Average Weekly Earnings, Australia

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Results of the Survey of Average Weekly Earnings containing estimates of earnings classified by industry, sector and state/territory

Reference period
November 2020
Released
25/02/2021

Key statistics

Estimates for average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults (seasonally adjusted):

  • Increased by 3.2% to $1,711.60 annually to November 2020.
  • Males: $1,970.90 (public), and $1,770.30 (private).
  • Females: $1,762.00 (public), and $1,475.50 (private).

The Australian Bureau of Statistics' Average Weekly Earnings survey is designed to measure the level of average earnings in Australia at a point in time. Movements in average weekly earnings can be affected by changes in both the level of earnings per employee and in the composition of the labour force. Factors which can contribute to compositional change include variation in the proportion of full-time, part-time, casual and junior employees; variation in the occupational distribution within and across industries; variation in the distribution of employment between industries; and variation in the distribution of hours worked and paid for.

For more information on compositional changes, see Spotlight: Increases in Average Weekly Earnings – compositional changes during the COVID-19 period.

Average weekly earnings, key figures, Australia, November 2020
 Nov 2020Nov 2019 to Nov 2020
$% change
Seasonally Adjusted  
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings(a)1,711.603.2
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,767.202.7
 All employees average weekly total earnings(a)1,280.301.9
Original   
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings1,711.603.2
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,769.902.7
 All employees average weekly total earnings1,280.301.9

a. This component is not seasonally adjusted.

Survey impacts

COVID-19 impacts on AWE

Continued suspension of trend estimates

Seasonal adjustment

Treatment of JobKeeper-supported earnings

Survey responses remain high in November

Australia

Average weekly earnings, Australia, seasonally adjusted, November 2020
 Nov 2020Nov 2019 to Nov 2020
$% change
Males   
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings(a)1,804.203.0
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,882.802.4
 All employees average weekly total earnings(a)1,526.601.9
Females   
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings(a)1,562.003.6
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,582.003.5
 All employees average weekly total earnings1,050.802.2
Persons   
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings(a)1,711.603.2
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,767.202.7
 All employees average weekly total earnings(a)1,280.301.9

a. This component is not seasonally adjusted.

Average weekly earnings, Australia, original, November 2020
 Nov 2020Nov 2019 to Nov 2020
$% change
Males   
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings1,804.203.0
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,886.002.4
 All employees average weekly total earnings1,526.601.9
Females   
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings1,562.003.6
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,582.303.5
 All employees average weekly total earnings1,050.602.2
Persons   
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings1,711.603.2
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,769.902.7
 All employees average weekly total earnings1,280.301.9

It is important to note that while Average Weekly Earnings data can be used to compare, at the very broad level, average earnings between males and females, such comparisons do not take into account a range of compositional differences. For example, differences in occupation or hours worked can contribute significantly to the differences observed between male and female earnings. Details of occupation and hours worked are not collected in the Average Weekly Earnings survey. For further comparisons between male and female wages, including hourly rates and by occupation, refer to Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia.

Private and public sector earnings

Average weekly earnings, by sector, original, November 2020
 Nov 2020Nov 2019 to Nov 2020
$% change
Australia   
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings1,711.603.2
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,769.902.7
 All employees average weekly total earnings1,280.301.9
Private Sector   
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings1,669.703.2
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,729.402.7
 All employees average weekly total earnings1,216.201.4
Public Sector   
 Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings1,863.702.8
 Full-time adult average weekly total earnings1,916.802.6
 All employees average weekly total earnings1,563.603.8

Industry earnings

State and territory earnings

Average weekly cash earnings

Tables in the other sections of this release relate exclusively to estimates of employee earnings excluding amounts salary sacrificed. This section includes information on Average Weekly Cash Earnings (AWCE), which provides estimates of employee earnings including amounts salary sacrificed.

Salary sacrifice is defined as an arrangement where an employee agrees to forgo part of his or her salary in return for benefits of a similar value. Common types of salary sacrifice arrangements include pre-tax contributions to superannuation funds and novated leases for motor vehicles.

Amounts salary sacrificed by an employee can be affected by a change in his or her earnings (for example, an increase in the level of overtime worked or commissions earned). Additionally, some employees sacrifice more of their salary at the beginning of the financial year and then the amount tapers off towards the end of the year when he or she has reached the concessional contributions cap for salary sacrificing superannuation. For other employees, the amount of salary sacrificed increases towards the end of the financial year to ensure the cap is reached. A feature article examining Salary Sacrifice arrangements of Australian employees was published in the November 2012 AWE release.

Data downloads

Time series spreadsheets

Data files

Data cubes

Data files

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 6302.0.

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