The 2024 Graduate Outcomes Survey recorded a median starting salary of A$75,000 for full-time Australian graduate hires, a 5.6 per cent year-on-year increase. The entry-level pay band is moving in graduates' favour, even with a 74 per cent immediate full-time employment rate that still sits below pre-pandemic peaks.
Where those high-paying entry-level jobs actually sit is concentrated rather than spread. Jobs and Skills Australia's 2025 report identifies four sectors driving the majority of professional employment growth: health and care, IT and software development, construction and trades and finance. Targeting one of these industries deliberately produces materially better starting offers than applying broadly across the market.
What "Entry-Level" Actually Pays in Australia
Understanding which entry-level jobs pay well in Australia means looking past a single headline figure. Starting salaries span roughly A$60,000 to A$110,000 depending on sector, qualifications and location. The 2025 Graduate Outcomes Survey recorded a median of A$75,000 across all full-time graduate hires, up from roughly A$71,000 the year prior. Median undergraduate full-time salaries by institution ranged from A$65,000 to A$82,900 in the 2024 reporting.
Several variables move the figure inside that band:
- State: Sydney and Melbourne typically run 5 to 10 per cent above Adelaide and regional centres
- Degree type and field of study
- Internship or cadet experience completed before graduation
- Employer size and graduate programme structure
The ABS average full-time income across all workers in 2025 sits around A$100,000 annually. Most entry-level roles begin well below that figure, with the gap narrowing within two to three years inside high-paying job sectors carrying critical skills shortages.
Technology and Information Communications
Tech and ICT remain one of Australia's strongest entry-level salary sectors. Jobs and Skills Australia projects more than 58,000 new tech positions by 2028, and employer demand for IT professionals has risen by 66 per cent, concentrated in software development and cybersecurity.
Top high-paying entry-level jobs in the tech and ICT industry
- Software developer or engineer: Roles span banking, government and e-commerce, with portfolio work often valued above formal qualifications
- Cybersecurity analyst: Listed as a critical shortage occupation on Jobs and Skills Australia's Skills Priority List, with CompTIA Security+ or CISSP certifications often substituting for postgraduate degrees
- ICT business or systems analyst: Entry accessible via a bachelor's degree in IT, computer science or information systems, with practical project experience accelerating placement
Salary Range
Graduate IT salaries start between A$60,000 and A$85,000, reaching A$90,000 to A$110,000 within two to three years. Industry certifications in AWS, Azure or Google Cloud typically add A$5,000 to A$15,000 to starting offers.
What Employers Look For
Cloud computing, cybersecurity and data analytics are the competencies cited most frequently in Jobs and Skills Australia's 2025 employer demand reporting. Finance, government and resources employers hire IT graduates directly, not only technology firms. A strong GitHub portfolio and demonstrable project work weigh more heavily at the entry level than a university brand.
Mining and Resources
Mining and resources offer some of Australia's most accessible, high-paying jobs with no experience required. Jobs and Skills Australia projects 17.1 per cent growth in mining engineer positions by 2028, with total employment reaching approximately 18,800 roles.
Demand is driven by iron ore, lithium, rare earths and critical minerals projects concentrated in WA, Queensland and the NT.
Top high-paying entry-level jobs in the mining and resources industry
- Graduate mining engineer: A$91,000 to A$109,000; bachelor's degree in mining engineering required; structured graduate programmes at BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue and Glencore
- Graduate geologist: A$80,000 to A$95,000; degree in geology, geoscience or earth sciences; field placements and survey experience weighted at application
- Driller's offsider or trainee operator: A$90,000 to A$110,000 FIFO; one of Australia's most accessible high-paying no-experience jobs; entry via traineeship or direct application to drilling contractors
Salary Range
Graduate mining engineers start at A$91,000 to A$109,000 per Techforce Personnel's 2025 reporting. Prosple Australia records mining graduate salaries averaging A$30,000 above other graduate sectors. FIFO roles at the higher end of the entry band reflect remote-location allowances and roster premiums rather than base salary alone.
What Employers Look For
Graduate engineering and geology roles require the relevant degree plus Engineers Australia or AIG (Australian Institute of Geoscientists) eligibility. Operator and offsider roles are accessible without a degree and are typically filled via traineeship, direct contractor application or recruitment agencies such as Techforce Personnel and Chandler Macleod.
Major operators are investing heavily in automation and remote operations across WA's Pilbara, so graduates who pair engineering knowledge with data analytics or automation familiarity are increasingly preferred.
Finance, Accounting and Professional Services
Finance and professional services remain consistent entry-level employers. Business and finance featured among occupational groups where recruitment pressures eased in 2025, per Jobs and Skills Australia, but Big Four and mid-tier firms continue to run substantial annual graduate intakes.
Top high-paying entry-level jobs in the finance and accounting industry
- Graduate auditor or accountant (Big Four): Structured intake programmes at PwC, EY, Deloitte and KPMG with defined progression timelines
- Financial analyst (banking or funds): Accessible via commerce, economics or finance degrees, with CFA Level 1 enrolment recognised as a differentiator at application
- Compliance and risk analyst: Rising demand from financial services firms responding to increased regulatory scrutiny
Salary Range
Graduate salaries in Australian finance and professional services typically start between A$60,000 and A$80,000 annually. Business and commerce graduates sit around A$70,000 to A$75,000 at the median in the 2024 Graduate Outcomes Survey.
