Women surfers earn more than men — making them one of just 80 occupations where that happens, Australia's latest tax statistics show.
Fast food cooks, receptionists, furniture removalists, movie projectionists and goat farmers are also among the few occupations where women had higher taxable incomes than men.
On the flip side, men out-earn women in more than 1,000 different occupations: medical specialists see the largest pay gap.
As with all data, it's worth keeping in mind the fine print:
- The data covers the 2015-16 financial year and was released by the Australian Tax Office today.
- These figures look at the earnings of 16 million Australians, based on what they declare on their tax returns, including what job they work in.
- The data does not take into account whether someone is working part-time or full-time; therefore if more women than men in a given occupation work part-time, for example, that affects the averages.
Doctors and sportspeople have biggest gender gap
The biggest discrepancy between male and female taxable incomes was for doctors, particularly eye specialists and ear, nose and throat specialists, where men's taxable incomes were more than $300,000 higher than women, on average.
Male cricketers had taxable incomes $270,000 higher than women cricketers.
There can be multiple different explanations for the various earnings differences. For example:
- There are 215 men who declare making their living as cricketers, and many of these likely play at state and lower levels of the game, pulling down the average. By comparison, there are only 47 women in that occupation group, meaning a higher proportion of those are likely to be in the national side and lifting their average closer to men.
- These figures also represent "taxable income", which is a person's income after all tax deductions have been removed from their total income. Those deductions can include net rent losses or gains, deductions for specific occupations and gifts and donations. The total income of different occupation groups could look quite different.
Overall, surgeons had the highest taxable incomes, at $393,467, followed by anaesthetists, internal medicine specialists and financial dealers.
Women futures traders and surfers turn the tables
The greatest difference in female versus male average taxable income was for an occupation category the ATO labelled "state governors", but which is defined more broadly as "legislators not classified under other occupations", and which includes Aboriginal Community Council Members and Aboriginal Land Councillors.
Six women and 19 men listed that category as their occupation, with the women having taxable incomes of $286,676 and the men $169,148.
Female futures traders had an average taxable income of $388,681 compared with $300,923.
The 22 female surfers ($68,178) had higher taxable incomes than the 81 male surfers ($40,396).
And the 18 female goat farmers ($66,127) earn more than their 22 male counterparts ($44,495).
Highest average incomes are in Sydney's eastern suburbs
Overall, the suburbs of Edgecliff, Darling Point and Point Piper (making up the 2027 postcode) in Sydney's east had the highest average taxable income, followed by Hawksburn and Toorak in Melbourne (3142 postcode).
There was little change in the top average taxable incomes by postcode or occupation compared with the 2014-15 tax statistics.
Full list: All 80 occupations where women have higher taxable incomes
| Occupation | No. of women | Average taxable income ($) | No. of men | Average taxable income ($) | Difference ($) |
| State governor | 6 | 286,676 | 19 | 169148 | 117,528 |
| Broker - futures trader; Futures trader | 23 | 388,681 | 268 | 300923 | 87,758 |
| Gymnast; Sportsperson - gymnast | 11 | 81,354 | 4 | 31339 | 50,015 |
