Publish on February 11, 2024

The 11 Highest Paying Jobs in New Zealand

Claudia Reiners

When it comes to earning the big bucks, some jobs far outstrip others. 

The average income in New Zealand sits at a modest $58,836. Meanwhile, a handful of in-demand, highly skilled roles command salaries of $300,000 and over — with #1 often earning millions of dollars a year.

Jobs that pay astronomical sums are generally highly skilled and require substantial experience, expertise, and qualifications. They are usually found in the business, finance, technology and medical sectors.

As a general rule, the closer you are to the money, the higher your pay. This is reflected in the types of roles found in this list. Either they directly drive business growth and revenue or carry weighty responsibilities.

We’ve combined data from various sources to bring you this list, sorted by earning potential rather than median salaries. Whether you’re in Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown, Christchurch or anywhere in between, here are the highest-paid jobs in New Zealand:

Job title	Low	Mid	High
1. CEO/Managing Director	$120k	$195k	$4.5m
2. Surgeon – Private sector	$151k	$212k	$600k
3. Judge	$334k	$413k	$490k
4. Chief Financial Officer (CFO)	$180k	$250k	$350k
5. Strategy Manager – Corporate Finance, M&A	$200k	$230k	$350k
6. Country Sales Manager	$190k	$250k	$300k
7. Corporate and Insitutional Director – Financial Services	$180k	$250k	$300k
8. IT General Manager	$185k	$250k	$300k
9. Chief Technology Officer (CTO) / Head of Technology	$200k	$250k	$300k
10. Investment Director – In-house Corporate Strategy – M&A	$150k	$205k	$250k
11. HR General Manager / Head of HR	$150k	$200k	$250k

1. Managing director/chief executive officer (CEO)

Sitting pretty at the top of the list and the business career ladder, we have the Managing Director or CEO of an organisation.

The earning potential in this role is stunning. But compared to many of the other jobs on this list, it’s also a relatively achievable ambition. Job opportunities are excellent if you have the right experience and qualifications.

CEOs drive the overall strategy and direction of an organisation. They also organise, plan and are accountable for all parts of their operation. They need to have a good understanding of the different departments. On top of that, they need exceptional business and management skills — since their decisions determine a company’s long-term success or failure. 

In the public sector, CEOs earn between $120,000 and $700,000 a year. In the private sector, typical salaries can sit at around $700,000 — and, at the largest companies, shoot into the millions.

How to become a managing director/chief executive officer:

• Experience in a senior leadership role
• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Business Administration, Commerce, or Law
• Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) can be helpful

2. Surgeon

Surgeons spend their working lives operating on people to treat illness and injury. It’s a role that carries enormous weight, and a hefty pay packet to match.

Training is also difficult, demanding, and takes upwards of 13 years to complete. While surgeons need a broad knowledge of many areas of medicine, they will usually focus on a specialty.

New Zealand is experiencing a surgeon shortage, which makes for good job prospects if you’re thinking of pursuing this career. The typical pay range is excellent: experienced surgeons earn between $151-212k. But at the top end of the private sector, surgeons make up to $600k.

How to become a surgeon:

• First-year of a Bachelor’s programme in Health Sciences or Biomedical Science at Otago or Auckland Universities (1 year)
• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Otago or Auckland University (5 years)
• Residency in a hospital (several years)
• Specialist training to become a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (5-7 years)
• Registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand

3. Judge

Law is regarded as a lucrative field for a reason. Judges are one of the most esteemed roles in this profession, and though there are seldom openings for this top spot, the monetary rewards are enormous.

Judges in New Zealand are paid between $334-490k. The amount depends on the type of court they work in.

Furthermore, they are tenured, meaning their pay cannot decrease. This is so that they can remain impartial and not be influenced by financial factors.

In this role, a person has the power to influence the course of justice and society. For that reason, not just anybody can become a judge. This role demands integrity, knowledge of the law, experience practising law at a senior level, and a willingness to be in the public eye.

How to become a judge:

• A Bachelor of Laws (LLB) qualification
• To have completed a Professional Legal Studies course
• Seven years or more as a barrister or solicitor
• Excellent character
• Knowledge of justice and the law
• Experience as partner or director of a law firm or Queen’s Counsel
• To be nominated to the attorney general’s judicial appointments unit

4. Chief financial officer

The CFO oversees and manages all financial operations in an organisation and leads the finance team.

