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Company Secretary salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a company secretary is $109,400 per annum, before tax, up $23,300 since 2018.
Pay moves most with the size and type of organisation, with listed companies and financial services firms generally paying more than small private companies and not-for-profits. A role that combines company secretarial duties with legal, risk or finance responsibility usually pays more than a standalone one, and part-time arrangements are common, so advertised figures are sometimes pro rata. A governance qualification and experience answering directly to a board carry the most weight.
Roles that pay more than company secretary
The largest typical pay rise is $72,600 a year, moving into Chief Executive Officer.
- Chief Executive Officer+$72,600/yr
- General Manager+$38,800/yr
- Non-Executive Director+$36,200/yr
How to negotiate a higher company secretary salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time company secretary salary is $109,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Company Secretarys are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Regulatory compliance and Risk and internal controls tend to command a premium over general company secretary experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chief Executive Officer pays a typical $72,600 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Company Secretary salary questions
How much do company secretarys earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a company secretary is $109,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is company secretary pay rising or falling?
The median company secretary salary is up $23,300 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than company secretary?
Chief Executive Officer pays a typical $72,600 a year more and draws on similar skills to company secretary.