WGEA data reveals significant variation in pay gaps among mid-tiers

Out of the five largest mid-tier firms, Grant Thornton had the largest percentage of women working in roles within the upper-earning quartile. Median total remuneration for women at the firm was 8.6 per cent higher than that for men in the 2024–25 financial year.

RSM Australia was the second-best performer on women's remuneration, with the firm recording a pay gap in total remuneration of just 2.2 per cent. The pay gap for median base salary was also 2.2 per cent.

At the other end of the spectrum, the data revealed that Findex had a gender pay gap of 24.1 per cent for median total remuneration. The pay gap in median base salary between men and women was 23.4 per cent.

The pay gap for median total remuneration was 9.2 per cent at BDO and 7.4 per cent for Pitcher Partners.

In a statement, BDO acknowledged that it had a disproportionate concentration of men in the upper quartile at 62 per cent, with partners and senior leaders accounting for a large proportion of this quartile.

BDO said its structure as a company as opposed to a partnership in a strictly legal sense meant all partners were included in its annual gender equality reporting to the WGEA.

"Excluding our partner cohort, our average total remuneration gender pay gap is 2.7 per cent, and our median total remuneration GPG is -3.7 per cent," it said.

The firm stated that its representation of women in partner roles is only 24 per cent, which was below its firm target of 30 per cent women partners by 2029.

"We continue to take proactive steps to ensure our women progress into partnership and other leadership roles across the firm and develop their careers at BDO. This will in turn ensure a more gender-balanced upper quartile in future," the firm said. 

Among the big four firms, PwC recorded the smallest gender pay gap for median total remuneration and median base salary. The pay gap for median total remuneration fell from 7.3 per cent down to 2 per cent, while the gap between median base salary fell from 7.1 per cent in the 2023–24 year down to 2.4 per cent for 2024–25.

Out of the big four firms, Deloitte remains the firm with the largest gap for both median total remuneration at 14.7 per cent and median base salary at 14.8 per cent. The pay gap for total remuneration for women working at Deloitte actually increased slightly from 14.5 to 14.7 per cent.

It was also the firm with the lowest percentage of women in the upper-quartile portion of earners across the big four firms, with women comprising just 40 per cent of the workers in this category at Deloitte.

Across all industries and professions, the WGEA data indicated that the mid-point for the pay gap in total remuneration was 11.2 per cent. The mid-point for employer pay gaps fell by 0.9 per cent in 2024–25.

WGEA chief executive Mary Wooldridge said the publication of employer gender pay gaps has helped motivate employers to act on gender equality after progress had previously stalled.

“Many employers have told us publishing their information has helped them prioritise fairness and equality and led to deeper engagement from the C-Suite and Board,” Wooldridge said.

“Results since 2024 show more employers now analyse how managers recruit employees, decide their pay and performance bonuses and determine promotions. Many are also looking past composition and pay to examine women's and men’s different experiences of access to parental leave, flexible working arrangements or safety in the workplace.”

While many employers should be celebrating progress, Wooldridge said there is more work to do to ensure Australian workplaces are truly gender-equal.

She noted that employers in high-paying and male-dominated industries were more likely to have the largest gaps.

“The fact that men are nearly twice as likely as women to be in the highest paid roles and that women still dominate the lowest paid roles should offer a reality check for anyone who thinks Australia has achieved equality in the workplace,” Wooldridge said.

Large differences in discretionary payments, like performance bonuses and overtime hours, remain a key driver of many employer gender pay gaps.

“Employers should treat gender equality like their other business goals. Do a detailed analysis to find the issues, create an action plan to address them and set targets to be accountable for ensuring progress happens,” said Wooldridge.