WGEA report highlights narrowing gender pay gap

In the lead-up to International Women’s Day, WGEA’s Employer Gender Pay Gaps Report finds more employer gender pay gaps are smaller today than they were a year ago.

Overall, the number of employers with a gender pay gap in the target range of plus or minus 5 per cent has also increased.

Employers in high-paying, male-dominated industries were more likely to have the largest gaps, while large differences in discretionary payments, like performances bonuses and overtime hours, remain a key driver of many employer gender pay gaps.

Key findings

• In the past year, broad collective action by employers has seen the size of employer gender pay gaps reduce. WGEA’s analysis shows half of employers have an average total remuneration gender pay gap smaller than 11.2 per cent (down 0.9pp)
• More employers have a gender pay gap in the target range of +/-5 per cent (22.5 per cent, up from 21.4 per cent in 2023-24)
• There’s more women in high-paid roles (up 1pp), but men are still 1.8 times more likely than women to be in the upper quartile of earners on an average salary of $221,000. On the other hand, women are 1.4 times more likely than men to be in the lowest quartile of earners (down 1pp) on an average salary of about $60,000 a year
• More employers each year are conducting a gender pay gap analysis and consulting their employees on gender equality to inform their decisions around improving performance.

WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge said the publication of employer gender pay gaps has motivated employers to act on gender equality after progress had previously stalled.

“Many employers have told us publishing their information has helped them prioritise fairness and equality and led to deeper engagement from the C-Suite and Board,” she said.

“Results since 2024 show more employers now analyse how managers recruit employees, decide their pay and performance bonuses and determine promotions. Many are also looking past composition and pay to examine women and men’s different experiences of access to parental leave, flexible working arrangements or safety in the workplace.”

However, Ms Wooldridge added that the fact that men are nearly twice as likely as women to be in the highest paid roles and that women still dominate the lowest paid roles shows that Australia still has work to do to achieve gender equality.

“Employers should treat gender equality like their other business goals. Do a detailed analysis to find the issues, create an action plan to address them and set targets to be accountable for ensuring progress happens,” she said.

“Progress on gender equality benefits workers, families, employers and the Australian economy as a whole.”

Publishing employer gender pay gaps is part of a suite of WGEA reforms designed to accelerate positive change.

Shortly, large employers will select and commit to achieve 3 Gender Equality Targets over the next 3 years, in a world-first initiative requiring demonstrated improvement in outcomes.

Read the full report and find the full list of employer results on the WGEA website.

Nearly 5.9 million Australian workers can use WGEA’s Data Explorer to access their employer’s gender pay gap. For the first time, Commonwealth public sector employer gender pay gaps have been released at the same time as the private sector.

Victorian Chamber citation

The Victorian Chamber has retained WGEA’s Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation for 2026, recognising an employer’s active commitment to achieving gender equality in Australian workplaces.

Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Sally Curtain said: “We are proud to retain our Workplace Gender Equality Citation which reflects sustained, measurable progress in building a workplace where equality and inclusion are genuinely lived values.

“Our Gender Equity Plan continues to guide our work to close the pay gap, strengthen gender balance in leadership and ensure opportunity is accessible to all, and our staff feedback consistently shows this is being felt across the organisation.

“Over the past year we have also stepped into a national leadership role, supporting chambers across Australia to deliver the Chamber Change: Small Business program and champion women in entrepreneurship, while contributing to policy reform through the State Government’s Equal Workplaces Advisory Council.

“Retaining this citation demonstrates that progress on gender equality is not a one-off achievement – it requires ongoing action, accountability and a willingness to lead by example.”