The Brief:
Legal professionals recorded the highest salary growth of any sector in Australia, with 21% receiving raises of over 20% in the past year.
The Hays Salary Guide FY26/27 reveals what lawyers at top-tier and mid-tier firms are actually taking home, from grads to equity partners.
Australian lawyers are winning the pay race.
The Hays Salary Guide FY26/27 shows the legal sector recorded the highest salary growth of any industry in the past year, with 21% of legal professionals receiving increases of more than 20%. That’s well above the average of 7%.
Other lawyers saw meaningful rises too.
12% of lawyers picked up rises of 16 to 20%
16% of lawyers landed 11 to 15%
12% of lawyers saw 6 to 10% bumps
The numbers
Here’s what Aussie lawyers are earning in 2026, from grads to equity partners.
The figures below are exclusive of superannuation and are in A$k. Equity partner figures represent profit drawings.
Top-Tier Pay
Sydney leads on pay at every level, with Melbourne close behind.
Brisbane and Perth lag by around $10–30k across mid-level roles, with the gap widening at senior associate and above.
The biggest city premium kicks in at special counsel, where Sydney ($285k) pays around $55k more than Perth ($230k).
Role | Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane | Perth | Canberra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Graduate | 95 | 90 | 90 | 85 | 90 |
0–1 PQE | 105 | 95 | 95 | 90 | 95 |
1–2 PQE | 115 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 |
2–3 PQE | 135 | 130 | 125 | 120 | 110 |
3–4 PQE | 145 | 135 | 130 | 125 | 120 |
4–5 PQE | 165 | 145 | 145 | 140 | 140 |
5–6 PQE | 180 | 170 | 160 | 155 | 165 |
6+ PQE | 190 | 180 | 165 | 160 | 175 |
Senior Associate | 225 | 200 | 190 | 190 | 200 |
Special Counsel | 285 | 280 | 250 | 230 | 250 |
Salary Partner | 400+ | 350+ | 300+ | 280+ | 280+ |
Equity Partner | 850+ | 800+ | 800+ | 550+ | 550+ |
Mid-Tier Pay
Entry-level pay is largely consistent across cities at mid-tier firms, with most grads and junior associates landing in the $80–95k range regardless of location. The spread widens at senior associate, where Sydney and Melbourne ($185k) sit around $10k above Perth and Canberra ($175k).
Compared to top-tier, mid-tier lawyers earn meaningfully less from the three-year mark onwards. By special counsel, the top-tier premium in Sydney is around $25k, and at equity partner level, top-tier drawings ($850k+) can run more than double mid-tier ($400k+).
Role | Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane | Perth | Canberra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Graduate | 85 | 85 | 85 | 80 | 80 |
0–1 PQE | 95 | 90 | 90 | 80 | 85 |
1–2 PQE | 100 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 90 |
2–3 PQE | 130 | 115 | 115 | 110 | 115 |
3–4 PQE | 135 | 135 | 130 | 125 | 130 |
4–5 PQE | 150 | 140 | 140 | 135 | 140 |
5–6 PQE | 160 | 155 | 150 | 145 | 150 |
6+ PQE | 175 | 170 | 160 | 150 | 160 |
Senior Associate | 185 | 185 | 185 | 175 | 175 |
Special Counsel | 260 | 245 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
Salary Partner | 300+ | 300+ | 250+ | 250+ | 250+ |
Equity Partner | 400+ | 400+ | 400+ | 350+ | 350+ |
Source: Hays Salary Guide FY26/27