Wage gap by age — Senior to prime-age wage gap in Australia

Australia: Wage gap by age — Senior to prime-age wage gap was -5.41 Percentage of prime-age employees wage in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
-5.41 Percentage of prime-age employees wage
Change on year
down 671.0%
World rank
17th
of 36 countries
All-time high
8.32 Percentage of prime-age employees wage
in 1991
All-time low
-5.41 Percentage of prime-age employees wage
in 2020
Years of data
44
1975–2020

Wage gap by age — Senior to prime-age wage gap in Australia, 1975–2020

-505101975199720201975: 6.4 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1977: 7.6 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1978: 3.7 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1979: 3.4 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1980: 5.2 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1981: 2.9 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1982: 2.7 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1983: 1.7 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1984: 3.6 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1985: 4.1 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1986: 3.4 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1987: 3.1 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1988: 6.4 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1989: 6.8 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1990: 5.3 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1991: 8.3 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1992: 3.9 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1993: 6.8 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1994: 6.9 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1995: 4.9 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1997: -2.8 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1998: 5.8 Percentage of prime-age employees wage1999: 1.3 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2000: 5.8 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2001: -1.2 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2002: 4 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2003: 2.9 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2004: -0.787 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2005: 2.1 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2006: 0.269 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2007: 2.7 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2008: 0.729 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2009: -2.2 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2010: -1.6 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2011: -2.3 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2012: -1.7 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2013: 0.47 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2014: -1.3 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2015: -4.8 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2016: -4.2 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2017: -3.5 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2018: -1.2 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2019: 0.947 Percentage of prime-age employees wage2020: -5.4 Percentage of prime-age employees wage

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of prime-age employees wage.

Analysis

The most recent figure for wage gap by age — senior to prime-age wage gap in Australia is -5.41 Percentage of prime-age employees wage, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 671.0% on the previous year and down 243.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, wage gap by age — senior to prime-age wage gap in Australia peaked at 8.32 Percentage of prime-age employees wage in 1991 and was at its lowest, -5.41 Percentage of prime-age employees wage, in 2020.

Australia ranks 17th of 36 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 5.29 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 3.45 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 7.61 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 4
1980s 3.99 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 1.72 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 6.82 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 10
1990s 4.47 Percentage of prime-age employees wage -2.83 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 8.32 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 9
2000s 1.43 Percentage of prime-age employees wage -2.23 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 5.84 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 10
2010s -1.92 Percentage of prime-age employees wage -4.76 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 0.9472 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 10
2020s -5.41 Percentage of prime-age employees wage -5.41 Percentage of prime-age employees wage -5.41 Percentage of prime-age employees wage 1

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 14 Germany -3.89 Percentage of prime-age employees wage compare
  2. 15 Finland -4.07 Percentage of prime-age employees wage compare
  3. 16 Denmark -4.83 Percentage of prime-age employees wage compare
  4. 18 Sweden -5.78 Percentage of prime-age employees wage compare
  5. 19 Argentina -6.02 Percentage of prime-age employees wage
  6. 20 Ireland -6.99 Percentage of prime-age employees wage compare

See the full ranking of 44 places →

More work & labour data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is wage gap by age — senior to prime-age wage gap in Australia?
Wage gap by age — senior to prime-age wage gap in Australia was -5.41 Percentage of prime-age employees wage in 2020, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest wage gap by age — senior to prime-age wage gap recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 8.32 Percentage of prime-age employees wage in 1991.
What is the lowest wage gap by age — senior to prime-age wage gap recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was -5.41 Percentage of prime-age employees wage in 2020.
How does Australia rank for wage gap by age — senior to prime-age wage gap?
Australia ranks 17th out of 36 countries with data for 2020.
Is wage gap by age — senior to prime-age wage gap rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is down 243.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Wage gap by age — Senior to prime-age wage gap. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Wage gap by age — Senior to prime-age wage gap in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/wage-gap-by-age-senior-to-prime-age-wage-gap/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Wage gap by age — Senior to prime-age wage gap
Unit
Percentage of prime-age employees wage
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
44 places, 755 data points, 1973–2025
Last refreshed

This dataset contains age wage gaps defined as the difference between mean (median) earnings of 25-54 year-olds and that of 15-24 year-olds (respectively 55-64 year-olds) relative to mean (median) earnings of 25-54 year-olds. Earnings refer to gross earnings of full-time dependent employees unless otherwise indicated.