Highest Stats NZ median
$92,768
Professionals · #1
🇳🇿Stats NZ June 2025
Highest Paying Jobs in New Zealand
Ranked national median wages from Stats NZ HLFS June 2025 for 8 major occupation groups — from Professionals ($92,768) to Sales workers ($49,400). Medians cover wage/salary earners in their main job (not full-time-only). Compare any two groups, see hourly equivalents, and modeled take-home at each median with KiwiSaver opted out vs KiwiSaver 3%.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
$92,768
#1 · Professionals
8
Major groups tracked
10
Featured compare pairs
2
Take-home · Baseline · KiwiSaver
Lowest in this set
$49,400
Sales workers · #8
Professionals
$92,768
$46.53/hr · rank #1
Baseline take-home at professionals median
$70,654
vs managers $68,686
Key finding: Stats NZ medians + take-home
Professionals lead our Stats NZ HLFS June 2025 table at $92,768 median; Sales workers rank last at $49,400 among 8 major occupation groups. Professionals ($92,768) vs managers ($89,752) is the top of the ranking corridor.
Stats NZ June 2025 national medians; take-home uses 2026 paycheck model. Data refreshed 2026-08-24.
Key takeaways
- Professionals vs Managers: $92,768 vs $89,752 Stats NZ medians — $70,654 vs $68,686 modeled baseline take-home.
- Professionals top the Stats NZ HLFS June 2025 median at $92,768 — about $46.53/hr.
- Take-home columns apply our paycheck model at each Stats NZ median with KiwiSaver opted out (baseline) and the same gross with KiwiSaver employee 3% — no student loan in either vignette.
- New Zealand PAYE is nationwide — there is no regional wage income tax on this hub. ACC earner levy is included in both take-home columns.
- Medians cover wage/salary earners in their main job (not full-time-only). Pair any two groups below, then open profiles for calculator deep links.
- Technicians & trades outrank Clerical & admin on annual median ($69,160 vs $67,392) even though clerical hourly ($34.00) is higher — hours worked drive the weekly×52 gap.
What this hub covers
This hub ranks 8 New Zealand major occupation groups by Stats NZ HLFS June 2025 national median annual gross pay (weekly × 52) — the midpoint where half of wage/salary earners in that ANZSCO major group (main job) earn more and half earn less. Medians are not full-time-only.
Each row links to an occupation profile with Stats NZ source links, hourly figures, and modeled take-home at the median for KiwiSaver opted out and KiwiSaver employee 3%.
Compare pages pit any two groups head-to-head: gross median gap, hourly spread, rank, and a two-scenario take-home ladder using the same paycheck rules as our New Zealand calculator.
Sibling hubs: US (BLS OEWS), Canada (Job Bank / StatCan), UK (ONS ASHE), Australia (ABS Employee Earnings), and Ireland (CSO SES) — same ranking, compare, and profile pattern.
Compare any two careers
Pick two occupation groups to see Stats NZ median wage gaps, hourly figures, and take-home for KiwiSaver opted out and KiwiSaver employee 3%.
Featured career comparisons
ProfessionalsvsManagers
$3,016 median gap · $92,768 vs $89,752
ProfessionalsvsTechnicians & trades
$23,608 median gap · $92,768 vs $69,160
ManagersvsTechnicians & trades
$20,592 median gap · $89,752 vs $69,160
Technicians & tradesvsClerical & admin
$1,768 median gap · $69,160 vs $67,392
ProfessionalsvsSales workers
$43,368 median gap · $92,768 vs $49,400
ManagersvsLabourers
$35,672 median gap · $89,752 vs $54,080
Community & personal servicevsSales workers
$2,704 median gap · $52,104 vs $49,400
Machinery operators & driversvsLabourers
$13,468 median gap · $67,548 vs $54,080
ProfessionalsvsCommunity & personal service
$40,664 median gap · $92,768 vs $52,104
Rankings by Stats NZ median (June 2025)
8 major occupation groups sorted by national median annual wage (weekly × 52). Medians cover wage/salary earners in their main job (not full-time-only). Take-home columns apply our 2026 paycheck model at each median — nationwide PAYE + ACC earner levy (KiwiSaver column adds employee 3%; no student loan).
| # | Occupation | Stats NZ median | Baseline take-homeat median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ProfessionalsProfessionals · ANZSCO 2 | $92,768 | $70,654 |
| 2 | ManagersManagement · ANZSCO 1 | $89,752 | $68,686 |
| 3 | Technicians and trades workersEngineering & trades · ANZSCO 3 | $69,160 | $55,090 |
| 4 | Machinery operators and driversTransportation · ANZSCO 7 | $67,548 | $54,200 |
| 5 | Clerical and administrative workersBusiness & clerical · ANZSCO 5 | $67,392 | $54,114 |
| 6 | LabourersCommunity & labour · ANZSCO 8 | $54,080 | $45,209 |
| 7 | Community and personal service workersCommunity & labour · ANZSCO 4 | $52,104 | $43,686 |
| 8 | Sales workersBusiness & clerical · ANZSCO 6 | $49,400 | $41,503 |
Median wages by occupation category
Professionals and managers dominate the top tier; community & personal service and sales workers anchor the lower end of this major-group set.
