The total value of wage and salary income paid to individuals has increased from $66.1 billion in 2005 to $194.4 billion in 2025. Between 2024 and 2025 the total value of wages and salaries paid to individuals has increased by $4.5 billion (2.4%), a slower pace than an 8.3% increase in the previous year. The modest growth in 2025 reflects a 1.6% decline in employment, partially offset by a 4.0% increase in the average wage and salary .
The graph above shows the general increase in wage and salary income over time. The effect of annual wage and salary increases can be seen in this graph as a rightwards movement of the curve over time, with the peak of the total wages and salaries increasing from $38,000 in 2005, to $46,000 in 2015, and to $70,000 in 2025. This indicates a greater number of individuals across higher wage and salary income bands.