Do you have trouble finding information on Australian project manager salary? There are many websites with “Australian salary” in their domain. Some of them have project managers listed on their site, however, when you actually look at these project manager salaries you find that they are not Australian salaries after all.
INTRODUCTION
A person working as a Project Manager in Australia typically earns around 104,000 AUD per year. Salaries range from 48,900 AUD (lowest) to 164,000 AUD (highest).
This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Project Manager salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
- Salary RangeProject Manager salaries in Australia range from 48,900 AUD per year (minimum salary) to 164,000 AUD per year (maximum salary).
- Median SalaryThe median salary is 110,000 AUD per year, which means that half (50%) of people working as Project Manager(s) are earning less than 110,000 AUD while the other half are earning more than 110,000 AUD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
- PercentilesClosely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Project Manager(s) are earning less than 71,600 AUD while 75% of them are earning more than 71,600 AUD. Also from the diagram, 75% of Project Manager(s) are earning less than 145,000 AUD while 25% are earning more than 145,000 AUD.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
How does experience and age affect your pay?
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Project Manager salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Project Manager with less than two years of experience makes approximately 56,400 AUD per year.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 77,700 AUD per year, 38% more than someone with less than two year’s experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 111,000 AUD per year, 42% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Project Manager(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 135,000 AUD per year, 22% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 142,000 AUD per year, 6% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 155,000 AUD per year, 9% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Project Manager Bonus and Incentive Rates in Australia
A Project Manager is considered to be a high bonus-based job due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.15% of surveyed staff reported that they haven’t received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 85% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 5% to 9% of their annual salary.
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
The most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.Company Performance Bonuses
Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.Goal-Based Bonuses
Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
Bonuses Are Not Commissions!
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
Project Manager Salary in Australia
The role of a project manager can be very rewarding, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. In order to ensure that you are able to provide your team with the best possible experience, it is important that you are aware of the salary expectations for this position in Australia.
Project Manager Salaries in Australia
The average project manager salary in Australia is AU$96,000 per year or AU$48 per hour. This is an increase from 3% over the last year and shows that there is still room for growth within this field. However, this does depend on what kind of project management experience you have under your belt. For example, if you have 5 years’ worth of experience as a project manager then you could expect to earn anywhere between AU$52,000 and AU$69,000 per year (or AU$26-$34 per hour). If you have 10 years’ worth then expect to earn anywhere between AU$100k – $150k per year (or AU$50-$75 per hour).
Conclusion
According to the article, project managers should expect a salary increase when they are certified. Whether or not this is true for project managers in Australia, certification can help job seekers in any field as a way to prove their competency and credentials.
