Top 20 Highest Paying Jobs in New Zealand
Are you looking for a job in New Zealand? If so, you’re likely familiar with the competitive employment landscape and the challenges that come with finding a high-paying position.
This competitive atmosphere, coupled with a higher-than-average cost of living, can create a lot of stress for people who are trying to start their careers or find a new job.
If you’re in this position right now, luckily, we’re here to help take some of the guesswork out of your search. Read on to learn more about the highest-paying jobs in New Zealand.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a fresh graduate or a seasoned pro looking to make a career change. Either way, this guide will help you plan for the future.
What Salary Is Considered Rich in New Zealand?
The average salary in New Zealand, across all industries, is roughly NZ$25,50 per hour or NZ$53,040 per year (assuming the person is working a standard 40-hour week). The majority of workers earn somewhere between NZ$40,000 and NZ$80,000 per year.
To be considered “rich” in New Zealand and live more comfortably, you’ll need to earn more than the average salary. For most people, a salary of NZ$100,000 or more would probably put you into the “rich” or “wealthy” category.
Of course, these definitions depend on a lot of other factors, such as the number of debts you owe or the number of children you have.
If you have 4 kids and a lot of student loans, for example, a salary of $NZ100,000 might be just enough to keep everyone comfortable. If you’re single with no debt, on the other hand, a salary of $NZ100,000 would be very generous and give you plenty of disposable income.
What Is the #1 Highest-Paid Position in New Zealand?
The highest-paying job in New Zealand is that of CEO or Managing Director. They earn, on the low end, around NZ$120,000 per year and, on average, around NZ$560,000 per year. On the high end, they can earn as much as NZ$4.5 million per year!
Now, you’re not going to graduate from university and immediately find a job as a CEO (unless you’re very lucky, that is). However, there are plenty of lucrative jobs for recent graduates and those who have been in the workforce for a long time.
Below is a countdown of the 20 highest-paying jobs in New Zealand. This includes the highest paying jobs in New Zealand for fresh graduates as well as the best-paid jobs in New Zealand, period:
1. CEO
Average Annual Salary: NZ$560,000
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2. Judge
Average Annual Salary: NZ$413,000
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3. Radiation Oncologist
Average Annual Salary: NZ$387,500
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4. Diagnostic Radiologist
Average Annual Salary: NZ$387,500
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5. Chief Financial Officer
Average Annual Salary: NZ$250,000
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6. IT General Manager
Average Annual Salary: NZ$250,000
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7. Chief Technology Officer
Average Annual Salary: NZ$250,000
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8. Strategy Manager
Average Annual Salary: NZ$230,000
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9. Surgeon
Average Annual Salary: NZ$212,000
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10. Investment Director
Average Annual Salary: NZ$205,000
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11. Fishing Skipper
Average Annual Salary: NZ$205,000
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12. Pathologist
Average Annual Salary: NZ$204,500
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13. HR General Manager
Average Annual Salary: NZ$200,000
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14. Ophthalmologist
Average Annual Salary: NZ$196,000
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15. Orthodontist
Average Annual Salary: NZ$195,000
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16. Ship’s Master
Average Annual Salary: NZ$187,500
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17. Physician
Average Annual Salary: NZ$187,000
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18. Health Services Manager
Average Annual Salary: NZ$185,000
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19. College Professor
Average Annual Salary: NZ$174,000
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20. Pilot
Average Annual Salary: NZ$145,000
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Top 5 Highest Paying Industries in New Zealand
As you can see, there are many different positions in New Zealand that allow you to earn a very high salary. If you’re a student wondering which fields are most likely to yield this kind of salary, here’s a breakdown of the top 5 highest paying industries in New Zealand:
Construction
The construction industry tops the list of the highest paying industries in New Zealand. This isn’t surprising when you consider the significant population growth New Zealand has experienced over the years. This growth has put pressure on the country’s infrastructure and increased demand for more homes, apartments, etc.
Top 3 Job Titles and Salaries:
Construction Manager: Average salary NZ$95,049
Quantity Surveyor: Average salary NZ$46K-85K for new-hire and NZ$95K-155K for an experienced surveyor
Plumber: Average salary NZ$55,000 for a new plumber and NZ$80K-100K for experienced plumbers
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Consulting and Strategy
Next on the list of highest paying industries is the Consulting and Strategy industry. Those who work in this industry focus on helping private sector clients to grow their businesses by advising on smart investments and decisions for the future.
