engineering Project Management $121,665

    Source: SEEK Salary Report, July 2017 - June 2018 vs July 2016 - June 2017

    Rank
    Industry
    Role type
    2018 salary
    1 Construction Quality Assurance & Control $144,121
    2 Engineering Field Engineering $139,000
    3 Engineering Water & Waste Engineering $138,333
    4 Mining, Resources & Energy Management $132,410
    5 Construction Foreperson/Supervisors $132,219
    6 Construction Contracts Management $131,287
    7 Engineering Project Engineering $129,642
    8 Mining, Resources & Energy Oil & Gas - Engineering & Maintenance $126,764
    9 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Engineering & Maintenance $126,180
    10 Education & Training Management - Schools $126,041
    11 Construction Health, Safety & Environment $124,269
    12 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Operations $123,702
    13 Mining, Resources & Energy Analysis & Reporting $123,125
    14 Engineering Project Management $122,580
    15 Engineering Management $121,607
    16 Accounting Cost Accounting $121,071
    17 Mining, Resources & Energy Oil & Gas - Operations $120,916
    18 Construction Planning & Scheduling $120,735
    19 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Drill & Blast $120,468
    20 Human Resources & Recruitment Management - Internal $120,370

    Source: SEEK Salary Report, July 2017 - June 2018 vs July 2016 - June 2017

    Rank
    Industry
    Role type
    2018 salary
    1 Engineering Management $134,955
    2 Information & Communication Technology Architects $130,543
    3 Mining, Resources & Energy Management $130,323
    4 Mining, Resources & Energy Analysis & Reporting $129,986
    5 Insurance & Superannuation Management $129,005
    6 Information & Communication Technology Management $127,624
    7 Mining, Resources & Energy Oil & Gas - Exploration & Geoscience $125,781
    8 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Engineering & Maintenance $125,097
    9 Accounting Strategy & Planning $125,071
    10 Engineering Project Management $124,667
    11 Mining, Resources & Energy Oil & Gas - Engineering & Maintenance $124,177
    12 Legal Construction Law $122,694
    13 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Exploration & Geoscience $122,385
    14 Mining, Resources & Energy Surveying $122,045
    15 Construction Project Management $120,819
    16 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Operations $120,514
    17 Banking & Financial Services Corporate Finance & Investment Banking $120,411
    18 Healthcare & Medical Medical Specialists $120,345
    19 Construction Management $120,071
    20 Mining, Resources & Energy Power Generation & Distribution $119,977

    Source: SEEK Salary Report, July 2017 - June 2018 vs July 2016 - June 2017

    Rank
    Industry
    Role type
    2018 salary
    1 Mining, Resources & Energy Management $136,126
    2 Engineering Management $130,931
    3 Information & Communication Technology Management $126,948
    4 Legal Generalists - In-house $124,406
    5 Information & Communication Technology Architects $123,912
    6 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Engineering & Maintenance $123,832
    7 Construction Management $121,608
    8 Engineering Systems Engineering $121,308
    9 Legal Construction Law $117,708
    10 Engineering Supervisors $117,500
    11 Education & Training Management - Schools $117,318
    12 Mining, Resources & Energy Analysis & Reporting $116,937
    13 Accounting Financial Managers & Controllers $114,213
    14 Construction Project Management $113,666
    15 Human Resources & Recruitment Management - Internal $113,302
    16 Education & Training Teaching - Tertiary $113,133
    17 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Operations $112,514
    18 Banking & Financial Services Management $112,448
    19 Consulting & Strategy Corporate Development $112,083
    20 Accounting Management $111,902

    Source: SEEK Salary Report, July 2017 - June 2018 vs July 2016 - June 2017

    Rank
    Industry
    Role type
    2018 salary
    1 Engineering Management $133,541
    2 Legal Generalists - In-house $129,583
    3 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Drill & Blast $129,000
    4 Information & Communication Technology Programme & Project Management $125,208
    5 Mining, Resources & Energy Management $123,437
    6 Healthcare & Medical Medical Specialists $122,500
    7 Engineering Project Management $118,828
    8 Education & Training Teaching - Tertiary $115,320
    9 Education & Training Management - Universities $113,854
    10 Information & Communication Technology Sales - Pre & Post $113,333
    11 Human Resources & Recruitment Organisational Development $112,954
    12 Information & Communication Technology Security $112,321
    13 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Engineering & Maintenance $111,500
    14 Legal Corporate & Commercial Law $110,666
    15 Engineering Project Engineering $109,196
    16 Construction Management $108,800
    17 Healthcare & Medical Sales $108,560
    18 Education & Training Management - Schools $108,175
    19 Human Resources & Recruitment Management - Internal $108,166
    20 Consulting & Strategy Policy $107,500

