Engineering managers in their late 30s are Australia’s best-paid workers according to news.com.au. With an average annual salary of $136,700, they earn more than general managers and financial dealers. Others earning big money include anaesthetists, surgeons, MPs and dentists, a survey shows. By contrast, florists are doing it tough on an average $493 a week, as are pharmacy sales assistants ($518), fast food cooks ($520) and livestock farmers ($523).

 

It is good to know what salary a student can expect before choosing your field of study. Some courses at colleges or university lead to higher paying carreers than others, while your investment is similar. The survey, `What Jobs Pay`, is based on ABS data collated by labour analyst Rodney Stinson. The figures show average pre-tax earnings, including overtime and allowances. Mr Stinson said the top job of engineering manager was a new classification linked to construction and mining.

"This has come out of the blue," he said. "A decade ago, the only mining employees in the top 10 were young geologists and geophysicists, who were putting in very long hours in the field." Mr Stinson said the incomes of medical and legal professionals tended to be underestimated due to tax minimisation options open to the self-employed. "Also, with regard to the best-paid occupations, their averages are considered to be lower than might be expected because of the income cut-off (of $2000-plus a week) for the highest-earning Census and survey respondents," he said. Mr Stinson said the growth of the security industry showed that people with very basic qualifications could command high wages.

 

For example, security "consultants" get an average $1813 a week, more than electrical engineers and school principals. Mr Stinson said the ABS data under-estimated the pay for jobs such as hairdressing ($555) and flower-selling ($493). "People in these jobs are obviously not telling the truth. The figures are unbelievable," he said. Mr Stinson said cash payments not declared by employees were a big factor. Highest earners: engineering manager ($2562), general manager ($2276), research and development manager ($2172), financial dealer ($1976), anaesthetist ($1957), mining engineer ($1955), surgeon ($1953), legislator ($1950), psychiatrist ($1909), internal medicine specialist ($1897). Lowest earners: florist ($493), pharmacy sales assistant ($518), fast food cook ($520), livestock farmer ($523), cafe worker ($523), cook ($539), waiter ($541), mixed crop and livestock farmer ($543), checkout operator, office cashier ($546), sewing machinist ($554).