The most recent set of income statisticsfrom the Australian Tax Office (ATO) lists the top 10 occupations by average taxable income for the 2018–19 income year. Our favourite aspect of these findings is insight it gives into the highest-paying occupations.

There are no real surprises when it comes to these top salaries, however, the number of people in the profession and income has significantly shifted in some cases. The medical, finance and engineering industries dominate the top 10, while hospitality and cleaning occupations ranked lowest.

The top 10 highest-paying jobs in Australia

1. Surgeons

The average taxable income of a surgeon in Australia is AUD$394,303.

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2. Anaesthetists

The average taxable wage of and anaesthetist in Australia is AUD$386,065.

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3. Internal medicine specialists

This field includes paediatricians, cardiologists, clinical haematologists, endocrinologists, oncologists, neurologists, rheumatologists, intensive care specialists, gastroenterologist and more. The average annual income of these professions is AUD$304,752.

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4. Financial dealers

Financial dealers in Australia earn an average taxable income of AUD$275,984.

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• Learn more about the career of a finance dealer

5. Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists in Australia earn an average taxable income of AUD$235,558.

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6. Other medical practitioners

This is another very broad category. It includes other medical practitioners in Australia that have not been mentioned above — these workers earn an average of AUD$222,933.

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7. Judicial and other legal professionals

The legal industry includes a cluster of related legal professions — in Australia, they earn an average taxable income of AUD$188,798.

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8. Mining engineers

Mining engineers in Australia earn an average taxable income of AUD$184,507.

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9. CEO and managing directors

This category refers to people working in executive management in companies of all sizes. The average annual income for this category in Australia is AUD$164,896.

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10. Engineering managers

Engineering managers in Australia earn an average taxable income of AUD$159,940.

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• Learn more about becoming an engineering manager