Australia's Gender Pay Gap Narrows, But Men Retain Dominance in Top Salaries: Government Report
Synopsis
Australia's gender pay gap has decreased, yet men still occupy the majority of the highest-paying roles. This trend highlights ongoing disparities in workplace equality, according to the latest government report released by the WGEA.
Key Takeaways
Gender pay gap decreased to less than 11.2 percent in 2024-25.
54.8 percent of employers reduced their gender pay gap.
Men occupy 64 percent of the top-paying jobs.
Women make up 58 percent in the lowest-paying roles.
Ongoing efforts needed for true workplace equality.
Canberra, March 3 (NationPress) In the 2024-25 period, Australia's gender pay gap saw a reduction; however, men are still considerably more likely than women to occupy the top-paying positions, as revealed by an official report. The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) published its annual findings on gender pay disparities among 10,500 employers nationwide, indicating that half of these employers reported an average gender pay gap of less than 11.2 percent favoring male employees.
This represents a decrease of 0.9 percentage points from the previous year, 2023-24, when half of the employers had an average gender pay gap that was less than 12.1 percent.
The WGEA report highlighted that 54.8 percent of employers managed to lower their average total gender pay gap in 2024-25.
Despite these improvements, the report indicated that men made up 64 percent of the highest-paying job quartile in 2024-25, while women comprised 58 percent of the two lowest-paying job quartiles, according to the Xinhua news agency.
WGEA's chief executive officer, Mary Wooldridge, stated, "The stark reality that men are nearly twice as likely as women to occupy the highest-paid roles, while women continue to dominate the lowest-paid positions, should serve as a wake-up call for those who believe that workplace equality in Australia has been achieved."
The report also noted that 22.5 percent of employers had a gender pay gap within the WGEA's targeted range of 5.0 percent favoring either men or women in 2024-25, an increase from 21.4 percent the previous year.
Women’s Minister Katy Gallagher remarked that the release of this data, which now includes commonwealth public-sector employers for the first time, aids in “shifting the dial.”
“This transparency illuminates areas of progress as well as those requiring further efforts,” she added.
Point of View
The findings in this report underscore an ongoing issue of gender disparity in the workplace. While progress is evident in reducing the pay gap, the persistent imbalance in high-paying roles indicates that much work remains to be done to achieve true equality in the Australian workforce.
NationPress
6 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current gender pay gap in Australia?
As of 2024-25, the average gender pay gap in Australia is reported to be less than 11.2 percent in favor of male employees.
How many employers reduced their gender pay gap?
54.8 percent of employers managed to reduce their average total gender pay gap in 2024-25.
What percentage of the highest-paying jobs are held by men?
Men account for 64 percent of the highest-paying quartile of jobs as of 2024-25.
Who published the gender pay gap report?
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) published the annual gender pay gap results.
What is the significance of the report's findings?
The report highlights ongoing inequalities in workplace pay, indicating that despite progress, men still hold a dominant position in high-paying roles.
