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
  • Caring for others (and the cost/availability of childcare)
  • Divorce, separation, and abuse
  • Menopause impacts.

The gender pay gap in super

The gender pay gap in Australia is a real issue. And we have the stats to prove it. Currently, 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 unacceptable when we know both men and women are equally well-educated (ABS, 2024).

What might be a small difference in someone's salary at graduation can turn into a significant gap in super by the time they 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),1 there are fewer women in the workplace: 63% of women, compared to 71% of men.2

11.5%

Pay gap (average full-time weekly earnings)5

18%

Gap in senior management6

Super gender gap stats

Retiring just 5 years earlier can mean $60,000 less in super.3 And on average, women retire sooner than men — at 54 years old compared to 59 years old.4

25%

Retirement savings gap7

31%

of women rely on their partner’s income to meet retirement living costs4

alt-text

Are you on track to retire?

Calculate how much super you could end up with in retirement, what sort of income you can expect, and how long your super might last.

5 ways to maximise your super as a woman

    Ask for that raise

    Your super is based on your pay, so don't be afraid to ask for a raise. And make sure your employer is paying your super into your account regularly.

    Consider spouse contributions

    If you're on a low income or working part time, and have a spouse or partner, see if they can help grow your super with a spouse contribution or super splitting. Plus, there could be benefits for them, too.

    Protect your super account

    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. This can give you peace of mind in case a serious illness or injury means you can't work for a period of time.

    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.

See more ways to grow your super

It's your future, so make it count

Take charge of your super by finding out how much you might need to retire, and how we can help you get there.

Retirement calculator

Why QSuper

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), October 2022, How Australians use their time 2020–21, ABS website, accessed February 2025.

2. Average working hours: ABS, December 2022, Labour Force, Australia, Detailed. Percentage of women in the workforce: ABS, January 2023, Labour Force, Australia.

3. Association of Superannuation Funds Australia (ASFA), March 2024, Research paper: Impact of Menopause on Retirement Outcomes, accessed February 2025.

4. ABS, May 2024, Retirement and Retirement Intentions Australia 2022–23, ABS website, accessed February 2025.

5. ABS, August 2024, Average weekly earnings, Australia, ABS website, accessed February 2025.

6. Diversity Council Australia (DCA), KPMG, and Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), 2022, She’s Price(d)less: The economics of the gender pay gap. Top 3 drivers are listed as gender discrimination, caring for family and lower workforce participation, and type of job/industry.

7. Australian Taxation Office (ATO), June 2023, Taxation statistics 2020–21, Snapshot Table 5, Chart 12, Median super balance by age and sex, ATO website, accessed February 2025.