Worker productivity by industry is calculated by dividing the industry value add by the number of persons employed in that industry. It shows which industries generate the most value add per employee. Some industry sectors, such as retail trade, are not highly productive per worker, but they employ a lot of people. Other industries, such as mining, employ fewer people but generate high levels of productivity. Each plays an important role in the economy.
Worker productivity data should be viewed in conjunction with Employment by industry (Total)and Employment by industry (FTE), to see the relative size of employment in each industry, and with Local workers income to see how many local workers are actually each in each industry, and with Sources of income data to see whether employment is the main way income is derived.
Detailed notes about how the figures are derived can be found in the specific topic notes section. National Economics (NIEIR) - Modelled series
Data source
National Economics (NIEIR) - Modelled series
Current benchmark:
Comparison year:
Productivity measure:
| Productivity per worker (annual) by industry | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns - Constant prices | 2023/24 | 2018/19 | Change | ||||||
| Industry | $ | Queensland$ | $ | Queensland$ | 2018/19 - 2023/24 | ||||
| Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 154,687 | 230,544 | 81,303 | 149,815 | +73,384 | ||||
| Mining | 267,338 | 1,247,064 | 444,799 | 1,502,172 | -177,460 | ||||
| Manufacturing | 116,712 | 149,056 | 129,897 | 154,819 | -13,184 | ||||
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 298,248 | 323,318 | 349,024 | 344,586 | -50,776 | ||||
| Construction | 102,485 | 125,011 | 106,263 | 138,398 | -3,778 | ||||
| Wholesale Trade | 195,123 | 231,275 | 162,223 | 195,293 | +32,900 | ||||
| Retail Trade | 84,058 | 83,051 | 73,379 | 76,055 | +10,679 | ||||
| Accommodation and Food Services | 71,316 | 63,957 | 68,453 | 59,997 | +2,862 | ||||
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 170,024 | 164,743 | 181,751 | 173,872 | -11,727 | ||||
| Information Media and Telecommunications | 145,559 | 184,672 | 105,518 | 126,981 | +40,040 | ||||
| Financial and Insurance Services | 321,171 | 325,642 | 325,185 | 349,103 | -4,013 | ||||
| Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 276,030 | 286,866 | 223,974 | 238,574 | +52,056 | ||||
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 121,531 | 141,164 | 126,680 | 142,871 | -5,149 | ||||
| Administrative and Support Services | 139,312 | 157,810 | 129,408 | 143,102 | +9,905 | ||||
| Public Administration and Safety | 142,157 | 132,561 | 122,655 | 121,869 | +19,502 | ||||
| Education and Training | 81,876 | 86,789 | 85,028 | 89,576 | -3,152 | ||||
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 80,565 | 88,305 | 83,978 | 87,477 | -3,413 | ||||
| Arts and Recreation Services | 85,103 | 83,706 | 68,808 | 66,473 | +16,294 | ||||
| Other Services | 82,216 | 84,488 | 73,764 | 77,709 | +8,452 | ||||
| Total worker productivity | 112,855 | 156,240 | 109,876 | 160,087 | +2,979 | ||||
Source: National Institute of Economic and Industry Research (NIEIR) ©2025. Compiled and presented in economy.id by .id (informed decisions). Note: All $ values are expressed in 2022/23 base year dollar terms. NIEIR-ID data are inflation adjusted each year to allow direct comparison, and annual data releases adjust previous years’ figures to a new base year.Learn more Please refer to specific data notes for more information | |||||||||
Dominant groups
An analysis of the jobs held by the full-time equivalent local workers in Cairns in 2023/24 shows the three highest industries were:
- Financial and Insurance Services ($321,171)
- Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services ($298,248)
- Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services ($276,030)
In comparison, the same 3 industries in Queensland were for $325,642 in Financial and Insurance Services; $323,318 in Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services and $286,866 in Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services.
The major differences between the jobs held by the full-time equivalent local workers of Cairns and Queensland were:
- A lower worker productivity in Wholesale Trade ($195,123 compared to $231,275)
- A lower worker productivity in Information Media and Telecommunications ($145,559 compared to $184,672)
- A lower worker productivity in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing ($154,687 compared to $230,544)
- A lower worker productivity in Mining ($267,338 compared to $1,247,064)
Emerging groups
The total worker productivity by industry in Cairns increased by $2,979 between 2018/19 and 2023/24.
The largest changes in worker productivity by industries between 2018/19 and 2023/24 in Cairns were for those employed in:
- Mining (-$177,460)
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (+$73,384)
- Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services (+$52,056)
- Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services (-$50,776)