STEM pays! Top earning jobs can be found in medicine, finance and mining engineering
Looking to boost your bank account with a career in STEM? The Australian Tax Office (aka ATO) has just released a new report highlighting top-earning jobs, ranking occupations by taxable income. They found medical professionals at the top of Australia’s list of high earners, and STEM professionals took out 8 of the 10 top spots!
Top 10 high-paying occupations (by average taxable income)
- Surgeon: $472,475
- Anaesthetist: $447,193
- Financial dealer: $355,233
- Internal medicine specialist: $342,457
- Psychiatrist: $286,146
- Other medical practitioners: $259,802
- Mining engineer: $206,423
- Judicial or other legal professionals: $206,408
- Chief executive officer or managing director: $194,987
- Financial investment advisor or manager: $191,986
Source: ATO, ‘Individual statistics for taxation statistics 2022-23’, published 27 June 2025
Think medicine, finance or mining engineering
More precisely, surgery is the most lucrative option, with our 4,247 surgeons earning an average of $472,475 per year. For a little perspective, that’s six times Australia’s average taxable income of $74,240 in the same period!
Next up, in 2nd place are the anaesthetists earning $447,193 annually. Internal medicine specialists come 4th with $342,457, and psychiatrists 5th receiving $286,146. Other medical practitioners are close behind in 6th position, earning $259, 802.
If you’re looking for a high-paying STEM career outside of medicine, try finance. The financial dealers banked an average of $355,233. Meanwhile, financial advisors are earning $191,986. Both of these finance roles landed in the top 10.
Don’t discount the possibility of being a mining engineer either. This bunch came in 7th, earning an average of $206,423.
With so many high-paying options on offer from medicine to finance, or even mining engineering, there’s never been a better time to start on the path towards a STEM career!
