Five years of Salary Reviews show the shift: pay has climbed, but what people really want now is flexibility, trust, and purpose

The Hays Salary Review has been a mainstay for decades, tracking the pulse of pay and workplace priorities across Australia. But it’s the last five years that tell the most interesting story.

From COVID-driven uncertainty to record skills shortages, and now the squeeze of rising living costs, the data reads like a diary of how quickly work — and workers — have changed. Employee expectations have shifted, employers have scrambled to keep pace, and WA salaries have moved in ways that show who’s in demand and who’s been left behind.

So, let’s unpack what’s changed, what’s stubbornly stayed the same, and how salaries have tracked for WA roles across mining, admin, HR, healthcare, and warehousing.

“Setting salaries isn’t just about keeping up with the market — it’s about sending a clear message about value, culture, and expectations. With the right HR support, you move beyond guesswork and ensure your salaries attract, retain, and truly reward the people who drive your business.”

Keep reading to the end for the full list – role by role

A note on the numbers
The salaries shown here are averages taken from the Hays Salary Reviews. The gap between the lower and upper quartile can be significant — sometimes tens of thousands of dollars.

Other factors influence pay as well:

• Roster type: FIFO roles generally attract higher salaries than residential.
• Location: City-based positions can look different to regional or remote packages.
• Conditions of work: Site allowances, housing, and benefits all play a role — and so do the literal conditions you’re working in. From office air-con to 50-degree heat on site, the context matters.

So while averages are a helpful benchmark, the reality of what you take home (and what you put up with) is often more complex.

Mining & Trades

WA mining salaries remain the benchmark — strong, stable, and always under pressure from skills shortages.

Mining roles, WA salary progression (2020–2025):

• Mine Geologist: ~$130–150k → ~$140–150k
• Senior Mine Geologist: ~$150–190k → ~$170–190k
• Graduate Geologist: ~$110–130k → ~$115–130k
• Mining Engineer: ~$160k → ~$250k (senior), ~$195k (graduate)
• Mill Operator: ~$87–117k → ~$95–120k
• Fixed Plant Electrician: ~$122–148k → ~$150–180k
• Fixed Plant Fitter: ~$122–153k → ~$150–180k
• HD Fitter: ~$145–198k → ~$200–250k
• Open Pit Supervisor: ~$153–184k → ~$200–212k
• Dump Truck Operator: ~$122–133k → ~$125–140k

“Mining salaries in WA lifted 12–20% over five years — but operators like Dump Truck and Mill saw only modest gains, leaving many workers feeling under-rewarded.”

Accountancy & Finance

• Accountants: ~$80–95k → ~$95–110k
• Accounts Coordinator: ~$65–75k → ~$75–85k

Accountants and finance staff saw about 10–12% growth, with biggest demand during pandemic recovery as businesses needed scenario planning and cost control expertise.

“Accountants have held steady at 10–12% growth over five years — proving their worth in uncertain times.”

Administration & Office Support

• Administration Manager: ~$95–110k → ~$110–125k
• Administration Officer: ~$60–65k → ~$65–70k
• Receptionist: ~$50–55k → ~$55–60k

Admin roles lagged, with just 7–9% increases, well below inflation. The real shift? Employees now rank job security and flexibility ahead of career progression.

“Admin roles had the smallest salary increases, with growth barely touching 9% across five years.”

Human Resources

• HR Manager: ~$120–135k → ~$140–155k
• Recruitment Manager: ~$115–125k → ~$130–145k
• OD Manager: ~$125–135k → ~$145–160k
• HR Advisor: ~$75–85k → ~$85–95k
• Recruitment Advisor: ~$70–80k → ~$80–90k

Recruitment Managers in WA outpaced the east coast, reflecting the unique intensity of WA’s skills shortages

The HR profession rode a wave of demand, particularly through compliance reform and wellbeing legislation. Salaries rose 15–20%, but by 2025 growth is slowing as employers lean on “non-financial benefits.”

“HR roles saw their sharpest salary growth during compliance reforms — but the focus is shifting back to culture, trust, and flexibility.”

Healthcare & Allied Health

• Psychologist: ~$95–110k → ~$120–135k
• Counsellor: ~$75–85k → ~$90–105k
• Occupational Therapist: ~$80–90k → ~$95–110k
• Dentist: ~$120–140k → ~$145–165k
• Speech Therapist: ~$75–85k → ~$90–105k

Healthcare roles remain among the most in-demand, with salaries climbing 10–20%, outpacing inflation and reflecting critical shortages.

“Healthcare salaries rose faster than most industries — driven by demand, funding, and a pipeline shortage of qualified professionals.”

Warehousing & Logistics

• Warehouse Manager: ~$95–105k → ~$115–130k

A steady 15% uplift over five years. The focus for these employees has shifted from promotions to workload balance and job stability.

What Employees Really Want

Looking across five years of Hays research, employee expectations have evolved fast:

• 2020–21: Promotions were the top reason people left their jobs.
• 2021–22: Salary competitiveness became the deal-breaker.
• 2022–23: Cost-of-living pressures dominated.
• 2023–24: Employers finally delivered — 95% planned salary increases.
• 2024–25 & 25–26: Flexibility became non-negotiable.

“Employees are clear: promotions used to matter most, then salary took over, and now flexibility rules the agenda.”

Insights

WA vs East Coast

• WA mining premiums: WA mining salaries are consistently higher than Queensland and NSW, especially in mobile plant and engineering roles. For example, WA HD Fitters and Open Pit Supervisors are often 15–20% higher than their east coast counterparts .
• Why? Roster demands. WA salaries are benchmarked on FIFO (8:6 or 2:1) while east coast roles are more often residential. That “roster loading” has been baked into WA salaries for years.

Admin & Office Support

• In NSW and VIC, Admin Officers and Receptionists tend to earn more than in WA (by $5–10k on average), reflecting metropolitan corporate demand. WA lags here despite cost-of-living pressures .

HR Roles

• WA HR Managers and Advisors are very much in line with national averages — but Recruitment Managers in WA command a slight premium compared to VIC and NSW, largely because of the regional skills shortage in recruitment during 2022–23.

Healthcare & Allied Health

• Psychologists and OTs in WA earn roughly the same as east coast averages, but Dentists and Speech Therapistsearn slightly less in WA than NSW/VIC, despite higher regional demand . This is an oddity that may reflect government funding distribution rather than market scarcity.

Curious Shifts in Priorities

• Promotions no longer matter (as much): In 2020, promotion opportunities were the #1 reason employees left. By 2025, promotions fell out of the top three, overtaken by salary fairness and flexibility.
• Transparency is rising: Hays notes a slow but steady increase in organisations being more open about pay ranges — a shift driven by employee expectations and competition, especially in VIC and NSW. WA employers lag a little here.
• Hybrid expectations: By FY24/25, 97% of employers nationally were offering hybrid working. WA was slightly behind the national curve, with resources and healthcare dragging averages down

The Bottom Line

Across WA, salaries rose 8–20% depending on role and industry. Mining and healthcare surged, admin lagged, and HR rode the compliance wave. But the bigger shift is cultural: promotions and pay are no longer enough — employees expect flexibility, trust, and purpose as part of the deal.

WA Salary Progression (2020–2025) – Role by Role