Low pay rate in Australia
Australia: Low pay rate was 17.68 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Low pay rate in Australia, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Australia recorded 17.68 for low pay rate in 2025.
The figure is down 7.1% on the previous year and up 14.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low pay rate in Australia peaked at 19.03 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1996.
Australia ranks 46th of 84 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Low pay rate in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14.74 | — |
| 1991 | 13.91 | -5.6% |
| 1992 | 13.87 | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 13.17 | -5.0% |
| 1994 | 13.51 | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 13.83 | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1997 | 12.18 | — |
| 1998 | 12.76 | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 14.35 | +12.5% |
| 2000 | 16.36 | +13.9% |
| 2001 | 15.54 | -5.0% |
| 2002 | 15.13 | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 14.92 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 15.45 | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 15.82 | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 15.15 | -4.2% |
| 2007 | 15.97 | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 17.51 | +9.6% |
| 2009 | 14.52 | -17.1% |
| 2010 | 15.98 | +10.1% |
| 2011 | 16.86 | +5.5% |
| 2012 | 17.59 | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 15.88 | -9.7% |
| 2014 | 14.75 | -7.1% |
| 2015 | 15.44 | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 15.63 | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 15.06 | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 15.43 | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 16.52 | +7.0% |
| 2020 | 18.6 | +12.6% |
| 2021 | 17.88 | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 16.67 | -6.7% |
| 2023 | 17.49 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 19.03 | +8.8% |
| 2025 | 17.68 | -7.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.23 | 0 | 14.74 | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.64 | 14.52 | 17.51 | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.91 | 14.75 | 17.59 | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.89 | 16.67 | 19.03 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More gender data for Australia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,759 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.0804 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 149,630 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 157,746 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 150,777 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 158,898 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 151,066 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 159,270 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 151,529 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 159,819 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is low pay rate in Australia?
- Low pay rate in Australia was 17.68 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest low pay rate recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.03 in 2024.
- What is the lowest low pay rate recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1996.
- How does Australia rank for low pay rate?
- Australia ranks 46th out of 84 countries with data for 2025.
- Is low pay rate rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Low pay rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This measure of earnings dispersion refers to the proportion of employees whose hourly earnings at all jobs were less than two-thirds of median hourly earnings. For more information, refer to the Wages and Working Time Statistics (COND) database description.