Career Advice
2024 Salary Guide: Legal
Want to advance your career as a Legal professional?
Here are their salaries for each state:
All salary numbers are in ‘000‘
PRIVATE PRACTICE – TOP TIER | Paralegal | Graduate | 0 – 1 yrs P.A.E | P1 – 2 yrs P.A.E | 2 – 3 yrs P.A.E |
NSW – Sydney | 60 51-89 | 65 60-70 | 70 65-80 | 75 69-87 | 87 81-102 |
VIC – Melbourne | 66 47-71 | 56 52-66 | 65 56-71 | 77 66-87 | 87 77-92 |
QLD – Brisbane | 56 47-77 | 55 55-70 | 63 56-77 | 72 63-87 | 80 77-94 |
WA – Perth | 56 47-77 | 56 56-65 | 63 56-69 | 71 66-81 | 80 77-91 |
ACT – Canberra | 59 47-63 | 59 52-66 | 64 54-69 | 75 66-84 | 86 75-87 |
NZ – Auckland | 56 41-66 | 51 56-61 | 56 49-61 | 61 56-71 | 77 66-87 |
NZ – Christchurch | 51 41-59 | 46 44-51 | 51 46-56 | 56 51-59 | 71 66-82 |
PRIVATE PRACTICE – TOP TIER | 3 – 4 yrs P.A.E | 4 – 5 yrs P.A.E | 5 – 6 yrs P.A.E | 6+ yrs P.A.E |
NSW – Sydney | 102 87-119 | 120 110-138 | 138 122-149 | 158 140-168 |
VIC – Melbourne | 97 82-112 | 107 92-128 | 128 102-148 | 143 122-163 |
QLD – Brisbane | 90 82-107 | 110 89-133 | 121 100-148 | 131 112-167 |
WA – Perth | 90 82-107 | 107 93-125 | 121 102-135 | 131 114-160 |
ACT – Canberra | 102 87-107 | 110 97-122 | 124 108-139 | 133 114-160 |
NZ – Auckland | 90 77-92 | 100 87-112 | 117 92-143 | 128 107-158 |
NZ – Christchurch | 77 71-92 | 92 87-112 | 102 87-128 | 122 97-133 |
PRIVATE PRACTICE – TOP TIER | Senior Associate | Special Counsel | Salaried Partner | Equity Partner |
NSW – Sydney | 187 149-233 | 200+ | 280+ | 700+ |
VIC – Melbourne | 173 143-214 | 200 185-230 | 270+ | 520+ |
QLD – Brisbane | 165 128-130 | 200 183-230 | 250 | 500 |
WA – Perth | 158 140-187 | 200 190-228 | 250 | 500 |
ACT – Canberra | 157 122-197 | 200+ | 250+ | 400+ |
NZ – Auckland | 163 128-194 | 180+ | 190+ | 320+ |
NZ – Christchurch | 143 112-163 | 120+ | 150+ | 250+ |
PRIVATE PRACTICE – MID TIER | Paralegal | Graduate | 0 – 1 yrs P.A.E | 1 – 2 yrs P.A.E | 2 – 3 yrs P.A.E |
NSW – Sydney | 60 50-80 | 60 55-67 | 65 60-71 | 70 65-80 | 80 70-91 |
VIC – Melbourne | 56 47-71 | 52 52-66 | 56 52-71 | 65 56-77 | 74 61-87 |
QLD – Brisbane | 56 51-77 | 52 52-61 | 56<56>56-65 | 65 60-69 | 74 65-80 |
WA – Perth | 56 47-69 | 52 52-60 | 56 56-65 | 65 60-69 | 74 65-80 |
ACT – Canberra | 53 48-58 | 61 56-66 | 62 54-70 | 73 65-82 | 79 70-88 |
NZ – Auckland | 54 41-61 | 49 41-56 | 54 46-61 | 59 52-66 | 71 61-82 |
