Australian Workers Receive Significant Pay Rises Across Multiple Sectors
Australian workers experienced substantial wage growth across a diverse range of sectors throughout the previous year. Fifteen distinct occupational roles recorded average salary increases surpassing 13.5 percent, with the most notable pay rise reaching an impressive 22.4 percent. This substantial boost added an average of $30,185 to the annual earnings of workers in one of the world's most enduring professions—the stevedore.
Stevedores Lead with Highest Wage Increase
A stevedore, commonly referred to as a wharfie, is responsible for loading and unloading cargo from ships at various ports. By December of last year, advertised roles for this position offered an enhanced average salary of $134,756. It is a physically demanding occupation that involves operating heavy machinery such as forklifts and cranes, according to employment platform Seek. This role is crucial within the manufacturing, transport, and logistics industry, which operates continuous twenty-four-hour shifts throughout the entire year.
While a university degree is not required for stevedores, individuals must complete a Certificate III in stevedoring and undergo comprehensive on-the-job training. The field remains predominantly male, with the Maritime Union of Australia noting that although more women are entering the workforce than ever before, they still constitute only 19 percent of all workers.
Key Factors Behind Wage Growth
Seek senior economist Dr. Blair Chapman highlighted that industry investments and new enterprise bargaining agreements were primary drivers behind these significant salary increases, similar to many other jobs experiencing substantial average wage growth in 2025. Salaries grew the fastest on average last year for Australian workers in one of the nation's oldest jobs—the stevedore, or wharfie.
Top Roles with Major Pay Increases
Seek data compared average salaries of roles advertised in the four months leading to December 2024 with those advertised during the same period in 2025. The following job roles recorded the most substantial boosts to advertised salaries, measured by percentage increase:
- Mining Technicians: Field service technicians in the mining sector, often filled by fly-in, fly-out workers, saw the second highest salary increase at 20.4 percent. This added an average of $29,658, raising the typical salary from $115,727 to $145,385.
- Construction Draftspersons: The construction industry provided an average cash boost of 19.9 percent, approximately $19,620, to draftspersons' salaries. This third highest annual increase elevated the average role salary from $78,973 to $98,593.
- Accounting Assistant Managers: Assistant managers in the accounting industry experienced a 19.1 percent salary growth, slightly lower in percentage than construction draftspersons but applied to a higher income. Advertised roles averaged $95,903 at the end of 2024, with a $22,641 expansion bringing the average to $118,544 in 2025.
- Trades Trainers: Trainers in the trades and services industry, who are qualified tradespersons teaching skills to apprentices and trainees, received an average boost of $19,411. This increased the usual $86,087 salary to $105,498.
- Steelfixers: Steelfixers secured the sixth highest salary boost with a $17,521 average increase, raising the average annual paycheck from $84,351 to $101,872 according to December 2025 Seek data.
Additional Notable Salary Increases
Several other roles also saw meaningful wage growth:
- Sales Consultants: In the sales sector, consultant salaries increased by an average of 16.8 percent, adding $14,083 to bring the average from $69,746 to $83,829. The highest demand appears in Rockhampton and the Capricorn Coast of Queensland, where average salaries reach about $135,000.
- Administration Officers: Admin workers in government and defence roles received an extra 15.9 percent, or $12,288 on average, increasing the previous average salary of $64,999 to $77,287.
- Healthcare Lecturers: Educators in healthcare and medical fields got a 15.7 percent boost to average advertised salaries, adding $20,981 to raise the usual annual wage from $112,662 to $133,643.
- Crane Operators: Workers in high-risk crane operating roles had the tenth highest advertised wage increase of 15 percent, or $15,751, bringing the average salary from $89,261 to $105,012.
- Administration Managers: Admin workers in management roles saw an average annual wage increase of $14,417, from $81,697 to $96,114—a 15 percent boost that was 1 percent less than their administrative counterparts but applied to a higher wage.
- Community Services Assessors: Assessors in community services and development, whose roles range from management education to reviewing support applications, had an average salary boost of 14.1 percent, or $14,346, increasing from $87,402 to $101,748.
- Sales Agents: Sales agents received the fourteenth largest pay rise with a 13.6 percent increase, or $9,800, raising the average wage from $62,200 to $72,064.
- Service Supervisors: Supervisor roles in trades and services were advertised with a 13.5 percent salary increase late last year, a $15,260 average boost taking advertised salaries from $97,779 to $113,039.
Economic Drivers Behind Wage Growth
Dr. Chapman explained that increased demand contributed to these pay rises, as businesses increased investment in data centres, residential building commencements picked up, and government rail and road infrastructure projects continued across the country alongside the shift towards renewable energy. Additionally, wage increases in healthcare could likely be attributed to the Fair Work Commission's Aged Care Work Value Case, which recommended wage increases for personal care workers and nurses across multiple stages.
