How Much Does a Lawyer Make?

The Australian Taxation Office recently released its 2013/14 income statistics by occupation and gender, with specialist medical practitioners taking out many of the top spots.

Notably absent once again from those lists are two occupations often perceived by members of the public to be amongst the highest paying – solicitors and barristers.

And like previous lists, the latest statistics confirm there is still a significant gender pay gap in Australia.

50 highest paying jobs

According to the ATO, the 50 highest paying occupations by gender are:

Males:

1. Neurosurgeon $577,674
2. Ophthalmologist $552,947
3. Cardiologist $453,253
4. Plastic and reconstructive surgeon $448,530
5. Gynaecologist; obstetrician $446,507
6. Otorhinolaryngologist $445,939
7. Orthopedic surgeon $439,629
8. Urologist $433,792
9. Vascular surgeon $417,524
10. Gastroenterologist $415,192
11. Diagnostic and interventional radiologist $386,003
12. Dermatologist $383,880
13. Judge $381,323
14. Anaesthetist $370,492
15. Cardiothoracic surgeon $358,043
16. Surgeon — general $357,996
17. Specialist physicians — other $344,860
18. Radiation oncologist $336,994
19. Medical oncologist $322,178
20. Securities and finance dealer $320,452
21. Thoracic medicine specialist $315,444
22. Specialist physician — general medicine $315,114
23. Intensive care specialist $308,033
24. Renal medicine specialist $298,681
25. Neurologist $298,543
26. Financial investment manager $288,790
27. Investment broker $286,530
28. Paediatric surgeon $282,508
29. Clinical haematologist $271,738
30. Futures trader $264,830
31. Endocrinologist $258,972
32. Australian cricketer $257,527
33. Rheumatologist $256,933
34. Dental specialist $253,442
35. Magistrate $246,737
36. Equities analyst; investment dealer $245,826
37. Paediatrician $239,405
38. Stock exchange dealer; stockbroker $238,192
39. Psychiatrist $234,557
40. Emergency medicine specialist $232,595
41. Member of Parliament $232,093
42. Pathologist $224,378
43. Company secretary — corporate governance $218,432
44. State governor $212,652
45. Actuary $196,144
46. Sports physician $187,468
47. Petroleum engineer $185,808

48/49. (equal) Chief executive officer $181,849; Executive director; managing director; public servant — secretary or deputy secretary $181,849
50. Mining production manager $179,439

Females:

1. Judge $355,844
2. Neurosurgeon $323,682
3. Plastic and reconstructive surgeon $281,608
4. Futures trader $281,600
5. Vascular surgeon $271,529
6. Gynaecologist; obstetrician $264,628
7. Gastroenterologist $260,925
8. Magistrate $260,161
9. Anaesthetist $243,582
10. Ophthalmologist $217,242
11. Cardiologist $215,920
12. Urologist $213,094
13. Surgeon — general $210,796
14. Medical oncologist $208,612
15. Specialist physicians — other $207,599
16. Specialist physician — general medicine $207,225
17. Otorhinolaryngologist $200,136
18. Dermatologist $195,030
19. Diagnostic and interventional radiologist $180,695
20. Cardiothoracic surgeon $175,500
21. Paediatric surgeon $175,314
22. Endocrinologist $174,542
23. Member of Parliament $173,331
24. Rheumatologist $169,409
25. Intensive care specialist $169,369
26. Emergency medicine specialist $165,786
27. Orthopedic surgeon $159,479
28. Neurologist $155,217
29. Renal medicine specialist $155,133
30. Psychiatrist $152,437
31. Clinical haematologist $147,970
32. Paediatrician $147,347
33. Securities and finance dealer $145,208
34. Dental specialist $140,505
35. Actuary $136,819
36. Radiation oncologist $135,678
37. Financial investment manager $134,481
38. Petroleum engineer $133,315
39. Mining production manager $133,061
40. General medical practitioner $129,834
41. Thoracic medicine specialist $127,645
42. Stockbroker $124,433
43. Paving plant operator $123,281
44. Mining engineer $119,564
45. Tribunal member $119,219
46. Occupational medicine specialist; public health physician; sports physician $118,310
47. Geophysicist $117,575
48. Chief executive officer; executive director; managing director; public servant — secretary or deputy secretary $116,855
49. Engineering manager $116,732
50. Metallurgist $110,359

Judges preside over higher courts such as the District or Supreme Court while magistrates sit in the Local and Children’s courts.

How much do solicitors and barristers make?

According to the ATO, the average taxable income for solicitors and barristers in the 2013/2014 financial year was:

• Male solicitors – $138,379 (20,854 solicitors)
• Female solicitors – $99,891 (27,816 solicitors)
• Male barristers – $168,766 (797 barristers)
• Female barristers – $59,436 (777 barristers)

The figures suggest there are approximately 7,000 more female lawyers than male lawyers in Australia.

Unfortunately, the figures do not indicate experience levels and it could be suggested that part of the enormous gender pay disparity results from a higher proportion of female law graduates entering the profession in recent years.

That said, recent research suggests that female lawyers with similar experience to males generally receive less income – especially barristers.