Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — Wages and in Australia
Australia: Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — Wages and was 1.23 million National currency in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — Wages and in Australia, 1984–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in National currency.
Analysis
In 2025, quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and in Australia stood at 1.23 million National currency. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is up 6.4% on the previous year and up 71.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and in Australia peaked at 1.23 million National currency in 2025 and was at its lowest, 106,615 National currency, in 1984.
Australia ranks 12th of 26 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — Wages and in Australia, year by year
| Year | National currency | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 106,615 National currency | — |
| 1985 | 115,296 National currency | +8.1% |
| 1986 | 127,081 National currency | +10.2% |
| 1987 | 137,798 National currency | +8.4% |
| 1988 | 152,521 National currency | +10.7% |
| 1989 | 173,835 National currency | +14.0% |
| 1990 | 189,371 National currency | +8.9% |
| 1991 | 189,671 National currency | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 195,979 National currency | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 201,688 National currency | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 214,085 National currency | +6.1% |
| 1995 | 228,133 National currency | +6.6% |
| 1996 | 243,502 National currency | +6.7% |
| 1997 | 256,641 National currency | +5.4% |
| 1998 | 270,154 National currency | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 284,573 National currency | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 303,521 National currency | +6.7% |
| 2001 | 321,746 National currency | +6.0% |
| 2002 | 338,760 National currency | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 359,259 National currency | +6.1% |
| 2004 | 385,868 National currency | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 413,297 National currency | +7.1% |
| 2006 | 444,388 National currency | +7.5% |
| 2007 | 488,880 National currency | +10.0% |
| 2008 | 524,487 National currency | +7.3% |
| 2009 | 533,478 National currency | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 574,807 National currency | +7.7% |
| 2011 | 621,763 National currency | +8.2% |
| 2012 | 654,770 National currency | +5.3% |
| 2013 | 674,108 National currency | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 696,234 National currency | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 714,530 National currency | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 734,341 National currency | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 760,394 National currency | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 800,807 National currency | +5.3% |
| 2019 | 843,570 National currency | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 864,507 National currency | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 919,610 National currency | +6.4% |
| 2022 | 1.00 million National currency | +9.2% |
| 2023 | 1.09 million National currency | +8.6% |
| 2024 | 1.15 million National currency | +5.9% |
| 2025 | 1.23 million National currency | +6.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 135,524 National currency | 106,615 National currency | 173,835 National currency | 6 |
| 1990s | 227,380 National currency | 189,371 National currency | 284,573 National currency | 10 |
| 2000s | 411,368 National currency | 303,521 National currency | 533,478 National currency | 10 |
| 2010s | 707,532 National currency | 574,807 National currency | 843,570 National currency | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.04 million National currency | 864,507 National currency | 1.23 million National currency | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 9 Estonia 15,850 National currency compare
- 9 Denmark 1.46 million National currency compare
- 10 Canada 1.41 million National currency compare
- 11 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1.23 million National currency compare
- 13 France 1.13 million National currency compare
- 14 Romania 761,541 National currency compare
- 15 Israel 757,746 National currency compare
More economy & growth data for Australia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.36 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate 14.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0345 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita 2,249 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 7 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.2315 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 15,077 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 8.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 0.3577 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and in Australia?
- Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and in Australia was 1.23 million National currency in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.23 million National currency in 2025.
- What is the lowest quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 106,615 National currency in 1984.
- How does Australia rank for quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and?
- Australia ranks 12th out of 26 countries with data for 2025.
- Is quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 71.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — Wages and salaries. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This table presents compensation of employees by main economic activity following the high-level categories in the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC), Revision 4. The components of compensation of employees, wages and salaries and employers’ social contributions, are also broken down by main economic activity. Data is presented for each country in national currency as well as in euros for the European Union (27 countries) and the euro area (21 countries). In this table, the presentation is on a country-by-country basis. Users are recommended to select one country (or area) at a time in the ‘Reference area’ filter. These indicators were presented in the previous dissemination system in the QNA dataset. See User Guide on Quarterly National Accounts (QNA) in OECD Data Explorer: QNA User guide See QNA Calendar for information on advance release dates: QNA Calendar See QNA Changes for information on changes in methodology: QNA Changes See QNA TIPS for a better use of QNA data: QNA TIPS Explore also the GDP and non-financial accounts webpage: GDP and non-financial accounts webpage OECD statistics contact: STAT.Contact@oecd.org