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 first quarter of 2012 people were earning the wage levels shown below.
New Zealand Average Hourly Earnings
New Zealand Average Hourly Earnings
March 2012
| Earnings Classification |
Average Hourly Earnings |
| Public sector | $34.76 |
| Private sector | $27.18 |
| Males | $28.61 |
| Females | $24.91 |
| All NZ Employees | $26.92 |
- The average weekly earnings for a full-time NZ public sector employee is $1312 in ordinary earnings, rising to $1333 including overtime.
- The average weekly earnings for a full-time NZ private sector employee is $926.15 in ordinary earnings, rising to $1032 including overtime.
Here is a link to advertised salaries for jobs in different locations in New Zealand.
Now to look at a selection of typical annual salary ranges in New Zealand.
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) |
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To discover whether your skills are in demand, The Immigration Service publishes regularly updated lists: