Stores like Costco, Nordstrom, Apple, and Trader Joe's often pay well, with Costco noted for its high average wages and benefits, while high-paying retail roles include management, loss prevention, and specialized positions like Apple Genius or District Managers, emphasizing that pay varies significantly by position and retailer.
Top 10 Highest Paying Retail Jobs 2026 (Inc Salaries)
Retail & Consumer Goods – Highest paying
Jobs paying $500k+ in Australia are primarily in highly specialized fields like Medical Specialists (surgeons, anaesthetists), Senior Finance/Executive Roles (CFO, Head of Treasury, Investment Directors), and high-end Sales & Construction Management (Elite Stockbrokers, Senior Project Managers/Estimators in complex sectors). While roles like Neurosurgeon and Ophthalmologist average well over $500k, achieving this in other sectors often involves performance-based bonuses or leading major projects, with opportunities listed on job boards like SEEK and Jora.
Average IGA hourly pay ranges from approximately $26.64 per hour for Warehouse Worker to $42.93 per hour for Grocery Associate. The average IGA salary ranges from approximately $66,681 per year for Store Manager to $70,410 per year for Butcher. Salary estimated from 67 past and present job postings on Indeed.
Coles hourly rates vary by role, age, and penalty rates (weekends/nights), with general Team Members averaging around $28-$30/hour, but can range from casual junior rates (e.g., ~$18/hr) up to adult rates of over $30/hour for standard shifts, plus higher weekend/night penalties (e.g., $32-$40+/hr) and allowances, as wages are set by awards.
You can earn an excellent pay rate of at least $40 per hour without needing a specific degree like an undergraduate degree or a master's degree. Employers may appreciate candidates with the right skill set and who can show a history of hard work.
Yes, $100k is generally considered a strong salary in Australia, placing you above the average (which hovers around $90k-$108k for full-time, but median is lower) and allowing for a comfortable life, though its impact depends heavily on location (major city vs. regional) and personal expenses like housing and dependents, as high living costs in cities like Sydney can stretch this income further than in regional areas.
No experience $100,000 jobs
Here are some of the lowest-paid jobs in Australia:
12 Of The Best Retail Jobs
Yes, $36 an hour (around $75k annually) is a solid wage in Australia, generally considered good as it's above the minimum wage and near or slightly above the median earnings for many full-time roles, providing a comfortable living, though it's below the average for higher-paid professionals, depending on location and lifestyle needs.
According to a Retail Gazette report from early 2023, illustrative hourly pay rates for in store staff at the following major retailers were:
High Paying Retail Cashier Jobs
There's no single #1 happiest job universally, but Firefighters consistently rank high for job satisfaction due to their sense of purpose, while Care Workers, Counsellors, Content Creators, and IT roles (Java Devs, Systems Analysts) also appear frequently on "happiest" lists for fulfillment, autonomy, or good pay/balance. Overall, jobs with meaning, helping others, nature connection, strong coworker bonds, or good work-life balance tend to be cited as happiest.
The "easiest" high-paying jobs often involve leveraging existing skills (like sales or IT) or finding niches like insurance broking, high-level tech roles (remote/deliverable-focused), sales, truck driving, personal training, or specialized roles like medical coding or elevator mechanics, balancing ease with good income depends on your definition of easy (low stress, low formal education, or flexible) and industry demand. Roles like sales representative, IT support, or even transcription can offer good returns, especially when remote or freelance, but building up clients or expertise is key to high earnings.
Most Americans Earn Far Less Than $100k
According to last year's YouGov data, only 18% of U.S. adults earn more than $100,000 annually. And the biggest earners are mostly men—25%—and those aged 35 to 44—25%. For comparison, just 12% of women make six figures.
The average Australian full-time worker is now earning more than $2000 a week for the first time in history. New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show the average ordinary full-time weekly earnings for adults hit $2011.40 before tax in May.
A single adult earning less than $80,000 per year cannot afford to live comfortably in a single U.S. state, a new report found. The report, released by SmartAsset on June 4, also revealed that families of four must earn more than $200,000 to live comfortably in nearly every state.
High-paying jobs in Australia without a degree often involve skilled trades (electrician, plumber), technology (ethical hacker, ICT Manager), management (Construction Manager, HR Manager, Sales Manager), and specialized roles (Air Traffic Controller, Pilot, Drillers/Miners), relying on certificates, apprenticeships, or on-the-job training for high earning potential.
Neutral and informative: “For context, $80k a year works out to about $38.50 an hour on a 40-hour workweek. I'm open to discussing total compensation and benefits that affect the overall package.”
The living wage is the wage or annual income that covers the cost of the bare necessities of life for a worker and his/her family. These necessities include housing, transportation, food, childcare, health care, and payment of taxes.
An hourly rate of $50 equates to a yearly salary of $104,000.00, assuming you work 40 hours per week.