| Bulldozer operator | 4 | 106,899 | 440 | 76283 | 30,616 |
| Sportsperson - surfer; Surfer | 22 | 68,178 | 81 | 40396 | 27,782 |
| Master fisher | 12 | 110,385 | 306 | 83644 | 26,741 |
| Apprentice - forestry; Trainee - forestry | 5 | 53,413 | 41 | 29484 | 23,929 |
| Farmer/farm overseer - goats; Goat farmer or farm overseer | 18 | 66,127 | 22 | 44495 | 21,632 |
| Apprentice - autoglazier; Trainee - autoglazier | 4 | 56,072 | 148 | 34891 | 21,181 |
| Saw sharpener; Saw doctor | 36 | 84,464 | 275 | 64616 | 19,848 |
| Magistrate | 199 | 265,478 | 337 | 251713 | 13,765 |
| Sand-blaster | 4 | 91,570 | 1314 | 77973 | 13,597 |
| Apprentice - automotive electrician; Trainee - automotive electrician | 38 | 51,816 | 821 | 38752 | 13,064 |
| Apprentice - beauty therapist; Trainee - beauty therapist | 263 | 25,741 | 6 | 13672 | 12,069 |
| Conservator; Scientist - conservator | 272 | 59,529 | 149 | 48008 | 11,521 |
| Apprentice - electronics tradesperson; Trainee - electronics tradesperson | 22 | 53,561 | 581 | 44292 | 9,269 |
| Director - film and video editor; Editor - film, video or television; Film editor; Video editor | 989 | 80,226 | 2525 | 71495 | 8,731 |
| Registrar - legal - type not specified | 5 | 105,726 | 4 | 97638 | 8,088 |
| Apprentice - electrician; Trainee - electrician | 552 | 49,208 | 20103 | 42027 | 7,181 |
| Therapist - type not specified | 109 | 25,798 | 5 | 18860 | 6,938 |
| Driver - furniture removalist; Furniture packer; Furniture removalist - driver; Packer - furniture; Removalist | 414 | 43,695 | 5704 | 36812 | 6,883 |
| Medical receptionist; Medical secretary; Receptionist - medical; Secretary - medical | 39,889 | 38,606 | 784 | 31991 | 6,615 |
| Apprentice - security and correctional services; Trainee - security and correctional services | 30 | 64,306 | 96 | 57732 | 6,574 |
| Paving plant operator; Plant operator - paving plant | 6 | 77,985 | 399 | 71647 | 6,338 |
| Bookkeeper; Registrar - school | 35,269 | 48,404 | 2886 | 42453 | 5,951 |
| Receptionist - general | 61,742 | 35,991 | 1961 | 30348 | 5,643 |
| Programmer - type not specified | 18 | 54,511 | 66 | 49081 | 5,430 |
| Apprentice - shearer; Trainee - shearer | 9 | 30,307 | 42 | 25600 | 4,707 |
| Dishwasher; Food preparation assistant; Hospitality employee - kitchenhand; Kitchen hand; Sandwich hand | 49,603 | 26,092 | 43411 | 21652 | 4,440 |
| Apprentice - transport and distribution driver; Trainee - transport and distribution driver | 18 | 51,669 | 89 | 47715 | 3,954 |
| Housekeeper - domestic | 5,797 | 25,407 | 984 | 21700 | 3,707 |
| Child care worker - type not specified; Governess - type not specified | 5,704 | 28,118 | 353 | 24453 | 3,665 |
| Model | 1,190 | 31,825 | 364 | 28232 | 3,593 |
| Out of school hours care worker; Child carer - out of school hours care worker | 5,028 | 29,292 | 1095 | 25700 | 3,592 |
| Earthmoving plant operator - general; Plant operator - earthmoving plant - general | 1,598 | 83,515 | 31352 | 80086 | 3,429 |
| Library assistant | 4,722 | 39,192 | 791 | 35975 | 3,217 |
| Apprentice - upholsterer; Trainee - upholsterer | 14 | 32,048 | 65 | 29163 | 2,885 |
| Weaver | 26 | 52,385 | 27 | 49526 | 2,859 |
| Farmer/farm overseer - mixed crop | 378 | 68,367 | 1875 | 65698 | 2,669 |
| Apprentice - IT technician; Trainee - IT technician | 68 | 36,922 | 457 | 34259 | 2,663 |
| Beautician; Beauty therapist; Manicurist; Therapist - beauty | 18,277 | 30,915 | 321 | 28372 | 2,543 |
| Dental assistant; Dental nurse; Nurse - dental | 26,659 | 37,352 | 534 | 34903 | 2,449 |
| Bar useful or busser; Hospitality employee - bar useful or busser | 1,654 | 27,624 | 1798 | 25255 | 2,369 |
| Apprentice - automotive - other; Trainee - automotive - other | 96 | 36,720 | 2388 | 34420 | 2,300 |
| Counsellor - of students; Student counsellor | 2,382 | 50,150 | 775 | 47885 | 2,265 |
