Which sectors pay more than a median $100,000 salary?
It used to be that once someone's salary hit six digits, they would be considered highly paid.
But there are now about a dozen sectors paying at least a median $100,000.
Over the past 10 years, the median wage across New Zealand has risen from about $67,000 - depending how you measure it - to nearly $80,000.
Infometrics principal economist Nick Brunsdon compiled LEED data from Stats NZ which showed the break down of mean and median income by industry.
It showed workers in mining, manufacturing, electricity and gas supply, rail, water, air and space transport, telecommunications, finance and insurance, computer system design, and hospitals all had median and mean incomes above $100,000.
The data reports on PAYE earners so will not capture self employed people who do not pay PAYE, or anyone who is not in paid work.
Coal, oil, gas and metal ore mining was top, with a median income of $136,770 and a mean of $144,450.
Computer systems design and related services was second, with a median income of $125,630.
It was followed by exploration and other mining support services on a median $124,960 and auxiliary finance and insurance services on $124,390.
At the other end of the table was food and beverage services, with a median $40,170, and food retailing on a median $45,030.
"The big caveat is that it doesn't include hours worked, and there will be differences in the prevalence of part time workers across industries," Brunsdon said.
He said it seemed overall that it was private sectors that were paying the highest salaries, with the exception of hospital staff. But he said hospital wages were likely to be being pulled up by highly paid surgeons and other specialists.
"Generally the private sector has greater ability to pay."
He said qualifications were also a factor, although mining roles were not necessarily those requiring degrees.
He said manufacturing salaries could be being pushed up by shift work loadings that could bring people over the $100,000 salary level "quite easily".
There had been a couple of years of quite aggressive minimum wage increases, he said. "That's going to have an effect at the bottom end and it's going to have that knock-on effect to anyone - or should have a knock-on effect to anyone - who's near the minimum wage to maintain relativity.
"But I guess it depends on what's going on. When you've got particular pressures in particular areas, that's going to push up wages. A couple of years ago there was a lot of pressure in the public sector and professional services wages during that period. Not so much now."
He said there was not much impetus for wage growth in the current environment.
"People are generally pretty grateful to keep the job they've got rather than push the boat out and try to get paid more... the job hopping that can push things up is not going on as well."
He said the economy might be at a turning point for recovery but Infometrics was not expecting it to tick over into strong growth.
"It's sort of expected to be a prolonged recovery, which means that it could be some years until we start to get that sort of heat back in the economy that contributes to strong wage growth."
Top five
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Coal, oil gas and metal ore mining
Mean $144,450 median $136,770
Mining is the highest paid sector in New Zealand.
A report in the middle of this year said that 7470 people were employed in the sector.
Computer systems design and related services
Mean $128,690, median $125,630
These sorts of roles are often among the most highly paid in things like Trade Me's reports of advertised salaries.
They include things like planning, integrating and managing computer hardware and software, as well as communication technologies.
Exploration and other mining support services
Mean $129,940, median $124,960
That same mining report said the biggest job creation and economic impact was in Buller, Hauraki and Waitaki.
Earlier in the year, RNZ reported that forest and mining roles had the second-biggest pay increases last year at 6.2 percent.
Auxiliary finance and insurance services
Mean $134,480, median $124,390
This category captures people whose work is related to financial transactions and insurance but who work in businesses that don't own the financial assets themselves.
Finance
Mean $126,220, median $122,020
General finance jobs were also paying well.
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More than 120,000 disabled and older New Zealanders registered in the Total Mobility scheme will pay more for discounted taxi trips from next year as the Government announces a cut to trip subsidies.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop said subsidies would drop from 75% to 65% from July 1, 2026, blaming unsustainable rising costs.
Regional fare caps will also be lowered by around 10%.
Wide-ranging Ministry of Transport proposals for the scheme were released for consultation today. Suggested options included "strengthened" eligibility; periodic reassessments; caps on monthly trips; and the potential inclusion of ridesharing services.
"The Government is announcing decisions to stabilise the Total Mobility scheme so that the disability community is supported in a financially sustainable way, by all funding partners," Bishop said of the confirmed subsidy changes.
Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston said the new subsidy level would still be higher than what it was four years ago, when it was raised under the previous government.
"We appreciate these decisions will mean fares will increase for Total Mobility users.
