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Data released in August highlights progress in women’s education and workforce participation, while showing continued opportunities to close gaps in paid hours, weekly earnings, and unpaid care responsibilities.
New Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data for May and June 2026 paints a mixed but increasingly constructive picture of gender equality in Australia. Women continue to achieve strong results in education and remain active in the workforce, while gaps in working hours, weekly earnings, and unpaid care point to areas where employers and policymakers can build on progress.
The ABS’ latest gender indicators show that the gender pay gap ranges from 9.1% to 26.1%, depending on the measure used. The widest gap is in mean weekly cash earnings, while hourly measures are lower, highlighting the role that paid hours and employment patterns play in overall earnings.
Women worked an average of 31.6 paid hours a week in June 2026, compared with 38.4 hours for men. Women also recorded a lower employment-to-population ratio, at 60.5%, compared with 67.7% for men.
The figures show that workplace gender equality extends beyond base pay. Access to hours, flexible work, career opportunities, and the distribution of unpaid care all influence long-term economic outcomes.
Hourly pay gap remains comparatively narrow
The ABS publishes six gender pay-gap measures, each offering a different perspective on earnings.
Per the latest statistics, for all employees, the median hourly cash earnings gap was 9.1% in May 2025, while the mean hourly cash earnings gap was 10.4%. By comparison, the gap in median weekly cash earnings was 25.3%, and the gap in mean weekly cash earnings was 26.1% in May 2026.
Among full-time adult employees, the gap was narrower again: mean weekly ordinary-time cash earnings showed a difference of 10.3%, while mean weekly ordinary-time earnings showed a gap of 11.3%.
The variation between measures reflects the fact that weekly earnings are affected not only by pay rates, but also by the number of hours people work and their employment arrangements.
Women’s education gains create a strong foundation
Women continue to outperform men in several measures of formal educational attainment.
In 2025, 64.9% of women aged 15 to 74 had attained a non-school qualification, compared with 63.4% of men. Women were also more likely to hold a bachelor's degree or above (37.4%), compared with 30.1% of men.
These outcomes provide a strong platform for women’s workforce participation and career progression, proving that ensuring education translates into equal access to leadership roles, advancement, and well-paid work remains a key opportunity for employers.
Workforce participation continues to offer room for progress
Women’s labour force participation rate was 63.3% in June 2026, compared with 70.8% for men. While a gap remains, the data reinforces the value of workplaces that support employees through different life stages and caring responsibilities.
As further affirmed, flexible work, predictable scheduling, access to quality childcare, and fair promotion practices can help workers maintain their connection to the labour market and pursue career development over time.
Flexible work and shared care can help close the gap
The data also highlights the role of unpaid work in shaping paid employment outcomes.
In 2024, 56.9% of women participated in housework, compared with 34.8% of men. Women spent an average of four hours and 38 minutes on childcare activities, compared with three hours and 29 minutes for men.
As derived from the data, greater sharing of care and household responsibilities can support more equal participation in paid work. It can also create more opportunities for women to increase working hours, pursue training and take on senior roles.
Improving earnings equity can strengthen retirement outcomes
Workplace differences can compound across a lifetime. Among Australians aged 65 and over, the median superannuation balance was AUD$168,000 for women and AUD$208,200 for men in 2019–20.
Measures that improve earnings equity, workforce participation and career progression can therefore support not only present-day pay outcomes, but also women’s long-term financial security.
Focus turns to sustaining progress in the workplace
The figures also indicated Australia has a strong base for further progress. Women’s educational attainment and continued workforce participation are encouraging, while the differences in weekly earnings, working hours, and unpaid care highlight clear opportunities for action.
READ MORE: Victorian government delays implementation of proposed work-from-home laws to July 2027
Lead image / ABS
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