We'll begin our survey of wage rates in New Zealand by looking at hourly wages excluding overtime. Salaries data from Statistics NZ show that in the third quarter of 2008 people were earning the wage levels shown below.
New Zealand Average Hourly Earnings
September 2008
| Earnings Classification | Average Hourly Earnings |
| Public sector | $30.77 |
| Private sector | $22.64 |
| Males | $25.76 |
| Females | $22.61 |
| All NZ Employees | $24.33 |
- The average NZ male employee works 37.9 hours per week with an additional 1.2 hours paid overtime to earn $1,010 per week.
- The average NZ female employee works 35.6 hours per week with an additional 0.5 hours paid overtime to earn $816 per week.
For comparison, we've also presented the wages paid during the first half of 2002. The sectors enjoying the biggest pay increases since then have been health / community services, up 34 percent and forestry / mining, up 33 percent.
New Zealand Average Hourly Earnings
(not including overtime)
September 2008
| Employment Sector | Average Hourly Earnings 2008 | Average Hourly Earnings 2002 |
| Accommodation / cafes / restaurants | $15.53 | $12.61 |
| Retail | $16.80 | $13.49 |
| Manufacturing | $22.36 | $18.25 |
| Construction | $22.48 | $17.17 |
| Personal Services | $22.85 | $18.34 |
| Transport / storage / communication | $24.01 | $18.89 |
| Cultural and recreation services | $24.81 | $21.82 |
| Wholesale trade | $24.98 | $20.46 |
| Health and community services | $25.85 | $19.26 |
| Forestry and mining | $26.62 | $19.96 |
| Property and business services | $27.96 | $24.77 |
| Education | $29.66 | $22.66 |
| Government admin. and defence | $31.53 | $24.77 |
| Finance and insurance | $32.79 | $24.81 |
| Electricity, gas and water | $34.14 | $27.45 |
Bear in mind that these are salary-ranges. The bottom of the range would approximate the salary of an inexperienced employee working for a lower paying employer. Top of the range approximates the salary of an experienced employee working with a good employer.
It's likely you'll only be offered work in New Zealand if you're already experienced, so you certainly shouldn't be expecting a salary at the bottom of any of these ranges.
Typical Annual Salaries in New Zealand
| Profession | Average Annual Earnings |
| Accounting Technician | $45,000 - $80,000 |
| Auditor | $55,000 - $100,000+ |
| Bank Manager | $55,000 - $100,000+ |
| Financial Planners | $35,000 - $100,000+ |
| Loss Adjustors | $35,000 - $100,000+ |
| Management Accountant | $40,000 - $100,000+ |
| Teacher | $40,000 - $70,000 |
| Educational Psychologist | $40,000 - $100,000+ |
| Engineer (Chem./Elect.) | $40,000 - $100,000+ |
| Environmental Engineer | $40,000 - $100,000 |
| Road Engineer | $40,000 - $90,000 |
| Elect. Engineer Technician | $40,000 - $90,000 |
| Environmental Scientist | $40,000 - $85,000 |
| Forestry Scientist | $40,000 - $55,000 |
| Industrial Chemist | $45,000 - $100,000+ |
| Computing Services Manager | $50,000 - $150,000+ |
| Systems Analyst | $50,000 - $100,000+ |
| Computer Helpdesk Operator | $30,000 - $60,000 |
| Warehouse Manager | $30,000 - $55,000 |
| Solicitor | $50,000 - $200,000+ |
| Registered Hospital Nurse | $60,000 basic (5 years experience in 2009) |
Chartered accountants' remuneration packages average around $105 - $110,000 in Auckland and Wellington. Elsewhere, CA's might average around $80-85,000. Well qualified, experienced candidates for corporate management work might expect salaries up to $100,000+ p.a.