Compensation of employees (current LCU) in Australia
Australia: Compensation of employees (current LCU) was 61.20 billion current LCU in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Compensation of employees in Australia, 1990–2022
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Australia recorded 61.20 billion current LCU for compensation of employees in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 48.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, compensation of employees in Australia peaked at 61.20 billion current LCU in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.89 billion current LCU, in 1990.
That places Australia 80th out of 156 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Compensation of employees (current LCU) in Australia, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.89 billion current LCU | — |
| 1991 | 2.09 billion current LCU | +10.5% |
| 1992 | 2.25 billion current LCU | +7.5% |
| 1993 | 2.47 billion current LCU | +10.1% |
| 1994 | 2.73 billion current LCU | +10.4% |
| 1995 | 2.86 billion current LCU | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 2.92 billion current LCU | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 3.83 billion current LCU | +31.3% |
| 1998 | 3.83 billion current LCU | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 18.49 billion current LCU | +382.6% |
| 2000 | 17.07 billion current LCU | -7.7% |
| 2001 | 18.39 billion current LCU | +7.7% |
| 2002 | 19.61 billion current LCU | +6.6% |
| 2003 | 21.42 billion current LCU | +9.2% |
| 2004 | 23.08 billion current LCU | +7.7% |
| 2005 | 24.12 billion current LCU | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 25.63 billion current LCU | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 27.91 billion current LCU | +8.9% |
| 2008 | 30.05 billion current LCU | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 32.85 billion current LCU | +9.3% |
| 2010 | 35.83 billion current LCU | +9.1% |
| 2011 | 38.80 billion current LCU | +8.3% |
| 2012 | 41.28 billion current LCU | +6.4% |
| 2013 | 45.67 billion current LCU | +10.6% |
| 2014 | 44.43 billion current LCU | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 45.34 billion current LCU | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 47.61 billion current LCU | +5.0% |
| 2017 | 49.82 billion current LCU | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 49.98 billion current LCU | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 53.66 billion current LCU | +7.4% |
| 2020 | 59.70 billion current LCU | +11.3% |
| 2021 | 60.09 billion current LCU | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 61.20 billion current LCU | +1.9% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 61.20 billion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 23.97 billion current LCU, 2.6× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Australia's 61.20 billion current LCU is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23.59 billion current LCU, 2.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Compensation of employees (current LCU) in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +382.6% | 3.83 billion current LCU | 18.49 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.34 billion current LCU | 1.89 billion current LCU | 18.49 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.01 billion current LCU | 17.07 billion current LCU | 32.85 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.24 billion current LCU | 35.83 billion current LCU | 53.66 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.33 billion current LCU | 59.70 billion current LCU | 61.20 billion current LCU | 3 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More public sector data for Australia
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
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- Arms imports 826.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 36.15 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0006 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 159.37 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is compensation of employees in Australia?
- Compensation of employees in Australia was 61.20 billion current LCU in 2022, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest compensation of employees recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 61.20 billion current LCU in 2022.
- What is the lowest compensation of employees recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.89 billion current LCU in 1990.
- How does Australia rank for compensation of employees?
- Australia ranks 80th out of 156 countries with data for 2022.
- Is compensation of employees rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Compensation of employees (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Compensation of employees is defined as the total remuneration, in cash or in kind, payable by an enterprise to an employee in return for work done by the latter during the accounting period. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.