Income and work
Total annual personal income collected from the census includes all income from all sources, not just from wages and salaries. Work and labour force status is one of several factors associated with the amount and sources of income received by individuals. This includes whether or not an individual works, and if so, whether they work part or full time.
Work and labour force status affects income
People's income is related to their work and labour force status.
As the table below shows, people who are employed full time are more likely to receive higher incomes. In census week 2006, nearly one-third (31 percent) of those employed full time received over $50,000 per year. By comparison, one-quarter (26 percent) of those not in the labour force received $5,000 or less per year.
Annual Personal Income by Work and Labour Force Status(1) for People Aged 15 years and Over
2006 Census |
| Income band(2) |
Employed
full time |
Employed
part time |
Unemployed |
Not in the
labour force |
| Percent of people |
| $5,000 or less |
2.6 |
21.8 |
39.5 |
25.6 |
| $5,001–$10,000 |
2.4 |
15.4 |
17.4 |
12.9 |
| $10,001–$20,000 |
9.1 |
29.0 |
25.2 |
39.9 |
| $20,001–$30,000 |
17.8 |
16.0 |
10.2 |
11.2 |
| $30,001–$50,000 |
37.2 |
11.8 |
5.6 |
7.1 |
| $50,001 or more |
30.9 |
5.9 |
2.2 |
3.2 |
| Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
(1) Work and Labour Force Status refers to the week ending 5 March 2006.
(2) The income bands in the table are not all the same size. |
Occupation
Median income also varies by occupation. In census week 2006, the occupational groupings with the highest median annual personal incomes for those employed were:
- $47,200 for the 'professional' occupational grouping (which includes health and legal professionals).
- $45,800 for 'managers' (which includes chief executives and general managers).
Median income means half receive more, and half receive less, than this amount.
Community and personal service workers (which include 'hospitality workers' and 'carers and aides') had the lowest median annual personal income of $21,500.
Note: People who are employed full time usually work 30 hours or more per week, while people who are employed part time usually work fewer than 30 hours per week.
People not in the labour force include those people aged 15 years and over who are neither employed nor unemployed (for example, retired people, students, people with personal and family responsibilities, people unable to work for medical reasons, and those not actively seeking work).
Comparisons between income and work and labour force status should be made with care, as time periods for the data are different:
- total personal income – relates to the 12 months ending 31 March 2006.
- work and labour force status and occupation – relate to the week ending 5 March 2006 (census week).