Question 1

How does the calculator work?

Accepted Answer

Just enter your annual income, and hit compare my salary.You’ll then see what percentile you’re in. Maybe you're in the top 20% of income earners, or the bottom 40%. Either way, this tool shows you how your income compares with other workers in New Zealand.This is based on IRD’s PAYE data.

Question 2

Where does the data come from?

Accepted Answer

The data comes from IRD’s PAYE data. It’s from their Wage and Salary Distributions for Individuals statistics page.The data is based on the total amount of money paid out in wages and salaries in each bracket. But it doesn’t include all types of income, like benefits or NZ Superannuation.So this shows what people are paid from their jobs as opposed to their total income, which is two slightly different things.

Question 3

What does this data show?

Accepted Answer

It shows how much Kiwis earn at their jobs, and it’s based on the tax paid through PAYE (Pay As You Earn). So, it’s specifically your “taxable income”.That means it includes:Salary and wagesPaid Parental LeaveIncome received in shares or share options (when reported via PAYE)But it doesn’t include:NZ SuperannuationWelfare benefitsStudent allowancesACC paymentsShareholder-employee salaries (where PAYE isn’t deducted)So, while it’s a great benchmark for what people earn, it doesn’t show the full picture of how much Kiwis receive because some will get money from other places.

Question 4

Why is this tool useful?

Accepted Answer

This tool lets you compare your income to the rest of the country.You can answer: Am I above or below average? How close am I to the top 10%?It’s a handy way to see where you sit … and maybe set goals for the future.Why are so many people earning under $1,000?

Question 5

Why so many low incomes?

Accepted Answer

You may notice there’s a surprisingly large group of people reporting very low incomes – why?Well, they could be:Teenagers with paper runs or part-time jobsCasual or seasonal workersElderly people supplementing their super with a tiny bit of work here or there.Stay-at-home parents doing small side gigsPeople with only a few weeks or months of work in the yearPeople with small side-hustlesOften, they’re being supported by family or a partner, or the job is a secondary income.

How much do I earn?

Enter Your Annual Income

How much do you earn compared to other Kiwis?

How does the calculator work?

Where does the data come from?

What does this data show?

Why is this tool useful?

Why so many low incomes?