What Employers Look For
Big Four firms are recruiting graduates with data science and technology backgrounds alongside accounting and law graduates. Coding skills and digital tool proficiency are now cited as differentiators in a sector historically dominated by degree credentialing. An accounting degree paired with CA or CPA enrolment remains the standard entry path, and CAANZ and CPA Australia both offer structured pathways that employers factor into starting offers.
Engineering and Construction
Engineering and construction are among Australia's most vacancy-rich entry-level sectors. Jobs and Skills Australia's 2025 report names construction and trades as a primary source of new employment, driven by federal and state infrastructure investment and ongoing housing supply demand. Resources-adjacent engineering offers the highest entry-band pay in the category: ATO data records drillers, miners and shot firers earning an average of A$133,873 per year, and mining equipment operators start at A$102,000 to A$143,000 per Swinburne Open Education's 2025 reporting.
Top high-paying entry-level jobs in the engineering industry
- Civil or structural engineer: Sustained demand from infrastructure projects; the Engineers Australia accreditation pathway begins at the graduate level
- Mechanical or process engineer: Entry demand is strong across manufacturing and resources; a bachelor's degree in mechanical or chemical engineering is required
- Mining or resources engineer (entry-level): High-earning outlier driven by critical skills shortages in WA, Queensland and the NT; FIFO schedules are standard at entry level
Salary Range
Engineering graduates reported median full-time salaries of around A$75,000 to A$80,000 in the 2024 Graduate Outcomes Survey's architecture and built environment cluster. Civil engineers in Australia earn A$85,000 to A$130,000 across the full salary band, with entry-level graduates typically starting in the A$65,000 to A$80,000 range. Resources-sector engineering skews considerably higher.
What Employers Look For
Engineers Australia recognition is the professional standard. Graduates who register as engineering associates at the entry level and progress toward Chartered status tend to advance faster and command higher salaries earlier. Digital construction is reshaping employer preferences: graduates fluent in Revit and AutoCAD Civil 3D alongside structural engineering principles are increasingly preferred by larger firms and government contractors.
Health, Social Services and Allied Health
Healthcare dominates Australia's national skills shortage list. Jobs and Skills Australia's September 2025 Labour Supply Index places registered nurses and GPs as the most undersupplied occupational groups nationally. Government-backed wage increases through the Fair Work Commission's aged care decisions in 2023 and 2024, strong job security and clear progression structures sit behind continuing graduate demand.
Top high-paying entry-level jobs in the healthcare and social services industry
- Registered nurse: Among Australia's most critically undersupplied occupations per Jobs and Skills Australia 2025; entry requires an approved Bachelor of Nursing plus AHPRA registration
- Social worker: Median graduate salary of A$82,000 in the 2024 Graduate Outcomes Survey; Bachelor of Social Work or accredited equivalent required
- Allied health graduate (occupational therapist, physiotherapist): Occupational therapy appears on Jobs and Skills Australia's September 2025 Healthcare Support shortage list; bachelor's degree plus AHPRA registration required
Salary Range
Social work recorded an A$82,000 median in the 2024 Graduate Outcomes Survey, one of the highest figures across the full survey. Rehabilitation and allied health graduates also benefit from a 94.9 per cent full-time employment rate, the highest of any field of study. Penalty rates set by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award meaningfully increase annual income for clinical staff working weekend, night or public holiday shifts.
What Employers Look For
Registered nursing requires an approved Bachelor of Nursing plus AHPRA registration. Social work requires a BSW or AASW-accredited equivalent. Occupational therapy and physiotherapy require AHPRA registration before practice. None of these roles is accessible without the specific qualification. Regional and rural placements consistently offer higher starting salaries, relocation allowances and government incentives, which is a legitimate and often underused pathway into higher entry pay.
Tips to Land a High-Paying Entry-Level Job in Australia
Identifying entry-level jobs that pay well is only useful if the application strategy lines up with the sector. Three practical steps cut across the best-paying entry-level jobs in all four industries. Jobs and Skills Australia's 2024 How Employers Recruit report found that a meaningful share of Australian graduate roles are filled through direct employer approaches, referrals and industry networks before they appear on a job board.
- Target shortage occupations first. Technology, healthcare and engineering appear on both the national Skills Priority List and the highest-vacancy employer lists, giving graduates in these fields a structural advantage at hiring.
- Pair your degree with the right credential. AWS or Azure certifications for tech, CA or CPA enrolment for accounting, Engineers Australia registration for engineering and AHPRA registration for health are the gatekeeping qualifications employers use to shortlist before interview.
- Build visibility beyond job boards. Industry events, professional association memberships and freelancer platforms (useful for portfolio work between roles) are practical ways to grow your network alongside online applications.
Find Your Start in Australia's Job Market
Australia's best-paying entry-level jobs sit in five sectors with different trade-offs: tech and resources lead on starting salary, health and construction lead on consistency. Deliberate sector targeting paired with the right certifications at the entry level produces materially better early-career outcomes than applying broadly.
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