"But they will still receive a higher subsidy level than prior to 2022. The changes also provide certainty that those who need the service will have continued access to it."
Demand for the scheme has soared since the subsidy rose from 50% in 2022. Registered users have jumped from 108,000 to 120,000, while trips have risen from 1.8 million in 2018 to three million.
Bishop said the 2022 increase had not accounted for higher demand over time.
"Increased demand now means the scheme is close to exceeding its Crown funding and is placing significant pressure on the contributions from local councils and NZTA," he said.
Costs are forecast to exceed funding by $236 million between 2025 and 2030 under current settings, according to the Government.
The Total Mobility scheme provided subsidised taxi fares for people who could not use public transport independently due to disability or age. The scheme was funded jointly by central government, NZTA's National Land Transport Fund and local councils.
The Government would also provide $10 million to NZTA to ease funding pressures on public transport authorities until the changes took effect.
Reacting to the subsidy changes, Disabled Persons Assembly chief executive Mojo Mathers told 1News that Total Mobility was an "essential service for us".
"This cut to Total Mobility on top of a cost-of-living crisis will only aggravate hardship in an already struggling population," she said in a statement.
"Total Mobility is an essential service for us. Not everyone can get on a bus or drive a car.
"Disabled people will face impossible choices when it comes to travel, when we know that over half don’t have enough to meet their everyday needs."
Labour has criticised the subsidy changes, saying the Government was "making life harder and more expensive for disabled New Zealanders".
Today's announcement came after a delayed year-long Transport Ministry review of the Total Mobility scheme, which included an earlier round of public consultation.
Further changes on the way, proposals in consultation
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Alongside the subsidy cut, the Ministry of Transport has opened consultation on proposals including trip caps, stricter eligibility assessments, and expanding service providers beyond taxis to include ride-hail apps and on-demand public transport.
"Beyond ensuring the scheme’s financial viability, the Government is also taking the opportunity to consider changes to strengthen a system so that it works better for disabled people,” Upston said.
"The Ministry of Transport will be releasing a discussion document to consult on proposals to strengthen Total Mobility to ensure fairer, consistent and more sustainable access to services for people with the greatest need."
The wide-ranging proposals were not yet Government policy and were open for feedback until March 22, 2026. The 10% subsidy cut was not part of the consultation.
The proposals include trip caps, with two options. The first would give all users a flat monthly cap of 30 to 40 trips at 65% subsidy, with either no further subsidised trips or a reduced 50% subsidy once reached. The second would allocate 10 base trips, plus extras based on need – for example, for employment, health, or education.
The ministry proposed tighter eligibility requirements, including medical evidence from health practitioners, occupational therapists or psychologists when applying.
Currently, assessment standards varied, with no documentary evidence required.
Periodic reassessments would also be introduced under another proposal, requiring users to be re-evaluated after a set period to ensure they remained eligible.
The proposals also aimed to expand service providers beyond traditional taxis to include ride-hail apps, on-demand public transport services, and volunteer community transport providers. The ministry said this could increase availability and give users more options.
It was unclear whether ride-hailing apps would include popular ride-sharing apps such as Uber.
To improve wheelchair accessibility, the ministry also proposed more incentives for service providers, including higher funding for installing ramps and hoists in vehicles, and raising the $10 per wheelchair trip payment that has remained unchanged since 2005.
The ministry was also exploring a national public transport concession for people with disabilities – separate from Total Mobility and implemented through the National Ticketing Solution from 2027.
Labour critical of subsidy changes
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Labour disability issues spokesperson Priyanca Radhakrishnan said the Government was "making life harder and more expensive for disabled New Zealanders by slashing discounted transport fares during a cost-of-living crisis".
"Under Christopher Luxon, disabled Kiwis will now pay more just to get to work, attend health appointments, or see loved ones,” she said in a statement.
"Disability communities feel betrayed. First came the overnight cut to flexible funding; then restrictions on residential care with no warning.
"Then Whaikaha was gutted and disability support shifted to the Social Development Ministry. Now, the transport subsidy many rely on to live independently has been cut.
"For many disabled Kiwis, affordable transport isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a lifeline. It means independence, dignity, and the ability to participate in everyday life and that’s why Labour increased the subsidy in government. This latest change is taking us backwards."
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