Professionals
1 occupations tracked
- Top
- Professionals · $92,768
- Lower in set
- Professionals · $92,768
Management
1 occupations tracked
- Top
- Managers · $89,752
- Lower in set
- Managers · $89,752
Engineering & trades
1 occupations tracked
- Top
- Technicians & trades · $69,160
- Lower in set
- Technicians & trades · $69,160
Transportation
1 occupations tracked
- Top
- Machinery operators & drivers · $67,548
- Lower in set
- Machinery operators & drivers · $67,548
Business & clerical
2 occupations tracked
- Top
- Clerical & admin · $67,392
- Lower in set
- Sales workers · $49,400
Community & labour
2 occupations tracked
- Top
- Labourers · $54,080
- Lower in set
- Community & personal service · $52,104
Top 5 medians
- #1Professionals$92,768
- #2Managers$89,752
- #3Technicians & trades$69,160
- #4Machinery operators & drivers$67,548
- #5Clerical & admin$67,392
Lowest 5 in this set
- #8Sales workers$49,400
- #7Community & personal service$52,104
- #6Labourers$54,080
- #5Clerical & admin$67,392
- #4Machinery operators & drivers$67,548
How to read this ranking
1Step 1
Read the median rank
Occupation groups sort by Stats NZ HLFS national median annual gross pay (weekly × 52, highest first). #1 is the highest published median in this set. Figures cover wage/salary earners in their main job, not full-time-only.
2Step 2
Scan take-home columns
Baseline and KiwiSaver show modeled take-home at each median — nationwide PAYE and ACC earner levy; the KiwiSaver column adds a 3% employee contribution. Neither column includes student loan repayments.
3Step 3
Compare two careers
Use the pair picker or featured corridors (professionals vs managers, technicians & trades vs clerical & admin) for wage gaps, hourly figures, and scenario take-home ladders.
4Step 4
Model your offer
Open an occupation profile or the New Zealand paycheck calculator for KiwiSaver rate, student loan, and ACC detail beyond these vignettes.
Professionals vs managers
Stats NZ HLFS June 2025 lists professionals at $92,768 ($46.53/hr) and managers at $89,752 ($41.60/hr) — a $3,016 median gap. At those medians, modeled baseline take-home is $70,654 vs $68,686; with KiwiSaver employee 3%, net pay moves to $67,871 vs $65,993.
How KiwiSaver 3% changes take-home at the same Stats NZ median
Gross medians ignore retirement contributions. These four major groups show modeled take-home when gross equals the published Stats NZ median — KiwiSaver opted out (baseline) vs KiwiSaver employee 3%. Neither vignette includes student loan repayments.
| Occupation | Stats NZ median | Baseline take-home | KiwiSaver take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals | $92,768 | $70,654 | $67,871 |
| Managers | $89,752 | $68,686 | $65,993 |
| Technicians & trades | $69,160 | $55,090 | $53,016 |
| Sales workers | $49,400 | $41,503 | $40,021 |
KiwiSaver employee 3% typically shifts annual take-home by about $2,783 versus baseline at the professionals median — before rent or student loan. New Zealand PAYE remains nationwide.
Learn: medians, ANZSCO codes, and take-home
Median vs total compensation
HLFS cash-earnings medians may not capture every bonus or equity package. Senior professional and manager total pay often runs above major-group medians even when base salary matches.
Why baseline anchors take-home
New Zealand PAYE is nationwide — there is no regional wage income tax. Baseline (KiwiSaver opted out, no student loan) matches our metro paycheck examples vignette and is the primary take-home column before you compare KiwiSaver 3% drag.
Hours vs hourly rate
Annual rank uses weekly × 52. A group with a lower hourly median can still rank higher on annual pay when typical hours are longer — technicians & trades vs clerical & admin is the clearest example in this table.
Main job, not full-time-only
These Stats NZ medians cover all wage and salary earners in their main job, including part-time schedules. That differs from full-time-only employee earnings tables in other countries.
Employees only
HLFS earnings from main wage and salary job focus on employees. Self-employed consultants, partners, and sole traders sit outside these occupation medians.
Geography matters
National medians blend high-COL Auckland and Wellington with regional markets. A CBD professional offer and a regional labourer role can both be 'typical' while far from the national midpoint.
Myths vs facts
Myth: Highest median always means highest lifetime earnings.
Fact: Career length, unemployment risk, student debt, and KiwiSaver balances vary by field. A lower-median community service row can still win on job security or defined pathways not in HLFS cash wages.
Myth: Stats NZ medians match every job posting.
Fact: HLFS aggregates employee reports nationally by major group. A senior specialist in Auckland can exceed the ANZSCO major-group median while an entry role sits below it.
Myth: Take-home at median is your paycheck.
Fact: The take-home columns are a standardized New Zealand model at the published median. Your KiwiSaver rate, student loan, and ACC settings change the result.
Myth: Gross median gap equals lifestyle gap.
Fact: A higher-paying occupation in Auckland can net less purchasing power than a lower median in a lower-rent city after housing. Pair wage tables with metro paycheck examples (New Zealand).
