Salary Guide
June 2021
Our salary guide consists of average figures based on community feedback. Please note these figures are estimates only and have not been verified.
What's this about?
Our vision here is to provide much-needed transparency for salaries across all of corporate Australia. Whether you're benchmarking your salary for your next raise or jumping into a higher-paying job, we've compiled data on salaries from actual community submissions. We find recruiting guides mostly off the mark or influenced by the employers, and on here, we promise to give it to you straight.
As we recognise that salaries are constantly changing (hopefully upwards!), our figures will be revised constantly, and at least annually around June, with our data drawn from an annual salary survey.
If your industry or job is missing, help us make salaries more transparent by providing us salary information via this confidential form. Be sure to check this page regularly, as we are continually building out the information as we gather more data on missing industry or roles.
All amounts are in AUD.
As we recognise that salaries are constantly changing (hopefully upwards!), our figures will be revised constantly, and at least annually around June, with our data drawn from an annual salary survey.
If your industry or job is missing, help us make salaries more transparent by providing us salary information via this confidential form. Be sure to check this page regularly, as we are continually building out the information as we gather more data on missing industry or roles.
All amounts are in AUD.
Investment Bankers
Investment bankers earn some of the highest salaries in the corporate world, with often eye-watering bonuses to boot. The data compiled does not include the institutional arms of the Big 4 consumer banks (which pay >20% less) and largely refers to the bulge bracket banks. We would expect that reputable boutique investment firms would pay similar but slightly lower rates.
| Position | Salary |
|---|---|
|
Analyst 1 |
~$110,000 |
|
Analyst 2 |
~135,000 |
|
Analyst 3 |
~$155,000 |
|
Associate 1 |
~$190,000 |
|
Associate 2 |
~$220,000 |
|
Associate 3 |
~$250,000 |
In addition to base salary figures above, bonuses can be an additional 80% - 150% (easily over 100k)
Lawyers
Australian lawyers are typically known for how hard they work and how underpaid they are relative to their high-roller peers in overseas jurisdictions. Top-tier lawyers are increasingly well-compensated as they progress through the ranks but are still outpaced by global standards. The data below largely captures the salaries for top-tier and large mid-tier firms in Sydney, with boutiques paying approximately 20-30% lower than what we have benchmarked. Roles in smaller cities will also pay percentage points lower relative to our benchmarks.
| Position | Salary |
|---|---|
|
Graduates |
~$75,000 - $94,000 |
|
1PQE |
~$80,000 - $105,000 |
|
2PQE |
~$90,000 - $115,000 |
|
3PQE |
~$110,000 - $140,000 |
|
New SAs* |
~$170,000 - $180,000 |
|
Associate 3 |
~$250,000 |
*New SAs at a boutique firm would net you around $120,000
Want to reach the magic $200k mark? 8PQE (SA) at a Big 6 firm will move you into the low to mid 200ks. Alternatively, 10PQE+ in-house roles will also get you there.
Consultants (Big 4 + A)
The AFR conducts annual surveys on consultant salaries which are pretty accurate for the lowest bands. The figures below don't refer to MBB salaries but instead capture consultant salaries at the Big 4 accounting firms as well as Accenture. To make life difficult, the salaries are all over the place, with different progression scales and pay packets at the different firms. The one thing we do know for sure though is that there is a lot of jumping around between the firms for good reason and it is never a bad idea to check out what a competitor might offer for your services (as it is bound to be attractive).
| Experience | Salary |
|---|---|
|
Graduates |
~$61,500 - $68,000 |
|
1 year |
~$67,000 - $75,000 |
|
2 years |
~$70,000 - $80,000 |
|
3 years |
~$80,000 - $115,000 |
|
5 years* |
~$122,000 - $135,000 |
|
7 - 10 years |
~$150,000 - $200,000 |
*Some exceptional Managers at this level are above $150,000
Typically, no bonuses are paid at the junior levels. Consider it $0 for anyone below Manager and count yourself lucky for getting one if you do at these levels.
Auditors
We want to be transparent here and admit that not as many auditors as we thought actually submitted their salaries. We do know however that these guys and gals are relatively underpaid despite the long hours and demanding clients they face. We dug a bit deeper and found out at least what the median figures for the Big 4 accounting firms.
| Position | Salary |
|---|---|
|
Graduates |
$62,000 |
|
Senior Associate |
$80,000 |
|
Manager |
$105,000 |
|
Senior Manager |
$130,000 |
|
Director |
$170,000 |
Out of the Big 4, PwC dishes out the highest salaries, with graduates receiving $64,000.
High Roller List
From our submissions, we picked out some absolute cash-laden corporates just for something to aspire to. Yes, the figures are staggering but our question is, what do you do with all that money? Next time you have dinner with one of these guys/gals, don't be afraid to let them know that the meal is on them.
| Job | Salary |
|---|---|
|
Associate at Barrenjoey |
Mid $300,000 |
|
Corporate Development (5 years) |
$300,000 |
|
In-house lawyer (11 years) |
$240,000 |
|
Big 4 Banker (10 years) |
$220,000 + bonus + super |
|
Lawyer at Big 6 firm (8 years) |
$270,000 + bonus |
Illustrative examples only
Did we get any of this wrong?
Shoot us a 100% anonymous message to help us keep this list up to date and accurate!
Shoot us a 100% anonymous message to help us keep this list up to date and accurate!