Overview
EMPLOYED
347,400
PART-TIME SHARE
16%
WORKFORCE SHARE
2.4%
FEMALE SHARE
32%
MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS
$1,610
MEDIAN AGE
45
Wholesale Trade is a small employing industry. Around 2.4% of workers have their main job in this industry.
Wholesalers don't usually have a shop front to sell their items; they are the middle step between manufactures and retailers or businesses.
Median earnings are $1,610 per week, lower than all industries median earnings of $1,700.
Details
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Employment
Employment in the Wholesale Trade industry fell over the 20 years to August 2025.
The number of workers fell by 13,400 (or -3.7%) over the last year.
| Quarterly employment, Wholesale Trade | Employment |
|---|---|
| 379100 | |
| 380700 | |
| 382500 | |
| 384400 | |
| 386400 | |
| 388400 | |
| 390300 | |
| 392100 | |
| 393900 | |
| 395700 | |
| 397600 | |
| 399400 | |
| 401200 | |
| 402900 | |
| 404600 | |
| 406100 | |
| 407600 | |
| 408900 | |
| 410000 | |
| 410800 | |
| 411500 | |
| 412000 | |
| 412400 | |
| 412700 | |
| 412900 | |
| 412900 | |
| 412700 | |
| 412300 | |
| 411600 | |
| 410500 | |
| 409000 | |
| 407000 | |
| 404400 | |
| 401600 | |
| 398500 | |
| 395200 | |
| 392000 | |
| 388700 | |
| 385600 | |
| 382700 | |
| 379900 | |
| 377400 | |
| 375300 | |
| 373500 | |
| 372200 | |
| 371300 | |
| 370800 | |
| 370800 | |
| 371200 | |
| 372000 | |
| 373100 | |
| 374400 | |
| 375800 | |
| 377200 | |
| 378400 | |
| 379200 | |
| 379700 | |
| 379700 | |
| 379300 | |
| 378600 | |
| 377500 | |
| 376200 | |
| 374800 | |
| 373300 | |
| 372000 | |
| 370800 | |
| 370000 | |
| 369400 | |
| 369000 | |
| 368800 | |
| 368600 | |
| 368400 | |
| 367800 | |
| 366800 | |
| 365300 | |
| 363300 | |
| 360700 | |
| 357700 | |
| 354400 | |
| 350900 | |
| 347400 |
Sectors
Other Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling is the largest sector in the Wholesale Trade industry, employing 60,900 workers.
| Employment by industry sectors | Employment |
|---|---|
| Other Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling | 60900 |
| Grocery, Liquor and Tobacco Product Wholesaling | 58600 |
| Furniture, Floor Covering and Other Goods Wholesaling | 39400 |
| Timber and Hardware Goods Wholesaling | 38700 |
| Specialised Industrial Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling | 29100 |
| Mineral, Metal and Chemical Wholesaling | 27500 |
| Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts Wholesaling | 24800 |
| Pharmaceutical and Toiletry Goods Wholesaling | 21600 |
| Agricultural Product Wholesaling | 21200 |
| Textile, Clothing and Footwear Wholesaling | 14100 |
| Commission-Based Wholesaling | 7400 |
Occupations
Storepersons is the largest employing occupation in the Wholesale Trade industry.
The 10 largest employing occupations are shown below.
Some occupations are common across a number of industries.
Largest employing occupations
| ANZSCO Code | Occupation title |
|---|---|
| 7411 | Storepersons |
| 1311 | Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Manager |
| 6113 | Sales Representatives |
| 5911 | Purchasing and Supply Logistics Clerks |
| 2254 | Technical Sales Representatives |
| 6211 | Sales Assistants (General) |
| 1333 | Importers, Exporters and Wholesalers |
| 1421 | Retail Managers |
| 7213 | Forklift Drivers |
| 3232 | Metal Fitters and Machinists |
Data Downloads
Industry data
This file contains data for all 19 industries to make comparing industry data easy. Information available includes:
- industry overview
- industry employment (20-year time series)
- industry sector employment
- top employing occupations by industry.