This is a critical role in any organisation, and New Zealand is currently experiencing a shortage of CFOs with the right skills. And since it’s as close to the money as possible, it pays handsomely. Top-earning CFOs bring in $350,000 a year.

The CFO needs strong technical skills in finance and accounting; they also need excellent speaking and leadership skills. A big part of their role is to present their critical insights to the broader organisation — in a way that makes sense to non-finance people.

How to become a chief financial officer:

• Bachelor’s degree majoring in accounting or finance
• Registration as a Chartered Accountant (CA) or a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA)
• Experience in finance and accounting
• Experience in management and leadership

5. Strategy manager (mergers & acquisitions)

In investment banking, the GM Strategy heads up the strategy team in the Mergers & Acquisitions department. Their work focuses on extracting maximum value from business deals, such as acquisitions, mergers, and divestments. 

In collaboration with senior management, they provide financial analysis and insights around proposed business deals. They’re also confident communicators and decision-makers who can lead a high-level team and negotiate deals.

Earning potential can reach up to $2M – $4.5M at NZ’s biggest companies.

How to become a strategy manager:

• A Bachelor’s degree in business, commerce or finance
• A postgraduate qualification in finance or commerce
• Several years of experience as a management consultant

6. National sales manager

Country Sales Managers are in charge of a national sales performance for a business and can earn up to $350,000.

They’re accomplished salespersons with thorough knowledge of the product and market. Besides that, they’re also high-level leaders and managers who oversee all levels of sales managers in that country.

Providing feedback, coaching sales performance and conducting performance reviews are all critical parts of the role.

How to become a national sales manager:

• Bachelor’s degree in management, marketing, economics, or commerce
• Several years of experience in sales positions, including at a management level

7. Corporate and institutional director

In the sales department of a bank, the Corporate and Institutional Director’s role is to meet large corporate clients’ banking needs. 

As critical decision-makers, they oversee strategic projects for their department, manage analytics and reporting, and improve business systems. 

This leadership enables their team to tailor custom financial solutions to suit the complex needs of their clients. Corporate and Institutional Directors pull in the big bucks, with earning potential reaching $300,000 a year.

How to become a corporate and institutional director

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, commerce, management or economics
• Postgraduate degree in a relevant discipline
• Experience in management consulting, strategy, or business roles within financial services

8. Chief technology officer

As an IT leadership role, Chief Technology Officers focus on improving products and services using technology.

They own all technology products and choose technology architecture to align with business goals. They also drive innovation through leading engineer and developer teams in research and development projects.

How to become a chief technology officer:

• A qualification in IT or business
• At least ten years experience in IT, including in senior positions

9. Chief information officer (CIO)

Another IT leadership role, CIOs focus on technology’s role in internal processes. They oversee all the day-to-day IT operations for an organisation.

Demand is surging due to a worker shortage, which means that prospects are bright for finding a job that pays between $250,000 and $300,000 a year. 

CIOs ensure all the day-to-day processes using tech are running smoothly, including operational efficiency and security while also representing and advocating for the IT department.

How to become a chief information officer (CIO):

• A qualification in IT or Project Management (not formally required)
• Relevant work experience in IT and management
• Leadership and management skills

10. Investment director

In-house Investment Directors are deal-makers at the blue-chip company level. They spot lucrative opportunities and set up business deals, working for mergers and acquisitions teams at large companies.

Often earning up to $250,000 a year, Investment Directors have usually come from working in the mergers and acquisitions industry. They can then apply that expertise to their company’s particular sector, such as technology or manufacturing. 

How to become an investment director:

• A qualification in business, finance or commerce
• Several years of experience working at investment banks or Mergers and Acquisitions firms
• Leadership and management skills

11. HR manager

As a very people-centric role, the Human Resources Manager oversees everything to do with the people in an organisation. This covers staffing, recruitment, culture, administration, and employee development at an organisation.

HR Managers who work in large companies, and report directly to the CEO can expect to earn between $150,000 and $300,000 a year. 

As leaders of the HR department, they continually balance the organisation’s needs with the workers’ needs, striving to create outcomes that benefit both parties.

People are integral to any organisation, and a great HR Manager will lead the charge in building a positive workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent.

How to become an HR manager:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or Business
• Several years of experience working in HR
• Leadership and management skills