| Excavator operator | 40 | 68,276 | 5693 | 66170 | 2,106 |
| Motion picture projectionist; Projectionist - film | 40 | 44,164 | 172 | 42148 | 2,016 |
| School teacher - type not specified | 1,052 | 25,699 | 679 | 23689 | 2,010 |
| Gunsmith | 3 | 56,150 | 56 | 54146 | 2,004 |
| Cab driver; Driver - taxi; Taxi driver | 163 | 27,866 | 1604 | 25900 | 1,966 |
| Apprentice - storeperson; Trainee - storeperson | 57 | 30,534 | 228 | 28586 | 1,948 |
| Decorator - interior; Interior decorator | 786 | 52,980 | 139 | 51063 | 1,917 |
| Housekeeper - type not specified | 670 | 19,859 | 150 | 18128 | 1,731 |
| Attendant - crèche; Crèche attendant; Child care aide; Child care worker; Child carer - child care assistant; Child carer - child care worker; Early childhood worker; Child carer - child care aide | 103,111 | 33,483 | 3310 | 31786 | 1,697 |
| English language teacher; Teacher - English language; Language tutor (private tuition); Tutor - language (private tuition); Maths tutor (private tuition); Tutor - maths (private tuition) | 4,402 | 38,842 | 2281 | 37205 | 1,637 |
| Office secretary or stenographer; Secretary - office; Stenographer | 29,731 | 53,386 | 326 | 51813 | 1,573 |
| University tutor; Tutor - university | 9,009 | 29,524 | 8688 | 28002 | 1,522 |
| Counsellor - type not specified | 61 | 36,013 | 31 | 34537 | 1,476 |
| Mushroom picker; Farm hand/worker - mushroom picker | 880 | 31,316 | 335 | 29874 | 1,442 |
| Concrete mixer driver; Driver - concrete mixer; Driver - lorry; Driver - semi-trailer; Driver - truck or transport; Lorry driver; Semi-trailer driver; Transport driver; Truck driver - general | 3,942 | 64,974 | 142014 | 63702 | 1,272 |
| Factory worker - meat packer; Meat packer; Meatworker - meat packer; Packer - meat; Process worker - meat packer | 4,627 | 35,231 | 2720 | 33991 | 1,240 |
| Apprentice - clerical services; Trainee - clerical services | 744 | 34,854 | 250 | 33653 | 1,201 |
| Interviewer - surveys or market research; Market research interviewer | 1,774 | 29,185 | 1177 | 28065 | 1,120 |
| Apprentice - animal attendant; Trainee - animal attendant | 53 | 36,214 | 19 | 35128 | 1,086 |
| Casting director; Director - casting; Audio director; Director - audio | 103 | 60,580 | 82 | 59542 | 1,038 |
| Apprentice - signwriter; Trainee - signwriter | 27 | 32,074 | 201 | 31220 | 854 |
| Apprentice - butcher; Trainee - butcher | 101 | 33,475 | 1415 | 32637 | 838 |
| Cook - fast food or short order; Fast food cook; Fish and chip cook; Hamburger cook or maker; Hospitality employee - fast food cook; Pizza chef or maker; Short order cook | 14,287 | 19,781 | 20139 | 18957 | 824 |
| Apprentice - food, drink or meat processor; Trainee - food, drink or meat processor | 62 | 32,822 | 91 | 32016 | 806 |
| Apparel cutter | 31 | 44,232 | 56 | 43439 | 793 |
| Clerk - typist; Typist; Word processing operator; Medical typist | 5,525 | 48,712 | 371 | 47922 | 790 |
| Clerk - filing; Filing clerk | 1,295 | 37,532 | 535 | 36859 | 673 |
| Chemist shop assistant; Pharmacy assistant; Retail assistant - chemist shop; Retail assistant - pharmacy; Sales assistant - chemist shop; Sales assistant - pharmacy; Salesperson - chemist shop; Salesperson - pharmacy; Shop assistant - chemist shop; Shop assistant - pharmacy | 32,804 | 31,244 | 3,688 | 30,577 | 667 |
| Auditor - type not specified | 56 | 66,209 | 89 | 65694 | 515 |
| Apprentice - greenkeeper; Trainee - greenkeeper | 8 | 31,186 | 542 | 30805 | 381 |
| Electorate officer | 663 | 53,222 | 477 | 52905 | 317 |
| Builder - professional; Builder - project; Project builder | 733 | 77,793 | 11166 | 77611 | 182 |
| Apprentice - metal fabrication engineer; Trainee - metal fabrication engineer | 48 | 39,422 | 3588 | 39283 | 139 |
| Apprentice - mechanical trades engineer; Trainee - mechanical trades engineer | 129 | 45,413 | 3810 | 45395 | 18 |
