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General Manager salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a general manager is $148,200 per annum, before tax, up $31,200 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- At this level pay is usually negotiated individually rather than set by an award, so the size and complexity of what you run matters more than years of service.
- Bonuses tied to profit, safety or growth targets make up a larger share of the package than in most roles, and sector shapes the band, with health care, professional services and manufacturing each paying differently.
- Public sector and larger employers often set their own executive contracts or enterprise agreements.
The median salary rose by $31,200 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than general manager
The largest typical pay rise is $52,000 a year, moving into Chief Operating Officer.
- Chief Operating Officer+$52,000/yr
- Construction Manager+$46,900/yr
- Chief Executive Officer+$33,800/yr
How to negotiate a higher general manager salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time general manager salary is $148,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Strategy development and Financial analysis and modelling tend to command a premium over general general manager experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chief Operating Officer pays a typical $52,000 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
General Manager salary questions
How much do general managers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a general manager is $148,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is general manager pay rising or falling?
The median general manager salary is up $31,200 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than general manager?
Chief Operating Officer pays a typical $52,000 a year more and draws on similar skills to general manager.
Related salaries
- Chief Executive Officer salary
- Chief Operating Officer salary
- Construction Manager salary
- Corporate Services Manager salary
- Management Consultant salary
- Sales Manager salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.