Biggest Industries by Employment in Australia in 2024

1. State Government Administration in Australia

Employment number for 2024: 1,811,452

The State Government Administration industry is made up of the eight state and territory governments across Australia. Under the Australian Constitution, state and territory governments are responsible for everything that is not a Federal Government responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, schools, hospitals, roads and railways. This report includes all actions that state and territory governments undertake. As a result, it double counts key information with other industries in Australia. For example, teachers employed in government schools in Australia are included as employees in both the State Government Administration industry and the Government Schools industry. State and territory... Learn More

2. Health Services in Australia

Employment number for 2024: 1,086,468

The Health Services subdivision covers a range of health services and facilities. General hospitals are the subdivision's largest revenue driver, accounting for over half of Australia's health services revenue. General practitioners (GPs), clinical specialists and dentists also represent significant revenue streams for the subdivision. While Australia's growing and ageing population has bolstered demand for health services in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted subdivision expansion, as health services redirected resources to contain the virus.

Overall, subdivision revenue is expected to edge up by an annualised 1.2% over the five years to 2023-24 to $202.4 billion. This soft growth rate reflects the... Learn More

3. Professional Services in Australia

Employment number for 2024: 952,500

The Professional Services subdivision provides various professional, scientific and technical services to a range of markets. The subdivision's performance is largely linked to overall economic conditions, which often determine business confidence and capital expenditure. Over the past five years, greater business profit, rising capital expenditure by the public sector and mostly positive business confidence have supported subdivision demand. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted several industries in the Professional Services subdivision, weighing on its performance. In particular, demand for architectural services, and surveying and mapping services fell over the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, as many construction projects were delayed... Learn More

4. Community Services in Australia

Employment number for 2024: 887,704

Organisations in the Community Services subdivision play an important role in supporting Australia's welfare system. Subdivision operators help to arrange care and counsel for individuals in need, including the economically disadvantaged and other vulnerable members of society like children and the elderly. Favourable demographic trends and ongoing government funding have supported the subdivision's performance in recent years.

At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped the subdivision's operating backdrop, with many Australians experiencing social and economic disadvantages, housing insecurity and mental health challenges arising from the prolonged pandemic. A series of high-profile cases of abuse, neglect and negligence among prominent... Learn More

5. Temporary Staff Services in Australia

Employment number for 2024: 561,870

Temporary staff service firms are susceptible to changes in the national unemployment rate, with lower unemployment contributing to greater demand for temporary staff in recent years. Trends towards greater business outsourcing have positively affected industry demand. Stable demand from several downstream markets has benefited industry firms, including professional services and healthcare sectors.

Before the pandemic, industry revenue grew rapidly. The pandemic disrupted the industry, causing revenue to decline slightly in 2019-20 and significantly in 2020-21. Previous strong industry revenue growth was due to falls in the national unemployment rate, which drove demand for temporary staff that industry firms supply. In contrast,... Learn More

6. Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia

Employment number for 2024: 439,625

The Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry is one of the most fiercely competitive industries in Australia. The continued expansion of Aldi and Costco has forced the two established industry giants, Woolworths and Coles, to remain price competitive. To differentiate themselves from low-cost supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths have increasingly focused on improving customers' shopping experience through store refurbishments and increased online shopping capabilities. These supermarket giants are increasingly relying on loyalty programs and promotions rather than discounts. Coles and Woolworths have also displayed a lot of interest in data analytics, have strengthened their relationships with analytics firms and taken a lot... Learn More

7. Public General Hospitals in Australia

Employment number for 2024: 402,500

Growth in the Public General Hospitals industry has been supported in part by increased government funding. Public hospitals are primarily funded through federal and state governments, with private health insurance and other non-public revenue sources expected to account for less than 10% of industry funding in 2023-24. Public hospital services funding under the National Health Reform Agreement is expected to reach $28.5 billion in 2023-24, having steadily risen over the past decade. There has been a simultaneous expansion in the need for public general hospitals, driven by Australia's ageing population and the rising incidence of chronic illness among adults.

At the... Learn More

8. Government Schools in Australia

Employment number for 2024: 369,626

The Government Schools industry has experienced modest revenue growth over the past few years. Ongoing population growth, including an expansion of the population aged between 5 and 18, has fuelled demand for public schools and kept revenue on the rise. Government funding has also been stable for government school; state and territory government funding makes up most funding for public schools, alongside some Federal Government funding. Donations and fundraising activities account for the remainder. Long-term climbs in household discretionary incomes have facilitated more donations from the community; however, the trend has also prompted a shift towards private education. Many parents... Learn More

9. Personal Welfare Services in Australia

Employment number for 2024: 365,914

The Personal Welfare Services industry provides community and welfare services to disadvantaged individuals, including children and the elderly. Many individuals served by the industry have long-term disabilities or are experiencing hardship. Services provided by the industry include those designed to assist the frail and disabled in community settings, thereby circumventing the need for institutional care. The industry also provides early intervention, prevention and counselling services. Most industry entities are small, non-profit social service organisations that rely on government funding and volunteers to operate.

High and increasing government funding, including funding associated with the National Disability Insurance Scheme, has benefitted community and... Learn More

10. Aged Care Residential Services in Australia

Employment number for 2024: 334,704

As Australia's population ages, the need for age-appropriate housing grows. Older individuals are more susceptible to a range of age-related ailments and need more assistance with everyday activities and personal care. The Aged Care Residential Services industry is growing as aged care requirements are changing, and operators now offer different lifestyle accommodation options.

However, a challenging operating environment is limiting growth. Despite government efforts to implement policies to create a more consumer-driven, market-based system, concerns about the quality of care provided by aged care residential providers are currently at the forefront. These concerns follow a series of high-profile cases of abuse,... Learn More