Trade Me reveals 15 sectors with biggest pay increases

Average salaries have increased across 15 industries in the third quarter of 2023, Trade Me says, with pharmacists seeing the biggest pay day.

It comes as the number of Kiwis applying for jobs on Trade Me spiked 88% over the past six months compared to the same time last year.

Trade Me Jobs sales director Matt Tolich said it was the most applications the site had seen since 2018.

It comes as the average salary in New Zealand broke another record in the July-September quarter of this year, rising nearly $5500 on the same time last year to reach $71,820.

“For the past 12 months we have seen the national average salary break record after record as employers are forced to put more money on the table to help Kiwis combat the rising cost of living,” Tolich said.

“In the third quarter of 2023, we saw an 8% annual increase in average salary which is slightly higher than the latest inflation figures from Stats NZ at 6%.”

Every region in the country hit a record average salary in the third quarter of 2023, with all seeing an average pay rise between 9-10% on the same time last year.

The largest annual salary growth was in Wellington ($76,041), followed by Southland ($70,106), Otago ($70,977), Canterbury ($70,404), and Marlborough ($70,039).

“It’s no longer only Auckland and Wellington to hold the title as the $70,000 regions. Several regions broke the $70,000 mark for the first time last quarter, including Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne, Marlborough, Otago, Southland and Taranaki,” Tolich said.

In the last quarter, the site also saw record salaries across 15 of the 25 industries monitored by Trade Me Jobs.

The largest increases by sector were seen in healthcare (up 10% on last year to $70,649); trades and services (up 9% to $71,283); manufacturing and operations (up 9% to $62,859); education (up 8% to $69,487); and hospitality and tourism (up 8% to $61,607).

“These industries really are the backbone of Aotearoa – they’re our builders, teachers, chefs and factory workers – and it’s great to see these Kiwis being recognised for the contribution they make.”

New record salaries were also seen in accounting; automotive, construction and roading; customer service; engineering; human resources and recruitment; marketing in media and communications; office and administration; retail and sales; and transport and logistics.

The jobs which saw the most applications in September were dominated by hands-on workers and caregivers, followed by drivers and couriers, farmers, store persons and housekeepers.

“Looking at roles that have seen the largest annual percentage increase in salary, it was a mixed bag of blue- and white-collar workers.”

Pharmacists saw the largest average salary increase, rising 20% from $63,252 to $76,155; followed by estimators in construction and roading, which jumped 19% to $114,872.

Psychologists and counsellors, meanwhile, saw an 18% bump in average pay to $84,797; while roofers saw a 17% jump in salary to $81,516.

Telecommunications also saw a 17% salary increase to $85,728.

However, uncertainty around the general election has seen some employers reluctant to hire.

Job listings were down 7.9% in the third quarter of 2023 when compared with the previous quarter.

“This behaviour isn’t surprising and, with our data going right back to 2009, is typical with almost every general election as businesses wait to see how the cards fall,” he said.

Tolich said with job listings down and applications up, now is a great time to be hiring.

“No matter what the outcome of the general election is, we expect job listings to bounce back in November and into the New Year.”