    Source: SEEK Salary Report, July 2017 - June 2018 vs July 2016 - June 2017

    Rank
    Industry
    Role type
    2018 salary
    1 Information & Communication Technology Architects $141,687
    2 Information & Communication Technology Management $134,835
    3 Engineering Management $133,211
    4 Construction Management $129,416
    5 Accounting Strategy & Planning $129,198
    6 Mining, Resources & Energy Management $127,735
    7 Accounting Financial Managers & Controllers $126,421
    8 Information & Communication Technology Security $125,317
    9 Insurance & Superannuation Management $124,013
    10 Legal Generalists - In-house $123,786
    11 Legal Tax Law $122,172
    12 Information & Communication Technology Team Leaders $122,128
    13 Information & Communication Technology Programme & Project Management $122,126
    14 Information & Communication Technology Product Management & Development $121,299
    15 Consulting & Strategy Corporate Development $121,176
    16 Legal Construction Law $121,110
    17 Engineering Systems Engineering $120,925
    18 Legal Industrial Relations & Employment Law $120,894
    19 Construction Project Management $120,806
    20 Consulting & Strategy Management & Change Consulting $120,605

    Source: SEEK Salary Report, July 2017 - June 2018 vs July 2016 - June 2017

    Rank
    Industry
    Role type
    2018 salary
    1 Engineering Management $137,719
    2 Insurance & Superannuation Management $137,205
    3 Legal Generalists - In-house $136,004
    4 Mining, Resources & Energy Management $133,686
    5 Information & Communication Technology Architects $133,611
    6 Legal Corporate & Commercial Law $127,706
    7 Information & Communication Technology Management $127,298
    8 Legal Construction Law $126,685
    9 Legal Banking & Finance Law $125,978
    10 Accounting Financial Managers & Controllers $124,001
    11 Mining, Resources & Energy Mining - Engineering & Maintenance $122,323
    12 Engineering Project Management $122,206
    13 Legal Insurance & Superannuation Law $122,133
    14 Mining, Resources & Energy Oil & Gas - Engineering & Maintenance $121,250
    15 Construction Management $120,446
    16 Real Estate & Property Retail & Property Development $120,352
    17 Construction Project Management $119,985
    18 Education & Training Management - Schools $119,722
    19 Engineering Project Engineering $119,334
    20 Consulting & Strategy Management & Change Consulting $118,991

    Source: SEEK Salary Report, July 2017 - June 2018 vs July 2016 - June 2017

    Growth across the country

    Tasmania was out in front for salary growth this year with a rise of 3.8%. However, despite this positive lift, the state’s average advertised salary was the lowest in the country at $74,103.  Mark Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer – APAC at Talent International notes that growth may be coming off a relatively low base. “The market in Tasmania is quite small, so even small rises in salaries will make an impact across the board,” he says.

    South Australia recorded a 3.7% lift with an average of $78,538 and may see further growth in months to come with the recent announcement of payroll tax deductions for small businesses.

    Salaries in Queensland rose by 2.9% ($80,923 average) and the Northern Territory grew by 2.70% ($83,043 average). In Western Australia, wages were up by 3.4% ($85,481 average). “Mining is making a comeback in the state,” says Dale Young, Executive Consultant, Engineering and Operations at Six Degrees. “This may account for a lift in salaries.”

    The largest employment markets of Victoria and New South Wales experienced a 2.7% ($83,185 average) and 2.5% ($85,532 average) lift respectively. Meanwhile the Australian Capital Territory recorded the lowest growth at 0.6%, however it logged the highest average advertised salary of $86,230. This may be due to the higher proportion of public sector workers in the territory, which tend to attract higher wages than those in the private sector.

    Where are the highest paying jobs?

    The Northern Territory is home to the highest-paying jobs in Australia - Quality Assurance & Control roles in the Construction industry. The role recorded an average advertised salary of $144,121.

    Joe Barrios, Construction Recruitment Specialist at Denovo, says a shortage of talent for these roles in the Northern Territory is seeing employers drawing on talent from other states. “This tends to push salaries higher,” he says. “Candidates expect a higher salary when moving to a different location, especially to the more remote parts of the country.”

    Information Architecture roles in Victoria ($144,121 average) and New South Wales ($139,883) recorded the second and third highest salaries.

    Nielsen says Information Architects are commanding higher salaries due to a wide-scale digital transformation. “The transformation process is affecting every business,” he says. “As Victoria and New South Wales have the strongest economies in the country, they have greater demand for information architects and this is driving up salaries.”

    Engineering in the Top End

    Engineering roles commanded some of the top salaries in the Top End. Field Engineering in the Northern Territory is also the fourth highest-paying job in the country ($139,000 average). Young says these roles often require on-site work at remote locations, which may explain the higher salaries. “Field Engineers want work-life balance, just like most other people, however their role often requires travelling to multiple sites or to those in remote or rural locations,” he says. “Higher salaries are often used as an incentive or to compensate for the travel. The Northern Territory has many remote sites, so I’m not surprised that Field Engineers in this location are seeing salaries at the higher level.”

    Water & Waste Engineering roles in the Northern Territory came in fifth place ($138,333 average). “These roles typically target infrastructure projects in the area of waste management,” says Young. “While employers are willing to offer more to entice talent to remote areas, it should also be noted that cities like Darwin are growing and the territory’s mining and resources industry is also looking up. New infrastructure is required to support both of these growth factors.”

    While wage growth across Australia has been sluggish in recent years, employers may need to prepare for a lift. Salary is one of the greatest drivers of talent attraction and a competitive pay package is vital to recruiting the very best. 


    salary spotlight

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