SEEK reveals the industries most and least likely to offer a six-figure salary

IF RAKING in the big bucks is a priority for you when choosing a career, hedge your bets by entering one of these top-earning industries.

EXCLUSIVE

ALMOST two-thirds of jobs in five key industries are now offering six-figure salaries.

In fact an analysis of advertised salaries on job site SEEK showed only one in four jobs in the mining, resources and energy sectors had a salary less than $100,000 in 2017.

The minerals industry topped the list of where to find the big bucks, followed by consulting and strategy (68 per cent), construction (67 per cent), engineering (64 per cent) and information and communication technology (63 per cent).

SEEK Australia and New Zealand managing director Kendra Banks said there were no big surprises among the top industries.

“Australia’s primary industries are booming,” she said.

“Similarly, it won’t come as a shock to anyone in business that the vast majority of consulting and strategy roles command high salaries.

The minerals industry top the list of highest paying jobs. Picture: Supplied

“It is significant that 67 per cent of construction roles advertised in the past twelve months also paid over $100,000. This is fairly evenly distributed across most roles and skills within the industry from project management and site supervisors, to health and safety roles and surveying.”

In the legal sector, 49 per cent of jobs overall paid more than $100,000, yet this jumped to 88 per cent for construction law roles.

Ms Banks said the most interesting takeaway from the research was the range between different roles within sectors.

For example, 40 per cent of all healthcare and medical job ads paid six figures but there were substantial discrepancies within nursing.

“While only 13 per cent of nursing roles in theatre and recovery paid over $100,000, 44 per cent of aged care nurses earn more than this amount,” she said.

“As Australia continues to experience a shortage of skills in this profession alongside an ageing population, it is safe to assume that demand for certain specialties will continue to command higher salaries in the years to come.”

On the other end of the salary spectrum, the SEEK data revealed just 3 per cent of administration and office support job ads offered more than $100,000.

Chances of a juicy pay packet were not much better for jobseekers looking in call centres and customer service (4 per cent), hospitality and tourism (5 per cent), retail and consumer products (7 per cent) or sports and recreation (9 per cent).

Forty per cent of healthcare jobs pay over $100,000l. Picture: iStock

The University of Adelaide engineering student Keilah David said money wasn’t a major factor when she chose to study a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)(Electrical and Electronic) and Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences

“It was about what I love doing and see myself doing in the future, but it will be good to have a decent salary as well,” she said.

“I am not expecting a really high salary just after I graduate, I know it comes with time and experience.”

Griffith University student Celeste de Mezieres, in the final year of a Bachelor of Biomedical and Electronic Engineering (Honours), said the data for engineers was surprising but made sense considering their level of responsibility.

“A chief engineer has to sign off on designs and it comes back to them if it fails,” she said.

She recommended school leavers deciding on a career consider factors outside of potential salary.

“I feel like job security is what people need to consider more than what the pay is,” she said.

“If you are comfortable and have job security, that is valuable.”

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