Overview
EMPLOYED
364,400
PART-TIME SHARE
17%
WORKFORCE SHARE
2.5%
FEMALE SHARE
34%
MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS
$1,610
MEDIAN AGE
45
Wholesale Trade is a small employing industry. Around 2.5% 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 February 2025.
The number of workers fell by 4,000 (or -1.1%) over the last year.
| Quarterly employment, Wholesale Trade | Employment |
|---|---|
| 376300 | |
| 377600 | |
| 379000 | |
| 380700 | |
| 382500 | |
| 384400 | |
| 386400 | |
| 388400 | |
| 390200 | |
| 392100 | |
| 393900 | |
| 395700 | |
| 397600 | |
| 399400 | |
| 401200 | |
| 402900 | |
| 404500 | |
| 406100 | |
| 407600 | |
| 408900 | |
| 409900 | |
| 410800 | |
| 411500 | |
| 412000 | |
| 412400 | |
| 412700 | |
| 412800 | |
| 412900 | |
| 412700 | |
| 412200 | |
| 411500 | |
| 410400 | |
| 408900 | |
| 406800 | |
| 404300 | |
| 401400 | |
| 398300 | |
| 395100 | |
| 391800 | |
| 388600 | |
| 385400 | |
| 382500 | |
| 379700 | |
| 377200 | |
| 375100 | |
| 373300 | |
| 372000 | |
| 371100 | |
| 370600 | |
| 370600 | |
| 371000 | |
| 371700 | |
| 372800 | |
| 374100 | |
| 375500 | |
| 376900 | |
| 378000 | |
| 378800 | |
| 379200 | |
| 379100 | |
| 378700 | |
| 377800 | |
| 376600 | |
| 375200 | |
| 373700 | |
| 372100 | |
| 370700 | |
| 369600 | |
| 368700 | |
| 368200 | |
| 368000 | |
| 368100 | |
| 368300 | |
| 368500 | |
| 368700 | |
| 368700 | |
| 368300 | |
| 367700 | |
| 366700 | |
| 365600 | |
| 364400 |
Sectors
Other Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling is the largest sector in the Wholesale Trade industry, employing 66,000 workers.
| Employment by industry sectors | Employment |
|---|---|
| Other Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling | 66000 |
| Grocery, Liquor and Tobacco Product Wholesaling | 59000 |
| Timber and Hardware Goods Wholesaling | 41300 |
| Furniture, Floor Covering and Other Goods Wholesaling | 38400 |
| Specialised Industrial Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling | 36000 |
| Mineral, Metal and Chemical Wholesaling | 27700 |
| Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts Wholesaling | 26300 |
| Agricultural Product Wholesaling | 22400 |
| Pharmaceutical and Toiletry Goods Wholesaling | 19700 |
| Textile, Clothing and Footwear Wholesaling | 14400 |
| Commission-Based Wholesaling | 7300 |
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.