Secretary salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a secretary is $84,600 per annum, before tax, up $17,900 since 2018.
Pay depends heavily on the industry and on how much responsibility the role carries, so a secretary supporting a team in a large professional services firm usually earns more than one in a small business. Some employers pay above the award through an enterprise agreement, and specialised roles in law or medicine sit higher because of the knowledge they require. Moving into an executive assistant or office manager role is the usual way earnings grow from here.
Roles that pay more than secretary
The largest typical pay rise is $24,800 a year, moving into Company Secretary.
- Company Secretary+$24,800/yr
- Personal Assistant+$10,700/yr
- Executive Assistant+$10,700/yr
How to negotiate a higher secretary salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time secretary salary is $84,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Company Secretary pays a typical $24,800 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."
Secretary salary questions
How much do secretarys earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a secretary is $84,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is secretary pay rising or falling?
The median secretary salary is up $17,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than secretary?
Company Secretary pays a typical $24,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to secretary.