Overview
EMPLOYED
338,300
PART-TIME SHARE
17%
WORKFORCE SHARE
2.3%
FEMALE SHARE
32%
MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS
$1,588
MEDIAN AGE
45
Wholesale Trade is a small employing industry. Around 2.3% 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 $1,588 per week, lower than all industries median earnings of $1,741.
Details
On this page
Employment
Employment in the Wholesale Trade industry fell over the 20 years to November 2025.
The number of workers fell by 17,000 (or -4.8%) over the last year.
| Quarterly employment, Wholesale Trade | Employment |
|---|---|
| 380700 | |
| 382500 | |
| 384500 | |
| 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 | |
| 406900 | |
| 404400 | |
| 401500 | |
| 398400 | |
| 395100 | |
| 391800 | |
| 388600 | |
| 385500 | |
| 382500 | |
| 379700 | |
| 377200 | |
| 375100 | |
| 373300 | |
| 371900 | |
| 371000 | |
| 370500 | |
| 370500 | |
| 370900 | |
| 371700 | |
| 372800 | |
| 374100 | |
| 375500 | |
| 376900 | |
| 378100 | |
| 379000 | |
| 379500 | |
| 379500 | |
| 379200 | |
| 378500 | |
| 377400 | |
| 376200 | |
| 374800 | |
| 373300 | |
| 372000 | |
| 370900 | |
| 370100 | |
| 369500 | |
| 369100 | |
| 368800 | |
| 368500 | |
| 368100 | |
| 367400 | |
| 366200 | |
| 364400 | |
| 361900 | |
| 358900 | |
| 355300 | |
| 351400 | |
| 347100 | |
| 342800 | |
| 338300 |
Sectors
Other Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling is the largest sector in the Wholesale Trade industry, employing 62,100 workers.
| Employment by industry sectors | Employment |
|---|---|
| Other Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling | 62100 |
| Grocery, Liquor and Tobacco Product Wholesaling | 57600 |
| Furniture, Floor Covering and Other Goods Wholesaling | 38500 |
| Timber and Hardware Goods Wholesaling | 37000 |
| Specialised Industrial Machinery and Equipment Wholesaling | 28700 |
| Mineral, Metal and Chemical Wholesaling | 28400 |
| Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts Wholesaling | 24700 |
| Pharmaceutical and Toiletry Goods Wholesaling | 21200 |
| Agricultural Product Wholesaling | 19900 |
| Textile, Clothing and Footwear Wholesaling | 13300 |
| Commission-Based Wholesaling | 7100 |
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.