Myth: Regions change your income tax rate.
Fact: New Zealand PAYE is nationwide. Regions do not levy a separate wage income tax on this model — take-home at equal gross matches nationwide before KiwiSaver and student loan settings.
Glossary
- Median wage
- Half of wage/salary earners in the major group (main job) earn more and half earn less. Stats NZ HLFS publishes New Zealand medians by ANZSCO major group — not mean/average.
- ANZSCO
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations — the taxonomy Stats NZ uses so Professionals (2) and Managers (1) stay comparable across surveys. This hub uses major groups (1-digit), not unit groups.
- Weekly→annual (×52)
- Stats NZ publishes weekly medians; we annualize as weekly × 52 (rounded) for ranking and take-home modelling.
- Take-home at median
- Our paycheck model applied to the Stats NZ median gross — nationwide PAYE + ACC earner levy. Baseline opts out of KiwiSaver (0%) and excludes student loan; the KiwiSaver column uses the 3% employee default.
- KiwiSaver (employee)
- Employee KiwiSaver contributions are deducted from pay at the chosen rate (default 3%). Employer contributions are separate and are not subtracted from employee take-home in these columns. Student loan repayments are off in both vignettes.
Who this helps
Career changers
Compare published major-group medians and modeled take-home before committing to a degree or trade path.
Students & parents
See how professionals, managers, trades, and sales medians stack nationally — then open a compare corridor.
Recruiters & coaches
Ground offer conversations in Stats NZ HLFS anchors instead of anecdotal screenshots.
Career salary checklist
- Match the ANZSCO major group to the job posting — Professionals ≠ Technicians and trades workers
- Read the hourly column when comparing salaried roles to hourly offers — annual rank can diverge from hourly
- Check baseline and KiwiSaver take-home columns if you contribute at 3%
- Remember these medians include part-time main-job earners, not full-time-only
- Model your exact offer in the New Zealand paycheck calculator — median vignettes are anchors only
- Pair high medians with training debt and licensing timelines before choosing a path
Common mistakes
- ✕Using national major-group medians as entry-level or senior offers without reading the job's seniority
- ✕Comparing total compensation (base + bonus + employer KiwiSaver) to cash-wage HLFS medians
- ✕Assuming a region of residence changes your income tax rate — New Zealand wage tax is nationwide PAYE
- ✕Assuming the highest median group is best without hours, shift work, or on-call schedules
- ✕Treating HLFS wage/salary medians as sole-trader or contractor income
- ✕Skipping metro tables when the employer names a specific city
vs other salary & tax tools
| Topic | This hub | Related tool |
|---|---|---|
| Output | Stats NZ median wage rank + take-home at median | Metro paycheck examples New Zealand — Major New Zealand cities at NZ$100k |
| KiwiSaver modelling | KiwiSaver column inside take-home | New Zealand paycheck calculator — KiwiSaver, student loan, ACC detail |
| City context | Nationwide Stats NZ medians | Metro paycheck examples — Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch & more |
| Gross from net | Occupation vs occupation | Net to gross calculator — Reverse PAYE from take-home target |
Planning tips
- Cross-check metro paycheck examples (New Zealand) when the offer names a specific city.
- Use the KiwiSaver column when you contribute at the default 3% employee rate.
- Remember employer KiwiSaver is separate — package comparisons should add employer contributions on top of cash wages.
- Open the paycheck calculator with your KiwiSaver rate and student loan — the median vignette is a starting anchor.
- Compare two career groups side-by-side before committing to a multi-year degree or certification path.
Highest paying jobs FAQs
On Stats NZ HLFS June 2025 major-group medians in our table, Professionals lead at $92,768. Sales workers anchor the lower end of this set at $49,400.
Stats NZ HLFS — Earnings from main wage and salary job by occupation (ANZSCO 2006), June 2025. Each major group cites the HLFS earnings-by-occupation dataset (Sex/Age/Ethnic = Total). Take-home uses our 2026 New Zealand paycheck model at the published median.
The KiwiSaver column does (employee 3%). The baseline column models KiwiSaver opted out (0%). Both include nationwide PAYE and ACC earner levy — there is no regional income tax. Neither vignette includes student loan repayments.
No. Stats NZ HLFS earnings from the main wage and salary job cover all wage/salary earners in their main job, including part-time schedules — not a full-time-only cut.
Yes — use the pair picker on this page or open a featured corridor like professionals vs managers. Compare pages show wage gaps, hourly figures, and take-home in both reference scenarios.
Technicians & trades list $69,160 annual ($32.50/hr) while clerical & admin list $67,392 ($34.00/hr). Ranking uses weekly × 52 — longer typical hours can lift annual median even when hourly is lower.
We multiply the Stats NZ weekly median by 52 and round. Hourly figures use Stats NZ–published hourly medians.
Yes — see Highest paying jobs US (BLS OEWS), Highest paying jobs Canada (Job Bank / StatCan), Highest paying jobs UK (ONS ASHE), Highest paying jobs Australia (ABS Employee Earnings), and Highest paying jobs Ireland (CSO SES) for the same ranking, compare, and profile pattern.