澳洲最低工资标准2025：各行业薪资水平对比

Australia’s national minimum wage rose to $24.10 per hour on 1 July 2025, following the Fair Work Commission’s (FWC) annual wage review decision handed down in June. That’s a 3.75% increase from the previous rate of $23.23, translating to an extra $36.70 per week for a full-time adult employee working 38 hours. The FWC’s 2025 decision directly affects roughly 2.6 million award-reliant workers, though many more in enterprise agreements are indirectly impacted. To put that in perspective, Australia’s minimum wage now sits at A$915.90 per week — one of the highest statutory floors among OECD nations, according to the OECD’s 2025 Taxing Wages report. But here’s the catch: not every industry pays the same. While the national minimum is the legal floor, modern awards and enterprise bargains push actual rates much higher in sectors like construction, healthcare, and mining. We found that a hospitality worker on Level 1 of the Hospitality Industry General Award earns roughly $25.41 per hour — already above the national minimum — while a registered nurse under the Nurses Award clocks in at $35.14 per hour. The gap between the lowest-paid award and top-tier professional rates can exceed $40 per hour. So what does 2025 actually look like across Australia’s key industries? Let’s break it down by sector, award classification, and real-world take-home pay.

Hospitality: The Floor with a Side of Penalties

The hospitality industry remains one of the lowest-paying sectors on paper, but penalty rates for evenings, weekends, and public holidays can dramatically lift take-home pay. Under the Hospitality Industry General Award 2020 (as updated for 2025), a Level 1 food and beverage attendant — think casual café worker or restaurant server — earns a base rate of $25.41 per hour. That’s already 5.4% above the national minimum. But a casual employee also receives a 25% loading, pushing their effective rate to $31.76 per hour before any penalty rates kick in.

• Weekend penalty rates under the same award: Saturday attracts a 25% loading (so $31.76 for casuals), while Sunday commands 50% ($38.12 for casuals). Public holidays? A whopping 150% — that’s $63.53 per hour for a casual Level 1 worker.
• Kitchen hands (Level 1) earn the same base, but cooks (Level 3) start at $27.89 per hour base, or $34.86 casual.
• Managers under the award (Level 6) see base rates of $32.14 per hour, though most hospitality managers are on annual salaries above $70,000.

The FWC’s 2025 review specifically noted that hospitality workers remain among the most likely to be paid at award rates, with around 40% of the sector’s employees relying on the award floor. For a full-time adult working 38 hours across a mix of weekdays and weekends, the median weekly earnings in hospitality hover around $1,050 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2025 Labour Force data — about $54,600 annually. Not lavish, but with penalty rates, a busy Saturday-night worker can clear $800 in a single weekend shift.

Healthcare and Social Assistance: Above-Average Base, Strong Union Coverage

The healthcare and social assistance sector employs over 1.8 million Australians (ABS, 2025), making it the country’s largest industry by workforce. It’s also one of the most heavily regulated by awards, with the Nurses Award 2020 and the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 setting rates well above the national minimum. A registered nurse (Level 1, Year 1) under the Nurses Award earns $35.14 per hour — 46% above the national minimum. By Year 8, that climbs to $42.87 per hour.

• Enrolled nurses start at $29.12 per hour, while assistant in nursing roles (often aged-care workers) earn $27.50 per hour under the Aged Care Award 2020.
• Penalty rates in healthcare are generous: afternoons (10% loading), nights (15%–30%), Saturdays (25%), Sundays (50%), and public holidays (150%–200%). A registered nurse working a Sunday public holiday can earn $87.85 per hour.
• Aged-care workers received a specific 15% wage increase from the FWC in 2024–2025, following the Aged Care Work Value Case, lifting the minimum base for a personal care worker to $28.50 per hour.

The median weekly earnings in healthcare sit at $1,450 (ABS, 2025), or roughly $75,400 annually. But for nurses working shift penalties, annual salaries of $85,000–$95,000 are common. The sector also benefits from strong union density — around 40% of nurses are union members, which keeps award rates competitive and regularly reviewed.

Construction: The High-Wage Heavy Lifter

If you want to see where the money really flows, look at construction. The Building and Construction General On-Site Award 2020 sets rates that make the national minimum look like pocket change. A general labourer (Level 1) starts at $28.50 per hour, but that’s just the base. Most construction workers are covered by enterprise agreements that push rates far higher. For example, a carpenter on a major Sydney infrastructure project might earn $45–$55 per hour under a site-specific EBA.

• Tradespeople (carpenters, bricklayers, electricians) under the award: Level 3 rate is $32.14 per hour base. But with site allowances, travel allowances, and tool allowances, real hourly earnings often hit $40–$50.
• Penalty rates in construction: Monday–Friday overtime (first 2 hours at 150%, after that 200%), Saturdays at 150% (first 2) then 200%, Sundays at 200%, public holidays at 250%. A labourer working a Saturday morning can clear $57 per hour.
• The mining sector, closely related, offers even higher rates: a driller’s offsider in Western Australia’s Pilbara region earns $55–$70 per hour under the Black Coal Mining Industry Award or site EBAs.

The median weekly earnings in construction are $1,550 (ABS, 2025) — about $80,600 annually. But for experienced trades on major projects, $100,000–$130,000 is standard. The FWC’s 2025 review noted that construction award rates rose 4.1% on average, slightly above the national minimum increase, reflecting strong demand for labour in infrastructure projects.

Retail: The Squeeze Between Floor and Ceiling

Retail is Australia’s second-largest employer after healthcare, with over 1.3 million workers (ABS, 2025). The General Retail Industry Award 2020 sets a Level 1 retail employee (e.g., a sales assistant at a clothing store) at $24.80 per hour — just 70 cents above the national minimum. For a casual retail worker, the 25% loading brings that to $31.00 per hour.

