Gender Equality
Gender Equality in Australia: Key Statistics & Trends
Australia's gender pay gap is 11.3%, women hold 22% of CEO roles and 49.6% of seats in parliament. Key statistics on work, pay, care, safety and housing.
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- Research desk
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11.3%
The national gender pay gap in May 2026: the difference between men’s and women’s average full-time weekly earnings. It peaked at 18.6% in November 2014.
- Seats in federal parliament held by women
- 49.6%
- CEOs who are women, larger employers
- 22%
- Gap in median super balances
- 19.8%
Source: ABS, Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026; Parliamentary Library, September 2025; WGEA, 2024–25; ATO, 2023–24.
The short answer
Women hold 49.6% of the seats in federal parliament, and they are more likely than men to have a university degree. The national gender pay gap stands at 11.3%, down from 18.6% in November 2014.
Large gaps remain at the top of business, in retirement savings and in safety. Women hold 22% of CEO roles at larger employers. Their median super balance is 19.8% below men’s. 22% of women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15, compared with 6.1% of men.
This page brings together the latest official figure for each area, with the date it covers and a link to its source.
Key statistics at a glance
| Indicator | Women | Men | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labour force (aged 15+) | 63.3% | 71.0% | August 2026 |
| Employed people working part-time | 43.0% | 20.5% | August 2026 |
| Average full-time weekly earnings | $1,934.50 | $2,181.00 | May 2026 |
| Median super balance | $57,688 | $71,914 | 2023–24 |
| Unpaid work a day, among people who did any | 4h 53m | 3h 52m | 2024 |
| Bachelor degree or above (aged 15–74) | 37.4% | 30.1% | May 2025 |
| Experienced sexual violence since age 15 | 22% | 6.1% | 2021–22 |
| Counted as homeless on Census night | 53,974 | 68,516 | 2021 |
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | 85.1 | 81.1 | 2022–2024 |
Work and pay
In February 1978, when the ABS monthly labour force series began, 43.5% of women were working or looking for work, against 79.5% of men. By August 2026, the rates were 63.3% and 71.0%. The gap shrank from 36.0 to 7.7 percentage points.
Many women work fewer hours. 43.0% of employed women work part-time, compared with 20.5% of employed men.
On the ABS headline measure, women working full-time earned $1,934.50 a week on average in May 2026, against $2,181.00 for men. That is a gap of 11.3%. WGEA’s measure, which covers total pay including bonuses and super at private employers with 100 or more staff, puts the gap at 21.1% for 2024–25. Our page on gender pay gap statistics explains why the official measures differ, and Why the Gender Pay Gap Persists sets out the causes.
Unpaid work and care
Women who did unpaid work spent 4h 53m a day on it in 2024, about 1h 1m more than men. Women also make up 67.7% of primary carers, the people who give the most help to a family member with disability or an older relative. Time spent caring comes out of paid work, which feeds into the pay and super gaps.
See The Unpaid Care Divide, Parental Leave in Australia and Child Care Subsidy Explained.
Super and retirement
Women’s median super balance was $57,688 in 2023–24, against $71,914 for men. The gap widens with age. Women aged 60 to 64, close to retirement, had a median of $174,655, which is 26.0% below the $236,126 held by men the same age. Women’s Superannuation in Australia covers the gap by age and the schemes that can help.
Housing and homelessness
The 2021 Census counted 53,974 women as homeless, 44.1% of everyone counted, and the number of homeless women rose 10.1% from 2016. Women and girls made up 60.1% of people supported by specialist homelessness services in 2024–25. Among women aged 55 and over, the number supported rose from 7,464 in 2011–12 to 16,996.
Read more in Women and Housing in Australia and Older Women and Homelessness.
Leadership and representation
At private employers with 100 or more staff, women fill 53% of jobs below management level, but a smaller share of each senior role. In 2024–25:
| Role | Held by women |
|---|---|
| Managers | 43% |
| Key management personnel | 39% |
| Board seats | 33% |
| CEOs | 22% |
| Board chairs | 21% |
24% of boards at these employers had no women at all.
Federal parliament is close to even. After the election of 3 May 2025, women held 69 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives (46.0%) and 43 of the 76 Senate seats (56.6%). The Parliamentary Library describes the 49.6% share across both houses as the closest to parity yet. In 2001, women held 23% of House seats and 29% of Senate seats. As of September 2025, Cabinet had 12 women and 11 men.
