Australia · City report

Salaries in Brisbane, QLD

75 careers with observed metro pay in Brisbane — 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
2,780,063

Brisbane salaries sit ~30% below the Australia average

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

Surgeon leads this Brisbane table at $453,000 a year, with Radiologist at $448,000 and Psychiatrist at $415,000. The midpoint of the listed set is Occupational Therapist at $148,000 — 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 2,780,063. 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 Brisbane 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 Brisbane

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 Brisbane cash list

Surgeon: Surgeons perform operations to treat injuries, diseases, and deformities. Observed median here: $453,000. That lead reflects how this metro prices the occupation, not a recommendation to retrain tomorrow.

Average salary by job in Brisbane

JobPer year
SurgeonHealthcare$324,531
RadiologistHealthcare$320,949
PsychiatristHealthcare$297,308
DentistHealthcare$207,041
Corporate AttorneyLegal$197,011
Cloud ArchitectTechnology$191,996
Investment BankerFinance & Business$182,683
Site Reliability EngineerTechnology$171,937
DevOps EngineerTechnology$156,893
Nurse PractitionerHealthcare$155,460
PharmacistHealthcare$154,743
ActuaryFinance & Business$154,743
Physician AssistantHealthcare$151,878
OptometristHealthcare$151,161
Aerospace EngineerEngineering$146,863
Management ConsultantFinance & Business$143,997
Data EngineerTechnology$143,281
Sales ManagerFinance & Business$138,266
PhysicianHealthcare$133,251
VeterinarianHealthcare$128,236
Electrical EngineerEngineering$122,505
School PrincipalEducation$122,505
Chemical EngineerEngineering$121,789
Marketing ManagerFinance & Business$120,356
UX DesignerTechnology$119,640
Project ManagerFinance & Business$118,923
Financial AdvisorFinance & Business$116,057
ProfessorEducation$114,625
Biomedical EngineerEngineering$113,908
PsychologistHealthcare$111,759
Network EngineerTechnology$111,043
Database AdministratorTechnology$110,326
Web DeveloperTechnology$108,177
QA EngineerTechnology$107,461
Operations ManagerFinance & Business$107,461
Industrial EngineerEngineering$107,461
Environmental EngineerEngineering$107,461
Occupational TherapistHealthcare$106,028
Product ManagerTechnology$104,595
Physical TherapistHealthcare$103,879
Business AnalystFinance & Business$103,162
ArchitectCreative$103,162
Data AnalystTechnology$101,729
Data ScientistTechnology$99,580
LawyerLegal$99,580
AI EngineerTechnology$99,580
HR ManagerFinance & Business$98,147
Software EngineerTechnology$95,998
Frontend DeveloperTechnology$95,998
Backend DeveloperTechnology$95,998
Full-Stack DeveloperTechnology$95,998
Systems AdministratorTechnology$94,565
Dental HygienistHealthcare$91,700
Financial AnalystFinance & Business$89,551
AuditorFinance & Business$88,118
RecruiterFinance & Business$88,118
Real Estate AgentFinance & Business$85,969
Mechanical EngineerEngineering$79,521
Civil EngineerEngineering$78,804
ChefSkilled Trades$77,372
PlumberSkilled Trades$76,655
AccountantFinance & Business$74,506
CopywriterCreative$74,506
ElectricianSkilled Trades$72,357
Social Media ManagerCreative$72,357
Video EditorCreative$71,569
ParalegalLegal$70,423
HVAC TechnicianSkilled Trades$69,420
Graphic DesignerCreative$68,918
Registered NurseHealthcare$68,202
IT Support SpecialistTechnology$64,620
TeacherEducation$64,118
CarpenterSkilled Trades$62,327
PhotographerCreative$61,253
WelderSkilled Trades$60,751

Frequently asked questions

Are salaries high in Brisbane, QLD?
Brisbane, QLD 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 Brisbane, QLD?
COL index 100 (100 = US national average). About the baseline.
What is the highest-paying job in Brisbane, QLD?
Of roles with observed data, Surgeon leads at about $453,000 per year.
How many careers have salary data for Brisbane, QLD?
75 careers list observed metro pay in AUD on this hub.
How should I read salaries in Brisbane, QLD?
Compare pay index (0.70) with COL (100), then open a role page for percentiles and take-home. Estimates only — not offers.