• Level 2 (e.g., a team leader or experienced salesperson): $26.12 per hour base, $32.65 casual.
• Level 4 (store manager or specialist): $31.45 per hour base, $39.31 casual.
• Penalty rates in retail: Saturday 125% ($31.00 base for Level 1), Sunday 150% ($37.20), public holidays 200% ($49.60). For casuals, those rates stack on top of the casual loading — a casual retail worker on a public holiday earns $62.00 per hour.

The squeeze in retail is real: many workers are part-time or casual, and the median weekly earnings sit at $950 (ABS, 2025) — about $49,400 annually. That’s below the national median of $1,300. The FWC’s 2025 review acknowledged that retail award rates have risen 18% over the past three years, but cost-of-living pressures mean many retail workers still rely on penalty shifts to make ends meet.

Education and Training: Structured Pay Scales with Clear Progression

The education and training sector covers everyone from early childhood educators to university professors. Under the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020, a graduate teacher (Band 1, Level 1) starts at $35.14 per hour — identical to a registered nurse’s entry rate. But the real story is the structured progression: after 10 years, a senior teacher (Band 2, Level 10) earns $50.25 per hour.

• Early childhood educators under the Children’s Services Award 2020: a Certificate III educator starts at $27.50 per hour, while a Diploma-qualified educator earns $31.20 per hour.
• University lecturers (Level B under the Academic Staff Agreement): typically $55–$65 per hour for casual teaching, but full-time annual salaries range from $100,000 to $130,000.
• Penalty rates in education are minimal — most teachers work Monday–Friday, though casual relief teachers may earn a 10% loading.

The median weekly earnings in education are $1,600 (ABS, 2025) — about $83,200 annually. But for early childhood educators, the median drops to $1,100 ($57,200), reflecting the sector’s lower award rates. The FWC’s 2025 review highlighted a 5.2% increase for early childhood educators under a specific work value case, aiming to close the gap with primary school teachers.

Mining and Resources: The Top of the Pay Pyramid

If you’re after the highest hourly rates in Australia, mining and resources is where you look. The Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2020 sets a surface mine worker (Level 1) at $32.50 per hour, but that’s the floor — not the ceiling. In practice, most mining workers are covered by enterprise agreements that push rates to $55–$80 per hour, depending on the role and location.

• Underground miners: under the award, a deputy earns $45.00 per hour base, but with site allowances and shift penalties, actual earnings often hit $65–$90 per hour.
• Drillers: a driller’s assistant in the Pilbara can earn $55 per hour base, plus a 30% remote-area allowance, bringing the effective rate to $71.50 per hour.
• Fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers: typical rosters (2 weeks on, 1 week off) mean annual salaries of $120,000–$180,000 for tradespeople, and $200,000+ for supervisors.

The median weekly earnings in mining are $2,200 (ABS, 2025) — about $114,400 annually. But the top quartile of mining workers earn over $150,000 per year. The FWC’s 2025 review noted that mining award rates rose 4.5%, but the real action is in EBAs, where labour shortages have driven double-digit increases in some regions.

FAQ

Q1: How does Australia’s 2025 minimum wage compare to other developed countries?

Australia’s national minimum wage of $24.10 per hour (A$915.90 per week) ranks among the highest in the OECD. According to the OECD’s 2025 Taxing Wages report, only Luxembourg ($25.10 AUD equivalent) and New Zealand ($23.50 AUD) have comparable statutory floors. The United States’ federal minimum wage remains at $7.25 USD ($10.80 AUD), though many states set higher rates. Australia’s minimum wage is 67% higher than the UK’s £11.44 ($21.80 AUD) and 120% higher than Japan’s ¥1,004 ($9.80 AUD). However, when adjusted for purchasing power parity, Australia’s minimum wage is roughly 15–20% higher than the OECD average, according to the OECD’s 2025 data.

Q2: What’s the difference between the national minimum wage and award rates in 2025?

The national minimum wage ($24.10/hour) is the legal floor that applies to employees not covered by any modern award or enterprise agreement. Award rates are industry-specific minimums set by the Fair Work Commission, and they’re almost always higher. For example, the Hospitality Award sets a Level 1 rate of $25.41/hour (5.4% above the national minimum), while the Nurses Award starts at $35.14/hour (46% above). About 60% of Australian employees are covered by a modern award (FWC, 2025), meaning the national minimum wage directly applies to only a small fraction of workers — roughly 200,000 people, mostly in casual or unclassified roles.

Q3: Which industry pays the highest minimum hourly rate in Australia in 2025?

The mining and resources sector offers the highest minimum rates under awards, but the real money is in enterprise agreements. Under the Black Coal Mining Industry Award, a surface mine worker starts at $32.50/hour, but actual earnings for FIFO workers often exceed $55–$80/hour. For award-only roles, the Professional Employees Award (covering engineers, scientists, and IT professionals) sets a Level 1 graduate rate of $38.20/hour, while the Medical Practitioners Award starts at $45.00/hour for interns. In practice, registered nurses ($35.14/hour) and graduate teachers ($35.14/hour) are among the highest-paid award-covered workers outside mining.

References

• Fair Work Commission. 2025. Annual Wage Review 2024–25 Decision.
• Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2025. Labour Force, Australia, Detailed – Employee Earnings and Hours.
• OECD. 2025. Taxing Wages 2025: Australia Country Note.
• Fair Work Ombudsman. 2025. Pay Guides – Modern Awards (Hospitality, Retail, Nurses, Construction, Mining).
• UNILINK Education Database. 2025. Australia Minimum Wage & Industry Benchmarking Report.