Australians typically earn six-figure salaries in jobs that do not require a college degree.
From train drivers to diesel mechanics, crane operators, livestock auctioneers and yard workers, new data from Australia’s tax authorities has revealed the occupations with average earnings above $100,000.
Anyone earning a six-figure salary was among the top 17.8 per cent of income earners in 2020-21, with 2,691,226 people in this category of Australia’s 15,134,189 taxpayers.
Someone with a six-figure salary is now among the 44.5 percent or 6,736,313 taxpayers in the $45,000 to $120,000 category where they pay the federal government 32.5 dollar cents on their earnings.
Australians typically earn six-figure salaries in jobs that don’t require a college degree, new data from the IRS shows. Crane operators (stock image) with an average taxable income of $108,073
They fall in the same category as someone with a median taxable income of $68,289, which is slightly above the national median income of $65,000, but below the median full-time salary of $94,000 as measured by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The average taxable incomes were based on salaries minus labor costs.
Station managers were well paid with an average taxable income of $113,579.
No college degree is required for this profession, but the federal government’s Your Career website stated that it was necessary to have “relevant experience to work as a station manager.”
“Although formal qualifications are not essential, vocational training in rail operations management can be useful,” it said, adding that the job was “stressful.”
Train examiners had an average taxable salary of $114,929 in a profession that required vocational training in railroad safety.
Railroad signal operators are typically paid $119,915, while train drivers are paid $127,932 for a job that requires a Certificate IV in Train Driving.
Diesel engine mechanics are also typically paid six-figure salaries with an average income of $100,105, which is significantly higher than $67,147 for a garage mechanic.
Unlike mechanics who work in suburban garages, diesel mechanics often work on mine sites to repair and maintain large dump trucks in an industry that pays well.
Railway signal operators are typically paid $119,915, while train drivers (Queensland Rail employee, pictured) earn $127,932 for a job that requires a Certificate IV in Train Driving
Stock and station auctioneers, who bid for livestock such as cattle, typically earned $113,459 (pictured a cattle auctioneer in Ballarat in central Victoria)
This profession that operates trucks and buses requires a Certificate III in Mechanical Technology for Heavy Duty Vehicles or a Certificate III in Diesel Engine Technology for Automotive.
Those who use the heavy machinery are well paid with crane operators being paid $108,073, in a hazardous job that requires a Heavy Rigid Truck Permit and a Certificate III in Construction Crane Operations.
Miners are also well paid, with an average taxable income of $125,856, compared to paper mill operators with $102,053.
Wharf workers unloading imported cargo in Australia’s ports earn $102,840, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the heated dispute between Patrick Stevedores and the Maritime Union of Australia.
Security consultants earned an average of $107,119, with those in this role advising on design features to repel intruders.
This role requires a Certificate IV in Security and Risk Management.
Stock and station auctioneers, who bid for livestock such as cattle, typically earned $113,459.
This role requires auctioneer accreditation in the state where they practice, along with a station agent license.
Real estate managers earned an average of $124,276, in a profession that required a state license and a Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice.
The job of advising investors on buying homes usually doesn’t make six figures unless a man does it.
Male real estate consultants had an average salary of $112,720, compared to $69,953 for women filling the same role, bringing the overall average for the two genders to $90,213.
It was a similar story for clothing designers with men making an average of $214,170 compared to $74,894 for women.
But in a surprisingly male-dominated profession, women earned more.
Female bulldozer operators had an average taxable income of $100,253, compared to $92,407 for men.
Only 21 women in Australia listed this as their occupation, compared to 541 men, meaning the median income for this job was $92,700.
Police inspectors are typically paid $120,310.
Wharf workers unloading imported cargo in Australia’s ports earn $102,840, with this year marking the 25th anniversary of the heated dispute between Patrick Stevedores and the Maritime Union of Australia (pictured is a Chinese container ship being unloaded in Melbourne)