Gender gap report: In Australia men are almost twice as likely as women to be in the best paid jobs

Commuters walk through Gadigal Metro Station in Sydney, Australia, on September 3, 2024. Photo / Brendon Thorne, Bloomberg

Men are almost twice as likely as women to be employed in the best paid jobs in Australia, according to the country’s latest government gender gap report.

Male employees account for 64% of roles in the nation’s upper quartile of compensation, jobs that have a total average annual remuneration of A$221,320 ($264,516), the Workplace Gender Equality Agency said yesterday in a report.

Though female representation in the top category has increased slightly, women remain 1.4 times more likely than men to be employed in the lowest quartile.

“When women are concentrated in lower-paid roles and under-represented in leadership, that imbalance shapes workplace culture - including whether it is safe to speak up,” said Julia Angrisano, national secretary of the Finance Sector Union, which represents staff in fields including banking and insurance.

Industries that pay the most such as mining and construction also tend to have the largest gender pay gaps, the report found.

Across all sectors, the average pay gap in Australia was 11.2% in the 2024-2025 reporting period, a reduction of 0.9% on the previous data.

Pay parity continues to be an issue across the world and progress has been threatened by United States President Donald Trump’s dismantling of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the US.

Globally, women earn 80% of the amount male peers are compensated, according to the United Nations.

In Australia, discretionary pay is also contributing significantly to the gender gap, the government agency said in its report.

Half of employers are offering men 29.7% or more than female workers in compensation tied to performances bonuses, overtime and other additional payments.

The study covered more than 10,500 employers that have at least 100 employees, including 8500 private sector workplaces.

Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.