The Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in New Zealand

Salaries in New Zealand are generally higher than the world’s average, according to World Data — and it’s expected to rise even more in the next few years. This is great news for the incoming workforce as, ideally, they won’t need to leave the country to find a high-paying job. The high salary has also attracted many talented expats to work in the country.

We’ve compared different jobs across industries to find the highest paying jobs in New Zealand.

Here are the top 10 highest-earning jobs that require a bachelor’s degree:

1. Anaesthesiologist

Medical doctors are known to be some of the highest earners in New Zealand. Anaesthesiologists — or doctors who administer pain management for patients — are the highest earners out of all medical doctors, with an average salary of $175,004 per year. 

2. Systems Architect

Tech is a huge industry, so it’s no surprise that it offers some of the heftiest salaries. System architects have the highest salary in the industry, earning an average of $127,690 per year. They create and supervise computer systems of businesses and government agencies.

3. Actuary

Actuaries — also known as risk managers — calculate a company’s risk in insurance premiums. Their knowledge and expertise about financial statements, statistical science, and risk management pays them $123,760 per year on average.

4. Real Estate Agent

Real estate is a lucrative business, so it’s only natural for their agents to get lucrative salaries too. They get an average salary of $122,500 per year, and even more depending on commissions set by their company.

5. Accountant

Accountants don’t only handle astronomical amounts of money; they also get astronomical salaries. General accountants receive at least $120,560 per year. If you have reputable credentials for financial management or consulting, you’ll receive an even higher paycheck.

6. Oil and Gas Engineer

Engineers are also some of the highest earners in New Zealand. Among all kinds of engineers, oil and gas engineers earn the highest with the salary of $117,960 per year. With the country being dedicated to sustainable energy, however, opportunities aren’t as in demand.

7. Investment Banker

Finance and banking jobs sound synonymous with money — and that is true in New Zealand. Investment bankers get $117,200 per year on average, with great incentives if the investment sees great returns. If you have a more diversified portfolio, you may even get higher incentives.

8. Construction Manager

Construction is a profitable business in New Zealand, and those managing it get a hefty pay. Construction managers receive as much as $114,930 per year. What’s great is that the profession has the biggest potential income increase out of all industries in the next few years.

9. Software Engineer

As all businesses need digital and online protection, software engineers' salaries can rack up to $112,600 per year. With more global companies opening their headquarters in the country, the industry is only expected to grow.

10. Veterinarians

Medical doctors aren’t the only health professionals to receive a big salary; animal doctors or veterinarians receive a hefty salary too! They receive $112,000 per year for caring for your furry friends. Aside from pets, they also take care of farm and aquatic animals, among others.

The top highest-earning jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree:

If you weren’t able to finish your bachelor’s degree or you only have a diploma or certificate, don’t worry as you can still get a high-paying job. New Zealand has plenty of great opportunities for blue-collar workers. Here are some of them.

Chef

The hospitality industry is a big business in New Zealand, and chefs are said to be in high demand “due to a shortage of skilled workers,” according to Careers NZ. In fact, Immigration NZ lists chefs as one of their long-term skills shortages. With the number of restaurants across NZ, head chefs can earn as much as $100,000 per year, not including the tips and incentives from customers.

Electrician

Electricians handle all aspects of installation, maintenance, and repair of all electrical systems and appliances that we see around us. While they can earn as much as $45 per hour, most of their work comes and goes, so building mutual trust with a network of customers and contractors are very important.

Plumber/ Gasfitter

Plumbers and gasfitters are responsible for installation, maintenance, and drainage of water and gas pipes in homes and commercial establishments. Similarly, they get paid well for as much as $41 per hour, but most of their work can be unstable if they choose the freelance route.

Farmer

Farmers handle the raising, caring, harvesting, and maintaining of crops and livestock. Unlike most labour jobs, their work is consistent all year round. Because of this, they can earn as much as $65,000 per year, with plenty of perks like government subsidies and free housing.

Builder

Constructing buildings and other infrastructure isn’t a one-man job. To form a structure, you need a lot of builders, which explains their high demand in New Zealand. They earn an average of $97,817 per year, depending on the type of infrastructure being built.

Learn a skillset from one of these highest paying jobs

If you really want to work in one of these high paying jobs in the country, sharpen your tools and learn a skillset today. You won’t need to spend a ton of money to learn more about these jobs. There are tons of free online classes that you can add to your paid courses, and you can learn these skills from experts you found online.

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