6306.0 - Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia, May 1998  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/03/1999   
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MEDIA RELEASE

March 25, 1999
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
37/1999

ABS survey finds more males in high paid jobs

In May 1998 20% of male employees received $1,000 or more per week, while only 4.3% of female employees reached this level of earnings, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Average weekly earnings of male employees was $729.80 in May 1998, with half of all male employees earning more than $665.70. Female employees received $484 on average, with half receiving more than $465.10. However, these comparisons are affected by the relatively high proportion of female employees who were part time.

Full-time adult non-managerial employees made up 53.8% of employees in May 1998. They received average weekly earnings of $739.40, including $47.80 for overtime. These employees were paid for an average of 39.8 hours per week, with 1.8 hours of this being paid overtime. Male full-time adult non-managerial employees recorded higher average hours of paid work per week (40.8 hours) than female employees (38.3 hours), due mainly to more paid overtime hours (2.6 compared to 0.6). Males received higher average weekly overtime earnings ($69.40) and total earnings ($792.20) than females ($14.80 and $659.00 respectively).

Across industries, average weekly earnings for full-time adult non-managerial employees ranged from $545.50 in the accommodation, cafes and restaurants industry, to $1,260.00 in the mining industry. The mining industry recorded the highest average weekly overtime earnings ($140.60).

The occupation categories for which full-time adult non-managerial employees received the highest average weekly earnings were professionals ($923.10) and associate professionals ($838.90). Within the professionals category, medical practitioners had the highest average weekly earnings ($1,545.10). University and vocational education teachers ($1,067.70), computing professionals ($1,059) and building and engineering professionals ($1,041.40) also had relatively high average weekly earnings.

Part-time employees made up 32% of employees in May 1998. Average weekly earnings for all part-time employees was $279.20, with females having higher average weekly earnings than males ($285.60 compared to $262). Part-time non-managerial female employees were paid for an average of 18.1 hours whereas males were paid for an average of 16.7 hours.

Details are in Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia, May 1998 (cat. no. 6306.0) which is available from ABS bookshops. The summary of the publication is also available on this site.