White-collar industries such as banking, accounting and consulting employ more men in their most demanding and lucrative roles, fuelling pay disparities that mean women earn 20 per cent less than men.

The median pay gap for base salaries at businesses with 100-plus employees was 14.5 per cent, according to company level data published by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency for the first time. The gap jumped to 19 per cent once bonuses, overtime and allowances were factored in.