The typical New Zealand employee earned $1,419 a week before tax in the June 2026 quarter. That's the median weekly pay from wages and salaries, from Stats NZ's latest income release on 26 August 2026. The median hourly rate was $35.96.
The latest figures
| Measure | June 2026 quarter | A year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Median weekly earnings (wages and salaries) | $1,419 | $1,381 |
| Median hourly earnings | $35.96 | $35.00 |
| Median hourly earnings, full-time | $38.00 | $36.56 |
| Median hourly earnings, part-time | $28.49 | $27.50 |
| Median weekly income from all sources (all people) | $962 | $959 |
| Average weekly earnings, full-time equivalent (QES) | $1,730 | $1,679 |
| Average ordinary time hourly earnings (QES) | $44.62 | $43.39 |
All figures are gross, which means before tax. The median figures come from the Household Labour Force Survey. The two average figures come from the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES), which asks businesses what they pay.
What that looks like over a year
Multiply the weekly figures by 52 for a rough annual number:
- median weekly earnings of $1,419 works out to about $73,800 a year
- average weekly earnings of $1,730 works out to about $90,000 a year
These are rough. They assume the same pay every week of the year. Stats NZ publishes the weekly and hourly numbers, not annual salaries.
Median vs average
The median is the middle. Line up every employee from lowest pay to highest. The person in the middle earns the median. Half earn more, half earn less.
The average (or mean) is total pay divided by the number of people. A small number of very high earners pull it up. That's why the average hourly rate ($44.62) sits well above the median ($35.96).
If you want to know what a typical worker earns, the median is the better guide. Most people earn less than the average.
Why "income from all sources" is lower
The median weekly income from all sources was $962. That's much lower than $1,419 because it counts all people in the survey, not just employees. It adds up wages, self-employment, government transfers and ACC payments, and it includes people with no income.
Men and women
| Median weekly earnings | Change in a year | |
|---|---|---|
| Men | $1,538 | up $38 (2.5%) |
| Women | $1,280 | up $33 (2.7%) |
| Everyone | $1,419 | up $38 (2.8%) |
Stats NZ measured the gender pay gap at 5.3% in the June 2026 quarter. It was 5.2% a year earlier and 8.2% in the June 2024 quarter.
How the minimum wage compares
The adult minimum wage is $23.95 an hour from 1 April 2026. Here's how it stacks up:
| Hourly | 40-hour week | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult minimum wage | $23.95 | $958 |
| Median hourly earnings (all employees) | $35.96 | $1,438.40 |
| Median hourly earnings (full-time) | $38.00 | $1,520 |
| Average ordinary time hourly earnings | $44.62 | $1,784.80 |
The 40-hour column is simple arithmetic: the hourly rate times 40. The minimum wage is about two-thirds of the median hourly rate. A full-time minimum wage worker earns about $49,800 over 52 weeks.
See the minimum wage post for the starting-out and training rates, and the living wage post for the voluntary living wage.
What you take home
These are all before-tax figures. Your take-home pay depends on income tax, the ACC earners' levy, KiwiSaver and any student loan. The tax brackets post shows how each slice of income is taxed, and the ACC levy post covers the levy that comes out with your PAYE.
Common questions
What is the average salary in NZ?
Stats NZ's Quarterly Employment Survey put average weekly earnings for full-time equivalent employees at $1,730 in the June 2026 quarter. That's about $90,000 over 52 weeks. The median employee earned $1,419 a week, or about $73,800 a year.
What is the median income in NZ?
Median weekly earnings from wages and salaries were $1,419 in the June 2026 quarter. Median weekly income from all sources, counting everyone in the survey and not just employees, was $962.
What is the median hourly wage in NZ?
$35.96 in the June 2026 quarter, up from $35.00 a year earlier. For full-time workers it was $38.00.
When are the next figures out?
Stats NZ says the next income release, for the June 2027 quarter, is due in August 2027. The QES average figures update every quarter.
Sources: Stats NZ, Labour market statistics (income): June 2026 quarter (released 26 August 2026) and Labour market statistics: June 2026 quarter (released 5 August 2026); Employment New Zealand, Minimum wage is increasing on 1 April 2026. Annual and 40-hour figures are our own arithmetic. Checked October 2026.
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