Australia · City report

Salaries in Adelaide, SA

75 careers with observed metro pay in Adelaide — about 30% below the Australia average. Figures in AUD.

Showing amounts in USD (USD default; source data is AUD). FX as of Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies

Pay index (Australia)
70
100 = national average
Cost of living
100
100 = US national average
Metro population
1,469,163

Adelaide salaries sit ~30% below the Australia average

Adelaide, SA lists 75 careers with observed metro percentiles in AUD. Pay index 0.70 (30% below national); COL 100 vs a US baseline of 100.

Radiologist leads this Adelaide table at $403,000 a year, with Surgeon at $392,000 and Psychiatrist at $370,000. The midpoint of the listed set is Physical Therapist at $132,000 — a better “typical covered career here” than row #1 alone. Top-of-list mix: 5 healthcare, 3 technology, and 1 legal.

Population in the dataset is about 1,469,163. Larger labour markets usually support wider industry mix; smaller ones can look “high paying” on one clinical or tech title and thin everywhere else. Skills lists and occupation assessments gate several of the best-paid covered roles.

Australia shows about 2.9% CPI in 2025. Open a role’s Adelaide salary page for p10–p90, take-home, and rent models — this hub is the directory. Missing careers may still have a national Australia page even when this metro lacks observed percentiles.

Reading pay and COL together in Adelaide

Use pay index (0.70) for wage level vs Australia, and COL (100) for prices. High on both is not the same as high real leftover.

Figures are observed metro medians where listed, in AUD, gross. They are market estimates — not a promise from any one employer.

What tops the Adelaide cash list

Radiologist: Radiologists interpret medical images to diagnose and guide treatment of disease. Observed median here: $403,000. That lead reflects how this metro prices the occupation, not a recommendation to retrain tomorrow.

Average salary by job in Adelaide

JobPer year
RadiologistHealthcare$288,711
SurgeonHealthcare$280,830
PsychiatristHealthcare$265,070
DentistHealthcare$187,698
Cloud ArchitectTechnology$174,803
Corporate AttorneyLegal$168,355
Investment BankerFinance & Business$162,624
Site Reliability EngineerTechnology$151,878
DevOps EngineerTechnology$136,117
Physician AssistantHealthcare$135,400
ActuaryFinance & Business$135,400
PharmacistHealthcare$133,251
Nurse PractitionerHealthcare$132,535
OptometristHealthcare$132,535
Aerospace EngineerEngineering$129,669
Data EngineerTechnology$127,520
Management ConsultantFinance & Business$125,371
Sales ManagerFinance & Business$123,938
PhysicianHealthcare$118,923
VeterinarianHealthcare$114,625
Chemical EngineerEngineering$114,625
School PrincipalEducation$111,043
Electrical EngineerEngineering$110,326
Marketing ManagerFinance & Business$106,744
UX DesignerTechnology$104,595
Project ManagerFinance & Business$104,595
Financial AdvisorFinance & Business$104,595
Database AdministratorTechnology$102,446
Biomedical EngineerEngineering$102,446
ProfessorEducation$100,297
PsychologistHealthcare$100,297
Network EngineerTechnology$98,864
Web DeveloperTechnology$96,715
QA EngineerTechnology$95,998
Industrial EngineerEngineering$95,998
Environmental EngineerEngineering$95,998
Operations ManagerFinance & Business$95,282
Physical TherapistHealthcare$94,565
ArchitectCreative$94,565
Product ManagerTechnology$93,133
Occupational TherapistHealthcare$90,267
Data ScientistTechnology$89,551
LawyerLegal$89,551
AI EngineerTechnology$89,551
Data AnalystTechnology$88,834
Business AnalystFinance & Business$88,834
Software EngineerTechnology$85,969
Frontend DeveloperTechnology$85,969
Backend DeveloperTechnology$85,969
Full-Stack DeveloperTechnology$85,969
HR ManagerFinance & Business$85,969
Dental HygienistHealthcare$84,536
Systems AdministratorTechnology$83,819
RecruiterFinance & Business$80,954
Financial AnalystFinance & Business$80,237
AuditorFinance & Business$78,088
Real Estate AgentFinance & Business$75,222
ChefSkilled Trades$71,640
Mechanical EngineerEngineering$71,569
Civil EngineerEngineering$70,494
ElectricianSkilled Trades$68,632
CopywriterCreative$68,202
AccountantFinance & Business$67,055
PlumberSkilled Trades$65,551
HVAC TechnicianSkilled Trades$63,975
Video EditorCreative$63,832
Social Media ManagerCreative$63,832
ParalegalLegal$62,112
Registered NurseHealthcare$61,109
TeacherEducation$60,751
Graphic DesignerCreative$60,465
IT Support SpecialistTechnology$57,026
CarpenterSkilled Trades$56,238
WelderSkilled Trades$55,593
PhotographerCreative$55,091

Frequently asked questions

Are salaries high in Adelaide, SA?
Adelaide, SA pays about 30% below the Australia average (pay index 0.70). High cash is not the same as high leftover after COL 100.
What is the cost of living in Adelaide, SA?
COL index 100 (100 = US national average). About the baseline.
What is the highest-paying job in Adelaide, SA?
Of roles with observed data, Radiologist leads at about $403,000 per year.
How many careers have salary data for Adelaide, SA?
75 careers list observed metro pay in AUD on this hub.
How should I read salaries in Adelaide, SA?
Compare pay index (0.70) with COL (100), then open a role page for percentiles and take-home. Estimates only — not offers.