Lawyer Salary in Sydney (2026)

Typical local-market pay: A$63,942/year (OECD / estimated ABS Employee Earnings Aug 2024 · Jobs and Skills Australia). Lifestyle equivalent of a New York $100,000 salary: A$105,860/year (COLI-scaled, not market pay). COLI rank #18 of 113.

Local market
A$63,942
OECD / estimated ABS Employee Earnings Aug 2024 · Jobs and Skills Australia
Lifestyle equivalent
A$105,860
COLI 74.5 · NYC $100,000 scaled · not market pay
Take-home (on market pay)
84%
$3,165/mo net
COLI (NYC = 100)
74.5
#18 of 113
NYC baseline
$100,000
mid-career USD

Salary Range in Sydney

COLI-scaled lifestyle-equivalent range for a lawyer in Sydney (NYC baseline × COLI 74.5 / 100). This is not local market pay.

Entry Level
A$52,930
Mid-Career
A$105,860
Senior
A$232,891

Top Cities for Lawyer Salary

Highest COLI-scaled lifestyle equivalents (not local market pay):

City Local market Lifestyle equivalent Take-Home
ZurichCHF 46,994CHF 99,17365%
GenevaCHF 46,994CHF 96,09561%
New York$100,000$100,00065%
San Francisco$100,000$97,60066%
SingaporeS$71,649S$114,24876%

See all 113 cities for Lawyer →

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Other Jobs in Sydney

Lawyer Salary — Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a lawyer earn in Sydney?

Local-market pay for a lawyer in Sydney is approximately A$63,942/year (OECD / estimated · ABS Employee Earnings Aug 2024 · Jobs and Skills Australia). Separately, the lifestyle equivalent of a New York $100,000 salary is A$105,860 (COLI 74.5, NYC = 100). That equivalent is not what someone earns locally. COLI-scaled entry/senior lifestyle equivalents: A$52,930 – A$232,891.

What is the take-home pay for a lawyer in Sydney?

After income tax and social contributions in Australia, a lawyer in Sydney takes home approximately 84% of their gross salary, or around $3,165/month ($37,980/year in USD equivalent).

How does Sydney rank for lawyer salaries globally?

Sydney ranks #18 out of 113 cities on COLI-scaled lifestyle equivalent for lawyers (not local market rank). The top city on that equivalent scale is Zurich.