Safety
The ABS Personal Safety Survey asks adults about violence they have experienced since the age of 15. In 2021–22, 39% of women had experienced violence, 23% had experienced violence from an intimate partner and 22% had experienced sexual violence. For sexual violence, the figure for men was 6.1%.
One measure has improved. The share of women who experienced partner violence in the previous 12 months fell from 2.3% in 2016 to 1.5% in 2021–22.
If you are experiencing violence, 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 offers free support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In an emergency, call 000.
Education and health
Women are more likely than men to hold a university degree. In May 2025, 37.4% of women aged 15–74 held a bachelor degree or higher, compared with 30.1% of men. Women also live longer: life expectancy at birth was 85.1 years for women and 81.1 for men in 2022–2024. Longer lives mean retirement savings have to stretch further.
Explore by topic
- Pay & Superannuation: The gender pay gap, pay transparency and the retirement savings divide between women and men.
- Parenting & Care: Paid parental leave, child care, unpaid care work and how caring responsibilities are shared.
- Housing & Homelessness: Women's homelessness, help with rent and home buying, and the housing risks older women face.
Sources
All sources checked on 3 October 2026.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Labour Force, Australia, August 2026: Table 1. 24 September 2026.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, May 2026. 13 August 2026.
- Workplace Gender Equality Agency, WGEA Gender Equality Scorecard 2024-25. 27 November 2025.
- Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Broad employer action drives drop in gender pay gap for 2025 (media release). 27 November 2025.
- Australian Taxation Office, Taxation statistics 2023–24: Individuals statistics (Table 3 and Chart 12). Last updated 17 June 2026.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, How Australians use their time, 2024. 17 December 2025.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2022. 4 July 2024.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Estimating Homelessness: Census, 2021. 22 March 2023.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Specialist homelessness services annual report 2024–25: Clients, services and outcomes. 4 December 2025.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Specialist homelessness services 2024–25: data tables (CLIENTS.1, OLDER.1, OLDER.2, FDV.1) and historical tables (HIST.OLDER). 4 December 2025.
- Parliamentary Library, Parliament of Australia, Gender composition of Australian parliaments by party (FlagPost). 4 September 2025.
- Parliamentary Library, Parliament of Australia, Trends in the gender composition of the Australian parliament (FlagPost). 20 April 2022.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Personal Safety, Australia, 2021–22. 15 March 2023.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Gender indicators. Updated 13 August 2026.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Life expectancy, 2022–2024. 11 November 2025.
- 1800RESPECT, funded by the Department of Social Services, 1800RESPECT: national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling service. Accessed 3 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the gender pay gap in Australia?
11.3% in May 2026, on the ABS measure of average full-time weekly earnings. WGEA's measure of total pay at private employers with 100 or more staff puts it at 21.1% for 2024–25.
How many women are in federal parliament?
After the 3 May 2025 election, women held 69 of 150 House of Representatives seats (46.0%) and 43 of 76 Senate seats (56.6%), or 49.6% across both houses.
What percentage of CEOs in Australia are women?
22% at private employers with 100 or more staff in 2024–25, according to WGEA. Women hold 43% of manager roles and 21% of board chair roles.
How many women work part-time in Australia?
43.0% of employed women worked part-time in August 2026, compared with 20.5% of employed men.
How big is the super gap between women and men?
Women's median super balance was $57,688 in 2023–24, 19.8% below men's $71,914. At ages 60 to 64 the gap was 26.0%.
How common is violence against women in Australia?
In 2021–22, 39% of women had experienced violence since the age of 15, 23% had experienced violence from an intimate partner and 22% had experienced sexual violence (ABS Personal Safety Survey).
Are more women than men university educated in Australia?
Yes. In May 2025, 37.4% of women aged 15–74 held a bachelor degree or higher, compared with 30.1% of men.
How much longer do women live than men in Australia?
About 4 years. Life expectancy at birth was 85.1 years for women and 81.1 for men in 2022–2024.
About this page
Written by the research desk at Equality Rights Australia. We checked every figure on this page against its official source on 3 October 2026. Read our editorial standards and how we check figures.