NZ – Christchurch | 51 41-59 | 46 44-51 | 51 46-56 | 56 51-59 | 71 66-82 |
PRIVATE PRACTICE – MID TIER | 3 – 4 yrs P.A.E | 4 – 5 yrs P.A.E | 5 – 6 yrs P.A.E | 6+ yrs P.A.E |
NSW – Sydney | 92 80-105 | 110 95-125 | 125 107-138 | 137 125-152 |
VIC – Melbourne | 84 71-97 | 102 87-112 | 112 97-133 | 128 102-138 |
QLD – Brisbane | 86 77-94 | 93 87-117 | 107 97-133 | 121 112-143 |
WA – Perth | 88 80-95 | 97 92-121 | 107 102-125 | 121 112-140 |
ACT – Canberra | 88 80-95 | 107 97-117 | 122 108-128 | 125 112-143 |
NZ – Auckland | 77 71-92 | 87 77-102 | 92 77-112 | 112 87-133 |
NZ – Christchurch | 77 71-87 | 82 71-97 | 87 71-102 | 102 82-102 |
PRIVATE PRACTICE – MID TIER | Senior Associate | Special Counsel | Salaried Partner | Equity Partner |
NSW – Sydney | 160 140-185 | 183+ | 230+ | 300+ |
VIC – Melbourne | 140 128-168 | 180 160-200 | 220+ | 290+ |
QLD – Brisbane | 140 128-167 | 169 155-183 | 230 | 280 |
WA – Perth | 140 131-167 | 169 155-183 | 220 | 274 |
ACT – Canberra | 140 125-150 | 160+ | 200+ | 300+< |
NZ – Auckland | 133 102-163 | 140+ | 150+ | 200+ |
NZ – Christchurch | 112 102-133 | 115+ | 125+ | a130+ |
PRIVATE PRACTICE – SMALL PRACTICES | Paralegal | Graduate | 0 – 1 yrs P.A.E | 1 – 2 yrs P.A.E | 2-3 yrs P.A.E |
NSW – Sydney | 50 47-69 | 55 52-60 | 58 53-65 | 60 55-74 | 70 60-84 |
VIC – Melbourne | 47 47-61 | 52 52-53 | 57 53-61 | 60 54-66 | 61 55-82 |
QLD – Brisbane | 50 46-77 | 53 52-55 | 57<56>53-61 | 55 54-65 | 65 60-77 |
WA – Perth | 47 47-60 | 52 52-53 | 54 53-56 | 54 54-65 | 60 56-80 |
ACT – Canberra | 52 47-57 | 54 52-63 | 59 54-63 | 68 63-72 | 77 69-85 |
NZ – Auckland | 51 41-61 | 49 41-56 | 53 41-56 | 56 46-61 | 63 51-71 |
NZ – Christchurch | 51 41-56 | 46 49-51 | 51 43-56 | 51 46-59 | 61 56-71 |
PRIVATE PRACTICE – SMALL PRACTICES | 3 – 4 yrs P.A.E | 4 – 5 yrs P.A.E | 5 – 6 yrs P.A.E | 6+ yrs P.A.E |
NSW – Sydney | 82 70-95 | 95 82-115 | 110 95-125 | 125 110-138 |
VIC – Melbourne | 77 66-92 | 77 71-102 | 92 87-112 | 107 97-133 |
QLD – Brisbane | 77 69-90 | 77 77-102 | 95<56>82-112 | 98 87-133 |
WA – Perth | 74 69-84 | 77 68-93 | 85 81-111 | 98 81-119 |
ACT – Canberra | 85 78-93 | 91 86-116 | 102 97-107 | 121 107-135 |
NZ – Auckland | 71 56-82 | 91 86-116 | 102 97-107 | 121 107-135 |
NZ – Christchurch | 71 66-82 | 71 66-82 | 77 71-87 | 92 82-102 |
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Back to the Main Australia Salary Guide.
Source: HAYS