The Wage Price Index (WPI) rose 0.8 per cent in the June quarter 2026 and 3.2 per cent annually (seasonally adjusted), according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.
Rachael McCririck, ABS head of prices statistics, said: "Annual wage growth of 3.2 per cent is slightly down from 3.4 per cent at the same time last year."
"Although we're currently below the late 2023 peak of 4.3 per cent, annual wage growth remains above the 2.2 per cent that we were seeing in the December quarter 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic."
| Quarterly (%) | Annual (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jun-11 | 0.7 | 3.8 |
| Sep-11 | 0.8 | 3.6 |
| Dec-11 | 1.0 | 3.6 |
| Mar-12 | 1.0 | 3.6 |
| Jun-12 | 0.9 | 3.8 |
| Sep-12 | 0.7 | 3.7 |
| Dec-12 | 0.8 | 3.4 |
| Mar-13 | 0.7 | 3.1 |
| Jun-13 | 0.7 | 2.9 |
| Sep-13 | 0.5 | 2.7 |
| Dec-13 | 0.7 | 2.6 |
| Mar-14 | 0.8 | 2.7 |
| Jun-14 | 0.5 | 2.5 |
| Sep-14 | 0.6 | 2.6 |
| Dec-14 | 0.6 | 2.5 |
| Mar-15 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Jun-15 | 0.5 | 2.3 |
| Sep-15 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Dec-15 | 0.5 | 2.2 |
| Mar-16 | 0.5 | 2.1 |
| Jun-16 | 0.5 | 2.1 |
| Sep-16 | 0.4 | 1.9 |
| Dec-16 | 0.5 | 1.9 |
| Mar-17 | 0.6 | 1.9 |
| Jun-17 | 0.5 | 1.9 |
| Sep-17 | 0.5 | 2.0 |
| Dec-17 | 0.6 | 2.1 |
| Mar-18 | 0.5 | 2.0 |
| Jun-18 | 0.6 | 2.1 |
| Sep-18 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Dec-18 | 0.5 | 2.3 |
| Mar-19 | 0.5 | 2.3 |
| Jun-19 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Sep-19 | 0.5 | 2.2 |
| Dec-19 | 0.5 | 2.2 |
| Mar-20 | 0.5 | 2.2 |
| Jun-20 | 0.2 | 1.8 |
| Sep-20 | 0.1 | 1.4 |
| Dec-20 | 0.5 | 1.3 |
| Mar-21 | 0.7 | 1.5 |
| Jun-21 | 0.5 | 1.8 |
| Sep-21 | 0.5 | 2.2 |
| Dec-21 | 0.7 | 2.4 |
| Mar-22 | 0.7 | 2.4 |
| Jun-22 | 0.8 | 2.6 |
| Sep-22 | 1.0 | 3.1 |
| Dec-22 | 0.8 | 3.3 |
| Mar-23 | 1.0 | 3.7 |
| Jun-23 | 0.8 | 3.7 |
| Sep-23 | 1.3 | 4.0 |
| Dec-23 | 1.1 | 4.3 |
| Mar-24 | 0.7 | 4.0 |
| Jun-24 | 0.9 | 4.1 |
| Sep-24 | 0.9 | 3.6 |
| Dec-24 | 0.7 | 3.2 |
| Mar-25 | 1.0 | 3.5 |
| Jun-25 | 0.8 | 3.4 |
| Sep-25 | 0.8 | 3.3 |
| Dec-25 | 0.8 | 3.4 |
| Mar-26 | 0.8 | 3.2 |
| Jun-26 | 0.8 | 3.2 |
- See Interpretation of index numbers, Percentage change and rounding on the Methodology page.
Annual wage growth in the public sector outpaced growth in the private sector for the sixth quarter in a row.
"Rises paid to state government public service jobs were the main driver of public sector growth, supported by scheduled rises paid under the existing APS-wide enterprise agreement for Commonwealth employees," said Ms McCririck.
Public sector wages rose 3.4 per cent, down from 3.7 per cent a year earlier.
Private sector wages rose 3.1 per cent in annual terms, easing from 3.4 per cent the same time last year.
| Private (%) | Public (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jun-11 | 3.9 | 3.7 |
| Sep-11 | 3.8 | 3.3 |
| Dec-11 | 3.8 | 3.2 |
| Mar-12 | 3.7 | 3.1 |
| Jun-12 | 3.8 | 3.3 |
| Sep-12 | 3.7 | 3.4 |
| Dec-12 | 3.4 | 3.3 |
| Mar-13 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
| Jun-13 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| Sep-13 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Dec-13 | 2.5 | 2.7 |
| Mar-14 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
| Jun-14 | 2.4 | 2.8 |
| Sep-14 | 2.5 | 2.7 |
| Dec-14 | 2.5 | 2.7 |
| Mar-15 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
| Jun-15 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
| Sep-15 | 2.1 | 2.7 |
| Dec-15 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
| Mar-16 | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| Jun-16 | 2.0 | 2.4 |
| Sep-16 | 1.9 | 2.3 |
| Dec-16 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| Mar-17 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| Jun-17 | 1.8 | 2.5 |
| Sep-17 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
| Dec-17 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
| Mar-18 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
| Jun-18 | 2.1 | 2.3 |
| Sep-18 | 2.1 | 2.6 |
| Dec-18 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| Mar-19 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| Jun-19 | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| Sep-19 | 2.2 | 2.4 |
| Dec-19 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| Mar-20 | 2.1 | 2.3 |
| Jun-20 | 1.8 | 2.1 |
| Sep-20 | 1.2 | 1.8 |
| Dec-20 | 1.3 | 1.6 |
| Mar-21 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Jun-21 | 1.9 | 1.3 |
| Sep-21 | 2.3 | 1.7 |
| Dec-21 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
| Mar-22 | 2.4 | 2.2 |
| Jun-22 | 2.7 | 2.4 |
| Sep-22 | 3.4 | 2.4 |
| Dec-22 | 3.6 | 2.5 |
| Mar-23 | 3.8 | 3.0 |
| Jun-23 | 3.9 | 3.1 |
| Sep-23 | 4.3 | 3.5 |
| Dec-23 | 4.2 | 4.3 |
| Mar-24 | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| Jun-24 | 4.1 | 3.9 |
| Sep-24 | 3.5 | 3.7 |
| Dec-24 | 3.3 | 2.8 |
| Mar-25 | 3.3 | 3.6 |
| Jun-25 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
| Sep-25 | 3.3 | 3.9 |
| Dec-25 | 3.4 | 4.0 |
| Mar-26 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
| Jun-26 | 3.1 | 3.4 |
- See Interpretation of index numbers, Percentage change and rounding on the Methodology page.
Jobs with a wage change of less than 4 per cent over the last 12 months rose to 79 per cent, from 75 per cent in June quarter 2025. This is the largest share recorded since June quarter 2022 (+84%).
"The decline in the share of jobs with larger wage rises has contributed to slower wage growth overall," said Ms McCririck.
See our other insights and supporting graphs in our Wage Price Index, Australia, June quarter 2026 publication.