Top 3 Job Titles and Salaries:
Management Consultant: Average salary NZ$130,213
Legal Consultant: Average salary NZ$115,056
Information Technology Consultant: Average salary NZ$87,193
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Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Information and Communication Technology jobs also rank among the highest paying professions in New Zealand. Those who work in this industry work hard to improve communication across all kinds of devices, including radio, television, computer and network hardware, cell phones, applications, and video conferencing.
Top 3 Job Titles and Salaries:
Delivery Services Manager: Average salary NZ$178,590
Chief Information Security Officer: Average salary NZ$164,000
Data Science Manager: Average salary NZ$152,300
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Mining, Resources, and Energy
New Zealand has a wide array of natural resources that are mined for energy, including coal and oil. There are also many jobs available throughout the country mining silver, gold, iron, and other materials.
Top 3 Job Titles and Salaries:
Management: Average salary NZ$118,333
Mining Engineering and Maintenance: Average salary NZ$106,500
Oil and Gas Engineering and Maintenance: Average salary NZ$101,346
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Engineering
Engineering is another highly profitable industry in New Zealand. Engineers are needed to assist with all kinds of projects, from manufacturing and construction to agriculture and aviation.
Top 3 Job Titles and Salaries:
Engineering Project Director: Average salary NZ$169,000
Engineering Production Manager: Average salary NZ$156,000
Field Engineering Manager: Average salary NZ$141,000
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Top 5 Highest Paying Jobs in New Zealand for Fresh Graduates
If you’re a recent graduate, the highest paying professions in New Zealand, including a career as a director or manager, might not be available to you right away. That doesn’t mean you can’t start earning a generous salary right out of college, though.
The following are the top 5 highest paying jobs in New Zealand for fresh graduates:
Civil Engineer
Civil engineers are responsible for designing, planning, organizing, and overseeing the building of various structures, from roads to water supply systems.
In New Zealand, there’s currently a major shortage of civil engineers. These individuals are needed to assist with roading projects, housing projects, and government-funded infrastructure.
To become a civil engineer, you’ll need to earn a Bachelor of Engineering degree, which takes 4 years (on average) to complete. Another option is to earn a Bachelor of Engineering Technology degree, which takes 3 years to complete on average.
Civil engineering provides a generous starting salary (around NZ$60K-$70K on average) with lots of room for growth as you progress in your career. You get to enjoy a standard work schedule (Monday through Friday in most cases), spend a lot of time outdoors, and exercise your problem-solving skills on a daily basis.
Because there’s currently a shortage of civil engineering experts in New Zealand, the prospects for this job are very good.
There’s also lots of career change potential if you decide you want to pivot later and take on a new job with a higher salary. Civil engineers can work in both the private and public sectors. They can also work as consultants or project managers.
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Software Developer
Software developers are responsible for developing and maintaining computer software, as well as websites and software applications.
There are tons of IT-related jobs available throughout New Zealand, particularly for those who have skills related to software engineering, database administration, systems administration, and network administration. There’s currently a shortage of people who are qualified to fill these roles, which means there are also plenty of opportunities for skilled new graduates to start earning a decent living right out of college.
The average starting salary for a software developer is somewhere around NZ$77K. If you have a degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field, this may be a lucrative job to pursue.
You don’t necessarily need college experience to be a good developer, though. If you’ve taken courses in subjects like computing, web development, and software engineering, you may qualify for many entry-level jobs (although your starting salary may be lower than that of someone with a degree).
There are lots of opportunities to specialize as a software developer, and the career change potential is very high because the IT field is so broad. Whether you go on to work as a business analyst, an IT manager, or a UI/UX designer, there are plenty of ways to pivot and make this job work for you.
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Quantity Surveyor
Quantity surveyors are responsible for managing the finances for construction projects. They calculate budgets, prepare detailed estimates, and ensure that the budgets are sufficient for each stage of the construction project.
As we mentioned above, the construction industry is booming in New Zealand. This means there’s a high need for quantity surveyors who can keep construction companies on track and on budget.
There are lots of construction projects in the works right now and even more on the horizon, including some big-scale developments. There’s lots of work to go around currently and in the future, so the prospects for a job as a quantity surveyor are looking very good.
