The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) requires all private-sector employers with 100+ staff to report workforce composition annually. Across 7,414 employers in 2023–24, women make up an average of 46.8% of all employees and 40.7% of managers. 3,443 employers have a majority-female workforce. The table below shows workforce % women and manager % women for the largest employers.
Across the 7,414 private-sector employers reporting to WGEA in 2023–24, women make up an average of 46.8% of the total workforce. This varies significantly by industry — healthcare and retail skew female; mining and construction skew male.
On average, 40.7% of managers across WGEA-reporting employers are women in 2023–24. The management gap is smaller than the overall workforce share in male-dominated industries, and larger in female-dominated industries.
Australia's national gender pay gap is approximately 21–22% on a total remuneration basis (2023–24). This data covers workforce gender composition — the actual pay gap figures require remuneration data published separately by WGEA.
Healthcare and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, and Education and Training consistently have the highest female workforce participation in Australia. Mining, Construction, and Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services have the lowest.