SEEK economist Blair Chapman and electrical engineers SEEK has revealed the jobs with the fastest-growing wages in Australia, with electrical engineers topping the list in terms of highest advertised pay. (Source: SEEK/Getty)

The jobs with the fastest growing salaries in Australia have been revealed, with some jobs raking in more than $165,000 a year. Average Australian wages have risen just 3.4 per cent, but there are some advertised jobs demonstrating pay rises of more than 25 per cent.

New data from job platform SEEK found analysts working in government and defence were seeing the biggest wage growth. It found salaries for advertised jobs had increased 26.8 per cent over the past year, bringing the average salary to $130,117.

Taxation consultants took second place, with advertised salaries rising an average of 24.5 per cent to reach $95,375 a year. Operations analysts in banking and financial services were next, with an average 21.1 per cent increase in salary to $98,301 a year.

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The highest paying job to make the list was electrical engineers working in mining, resources and energy. The job has seen advertised salaries increase 18.3 per cent over the past year to $165,917 on average.

SEEK senior economist Blair Chapman said the job had seen a relatively rapid growth in advertised salaries.

“The mining sector pays some of the highest wages of any sector and they are increasingly competing with renewable energy providers for roles like electrical engineers, which is likely driving them to offer high wages to keep and attract workers into the sector,” he said.

Demand for project administrators in the construction sector have also increased, with salaries up 16.8 per cent to $92,788 on average.

“An increase in building approvals and commencements, which were sitting around decade lows at the beginning of 2024, alongside ongoing infrastructure projects, has likely driven an increase in the competition for project administrators,” Chapman said.

The SEEK data is based on average advertised salaries, comparing February to April, 2024 with February to April, 2025.

Here are the jobs with the top 10 fastest-growing salaries, and how much they have increased on average over the past year:

  1. Analyst (government and defence): $130,117 up 26.8 per cent

  2. Taxation consultation (accounting): $95,375 up 24.5 per cent

  3. Operations analyst (banking and financial services: $98,301 up 21.1 per cent

  4. Maintenance manager (manufacturing, transport and logistics): $146,613 up 19 per cent

  5. Electrical engineer (mining, resources and energy): $165,917 up 18.3 per cent

  6. Project administrator (construction): $92,788 up 16.8 per cent

  7. Finisher (trades and services): $90,695 up 16.6 per cent

  8. Customer service representative (retail and consumer products): $64,027 up 16.2 per cent

  9. Membership consultant (sport and recreation): $68,435 up 16.1 per cent

  10. Assistant (hospitality and tourism): $70,762 up 15.6 per cent

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The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) also recently revealed the highest paying jobs in Australia, based on tax return details from the 2022-23 financial year.

Surgeons were crowned the winners, earning an average of $472,475 a year. Other medical professions also dominated the list, with anaesthetists in second place with average earnings of $447,193.

Here’s the top 10 highest paying jobs:

  1. Surgeon $472,475

  2. Anaesthetists $447,193

  3. Financial dealer $355,233

  4. Internal medicine specialist $342,457

  5. Psychiatrist $286,146

  6. Other medical practitioners $259,802

  7. Mining engineer $206,423

  8. Judicial or other legal professional $206,408

  9. Chief executive officer or managing director $194,987

  10. Financial investment advisor or manager $191,986

For comparison, the average Australian income was $74,240 a year, while the median income was $55,868 a year.

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