Quantity surveyors are highly paid construction employees, with an average starting salary of NZ$46K-85K for new-hire and an average salary of NZ$95K-155K for an experienced surveyor.
There’s not one specific degree path that you need to follow to become a quantity surveyor, either. Many people start with a Bachelor of Construction Economics or Quantity Surveying, though.
Similar to civil engineering, a job as a quantity surveyor allows you to spend a lot of time outdoors, solve complex problems, and work a standard Monday through Friday job, all while earning a good salary.
The career change potential for this job is good, too. Quantity surveyors are needed in the private and public sectors, and they can also go on to work in consulting or project management if they desire.
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Radiation Technologist
Radiation technologists are responsible for taking images of injuries and diseases using X-ray equipment.
There’s always a demand for trained medical professionals in New Zealand, as well as throughout the world. This includes a high demand for radiation technologists, who play a key role in the diagnostic process.
There’s currently a shortage of radiographers in New Zealand’s public hospitals, too, which means there are plenty of job openings for new graduates.
The average starting salary for a radiation technologist is around NZ$89,000. This is a high-paying job for someone fresh out of school, and there’s plenty of room to grow, too.
To become a radiation technologist, you’ll need to earn a Bachelor of Medical Imaging, a Bachelor of Applied Science (with an emphasis on Medical Imaging Technology), or a Bachelor of Health Science (with an emphasis on Medical Imaging). Each of these degrees typically takes about 3 years to complete.
One of the only downsides to this job is that there’s not a lot of career change potential. You can specialize in a specific field, such as mammography or angiography, but the unique skills you develop as a radiographer typically don’t translate well to other jobs.
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Plumber
If you want to earn a high salary but don’t necessarily want to complete a traditional college degree, a career as a plumber may be a good alternative.
As we mentioned above, plumbers are some of the highest-paid workers in the construction industry, so this is an excellent option if you want to work in the field but don’t necessarily want to take on a management or quantity surveying role.
There’s currently a shortage of plumbers in New Zealand, specifically in the Auckland and Queenstown areas. With so many new construction projects popping up across the country, there’s a strong need for skilled plumbers who can help get these jobs wrapped up.
On average, a plumber’s starting salary is around NZ$55,000. As they gain experience, though, they can earn a lot more, up to NZ$80K-100K on average.
If you want to become a plumber, you’ll need to complete an apprenticeship. You’ll also need to earn a New Zealand Certificate (Level 4) in plumbing and register with the country’s Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.
The prospects for this job are very good, considering the current shortage. However, there are not a lot of career change opportunities.
Beyond project management or starting your own plumbing company, your options are somewhat limited. Most plumbers are content with this, though, especially since their job provides such a generous salary and allows them to solve problems and work in an ever-changing environment.
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What Degree Pays the Most in New Zealand?
If you’re still in school and wondering what to study, consider a degree that will set you up to land one of the highest-paying professions in New Zealand. The following are some of the best degrees that can lead to high potential salaries:
1. Medicine
Average Annual Salary: NZ$104,000
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2. Dentistry
Average Annual Salary: NZ$90,000
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3. Radiography
Average Annual Salary: NZ$89,000
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4. Civil Engineering
Average Annual Salary: NZ$60K-70K
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5. Software Development
Average Annual Salary: NZ$77,000
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6. Computer Science
Average Annual Salary: NZ$153,000
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7. Construction Management
Average Annual Salary: NZ$95,049
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8. Business Management
Average Annual Salary: NZ$88,000
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As you can see, not all of these jobs will put you in the NZ$100,000-plus bracket right after you graduate from college. That doesn’t mean they’re not well-paying jobs with a lot of room for growth (and higher earnings) in the future, though.
Pursuing any of these degrees can still open a lot of doors for you. They may help you to start earning a high salary sooner than you (likely) would have if you were to take a different career path.
Find One of the Best Paid Jobs in New Zealand Today
Now that you know more about the highest paying jobs in New Zealand, as well as what it takes to get hired, are you ready to begin your job search?
Keep the information outlined above in mind, whether you’re a recent graduate or in the midst of a career change. That way, you can find a position that aligns with your skillset and helps you earn a high salary.
Want more help finding one of the best-paid jobs in New Zealand? Use our Job Search to find the right job for you
