Government & Defence Salary Guide Australia 2026
Based on 1,289 job listings • trending_up Up 5% this month
Government & Defence salaries sit 34% above the market median of A$80,960 per year across Australia. The middle 50% of earners fall between A$89,641 and A$135,212 per year, a 42% spread around the median.
The number of salary-advertised Government & Defence listings has grown 5% month-on-month. Salaries vary notably across Australia, with Canberra leading at A$121,994 per year while Darwin sits at A$100,347. City of Karratha, Department of Transport and Main Roads QLD and Chandler Macleod are among the top hirers for Government & Defence, offering 87 roles combined.
See how Government & Defence compares to other industries on the industry comparison page.
Salary Distribution
See how Government & Defence salaries are distributed across different pay bands in Australia.
Salaries by City
Compare Government & Defence salaries across major cities in Australia.
Employment Types
Breakdown of Government & Defence positions by employment type.
Related Salary Guides
Top Employers
Companies hiring the most Government & Defence professionals.
About this data
- Based on 1,289 listings with advertised salaries.
- Salaries normalised to annual equivalents.
- Median represents the 50th percentile of advertised pay.
- Data refreshed daily from active job listings.