Average weekly wage increases in Western Australia

Western Australian workers enjoy the third highest average weekly cash earnings in Australia, according to data released by Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday. 

In May last year, the average WA employee received $1612.10 per week, up from $1472.20 per week in May 2021. The national median average was $1300 per week, up $91 from the same corresponding period. 

WA remained third behind behind the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory, where the median averages are $1656.20 and $1704.80 per week respectively. 

Despite the high weekly median average, the ABS found that payment settings impacted a WA employee's cash earnings. 

On average, award-based WA employees received $754.80 per week, whereas those employed on an individual agreement received up to $1893.90 per week. 

Nationally, mining employees earned $3008.20 per week, while those who worked in the electricity, gas and water sector received $2350.70 per week.

Managers had the highest hourly rate of all occupations, averaging $67.20, followed by professional workers at $60.60 per hour. 

ABS head of labour statistics Bjorn Jarvis said 61 per cent of full-time employees were men, while women made up 69 per cent of the nation's part-time workforce. 

Wednesday's announcement comes on the back of ABS data released earlier this month outlining that WA's unemployment rate had risen to 3.9 per cent, along with WA monthly household spending rising by 4.6 per cent in November 2023.