What's the gender pay gap?
The gender pay gap is not just a man and a woman being paid differently for the same job. It measures how women often end up with less money, compared to men. Since superannuation payments are based on your pay, a gender pay gap over your lifetime can lead to a gender superannuation gap.
Our research shows some of the key causes are:
Fewer career opportunities
Gender biases in hiring, employment type, pay levels, promotions, and firing all change the types of jobs and industries available for the long term.1
Caring for others
Women do more unpaid caring work, which often means part-time or casual paid work instead of full-time.1 And a big reason for this is the cost and availability of childcare.
Divorce, separation, and abuse
Mothers who change from partnered to single mother households experience a 20% decline in household income.2 And domestic and family violence makes it harder to find and keep a job, or to save money.3
Menopause impacts
1 in 7 women going through menopause will need to take time out of the workforce or retire prematurely. Even retiring 5 years earlier could see a loss of $60,000 in retirement savings.4
Is the gender pay gap real in Australia? Absolutely.
And we have the stats to prove it. In real terms, Australia has a 11.5% gender pay gap, with women needing to work 44 days extra per year to earn the same as men (ABS, 2024). This is an unacceptable situation when we know both men and women are equally well-educated (ABS, 2024).
What might be a small difference in graduating salaries can turn into a significant gender super gap by the time we retire.
Gender pay gap stats
Not only do women work an average of 55.4 hours of paid and unpaid work a week (2 hours more than men),5 there are fewer women in the workplace: 63% of women, compared to 71% of men.6
11.5%
Pay gap (average full-time weekly earnings)8
18%
Gap in senior management1
Super gender gap stats
Retiring just 5 years earlier can mean $60,000 less in super.4 And on average, women retire sooner than men — at 63 years old compared to 66 years old.7
25%
Retirement savings gap9
31%
of women rely on their partner’s income to meet retirement living costs7
Do you have as much super as a man your age?
If you're curious about how your super stacks up, compare your super balance to the average balance for men and women your age. (The ABS doesn't list data on non-binary people's super.)
What can I do to maximise my super as a woman?
Consider spouse contributions
If you're on a low income and have a spouse or partner, see if they can help grow your super with a spouse contribution or super splitting.
Protect your finances
Ask for that raise, since your super is based on your pay. And check that your super is going into your account regularly. Make sure your family members can't access your super details (unless you've specifically let them), and contact us if you need help securing your account.
Check you have insurance
Check you have insurance on your super account in case a serious illness or injury means you can't work.
Take advantage of government payments
When you're on a low income, the government may give you a co-contribution when you add a little extra to your super. If you're on a higher income, salary sacrifice may be an option instead.
Compare investment options
Switch investment options if you're not in the right option for you. The ASX's Australian Investor Study in 2020 found that women take fewer risks when investing, and review their investments less often than men.
How Australia could fix the gender pay gap
The research shows there are several systemic problems that are causing the gender pay gap and the super gap.
Women In Super recommends public policy changes including paying super on the government's paid parental leave, free childcare, and increasing the LISTO benefit.
What ART does for women
At Australian Retirement Trust, we’re committed to supporting all of our members to reach their retirement goals.
We partner with Make Super Fair, which advocates for the government to improve economic security for women in super and retirement.
Join the conversation by tagging #MakeSuperFair
