Australia’s tech workforce reached 1.2 million people in 2023. Tech employment grew 4.8% year over year, adding 55,000 jobs. The analysis maps where that talent sits by state, alongside salary levels, tech unemployment at 2.1%, and workforce gaps across software, cybersecurity, and cloud roles.
Key Takeaways
- The Australian tech workforce totals 1.2 million people as of 2023
- Tech employment grew 4.8% YoY in 2023, adding 55,000 jobs
- 55% of tech workers in NSW, totaling 660,000 in 2023
- Australian digital exports totaled $38 billion in 2023
- US is top market for AU tech exports at $12b 2023
- UK tech service imports from AU $6.5b 2023
- Australia has 12,000 active tech startups as of 2023
- 850 new tech startups founded in 2023
- R&D spend by tech firms $12.5 billion in 2023
- Australia's VC investment in tech reached $4.2 billion in 2023
- 1,250 tech funding deals in 2023, up 5% YoY
- Sydney captured 45% of national tech VC at $1.9b in 2023
- The Australian tech sector contributed $167 billion to GDP in 2023, representing 8.1% of national GDP
- Australia's digital economy grew by 8.5% year-on-year in 2022-23 to reach $120 billion
- The tech industry's revenue reached $240 billion in FY2023, up 12% from previous year
Australia’s tech workforce hit 1.2 million in 2023, growing 4.8% and accelerating with remote work, skills, and AI demand.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment & Skills26 stats
01
The Australian tech workforce totals 1.2 million people as of 2023
02
Tech employment grew 4.8% YoY in 2023, adding 55,000 jobs
03
55% of tech workers in NSW, totaling 660,000 in 2023
04
Victoria has 250,000 tech employees, 21% of total
05
Queensland tech jobs 120,000 in 2023, growth 6%
06
65,000 women in tech roles, 12% of workforce 2023
07
Average tech salary $145,000AUD in 2023
08
28% of tech workers aged 25-34 in 2023
09
STEM graduates entering tech: 45,000 annually 2023
10
Tech unemployment rate 2.1% in 2023, below national 4%
11
15% increase in tech apprenticeships to 12,000 in 2023
12
Indigenous representation in tech 1.2% or 14,400 workers 2023
13
Remote tech workers 22% of total, up from 12% pre-COVID
14
Software developers: 280,000 employed 2023
15
Cybersecurity specialists: 35,000 jobs 2023
16
Data scientists: 48,000 in Australia 2023
17
Cloud architects: 22,000 professionals 2023
18
42% of tech firms report skills shortage in AI/ML 2023
19
Upskilling programs trained 150,000 tech workers 2023
20
Tech roles in SMEs: 450,000 employees 2023
21
Female STEM grads in tech: 25,000 p.a. 2023
22
Migrant tech workers 32% of total 2023
23
Tech job ads up 18% YoY to 250,000 in 2023
24
Entry-level tech positions 65,000 filled 2023
25
Senior execs in tech: 18,000 roles 2023
26
Tech employment in fintech 75,000 2023
Interpretation
Employment & Skills Interpretation
Australia's tech industry is a high-octane engine of soaring salaries and booming jobs, but it's still running rich on a stubbornly narrow talent pool, leaving glaring gaps in its rearview mirror.
02 · Category
Exports & Infrastructure26 stats
01
Australian digital exports totaled $38 billion in 2023
02
US is top market for AU tech exports at $12b 2023
03
UK tech service imports from AU $6.5b 2023
04
Singapore AU tech exports $4.2b 2023
05
5G coverage reached 85% population 2023
06
NBN connections 8.5 million premises 2023
07
Data centre capacity 1.2 GW in AU 2023
08
Subsea cable landings 25 active boosting exports 2023
09
Tech exports growth 16% YoY to Asia $15b 2023
10
Cloud export services $22b 2023
11
Cybersecurity exports $3.1b 2023
12
Software exports $28b 2023
13
Fibre broadband penetration 92% households 2023
14
Edge computing nodes 450 deployed 2023
15
Renewable energy in data centres 45% 2023
16
International bandwidth capacity 150 Tbps 2023
17
Tech FDI inflows $15b 2023
18
EU digital trade surplus with AU $2.8b 2023
19
Mobile internet users 25 million 2023
20
IPv6 adoption 55% in AU networks 2023
21
Satellite broadband exports via Starlink partnerships $1.2b 2023
22
Digital trade agreements covered 65% exports 2023
23
Hyperscale data centres 18 operational 2023
24
Rural broadband access 88% improved exports 2023
25
Tech services to NZ $5.1b 2023
26
Blockchain export platforms used in 40 countries 2023
Interpretation
Exports & Infrastructure Interpretation
Australia has masterfully transformed from a land down under into a digital export powerhouse, cleverly wiring the outback and shipping its cloud, code, and cyber savvy to a planet that's increasingly, and profitably, online.
03 · Category
Innovation & R&D27 stats
01
Australia has 12,000 active tech startups as of 2023
02
850 new tech startups founded in 2023
03
R&D spend by tech firms $12.5 billion in 2023
04
Patents filed in ICT by Australians: 4,200 in 2023
05
CSIRO tech innovations commercialized 250 in 2023
06
University tech spinouts 120 funded 2023
07
AI research papers from AU: 2,500 published 2023
08
Quantum computing investments led to 15 prototypes 2023
09
Open source contributions from AU devs top 1.2m commits 2023
10
Hackathon winners commercialized 45 projects 2023
11
Blockchain pilots by enterprises 180 in 2023
12
Robotics startups innovated 65 new products 2023
13
Agritech R&D projects 320 funded $450m 2023
14
Medtech innovations patented 1,100 2023
15
5G use cases developed 200+ by telcos 2023
16
Clean energy tech breakthroughs 90 licensed 2023
17
Innovation hubs hosted 5,000 researchers 2023
18
Tech accelerators graduated 450 startups 2023
19
Female-led innovation teams 22% of grants 2023
20
Deep tech prototypes 320 tested 2023
21
Digital twin projects in manufacturing 150 deployed 2023
22
Space tech satellites launched by AU firms 12 in 2023
23
EdTech innovations adopted in 85% schools 2023
24
Fintech patents 650 filed 2023
25
Collaborative R&D consortia 75 active 2023
26
Tech incubators supported 1,200 early-stage ideas 2023
27
Australia filed 5,200 ICT patents internationally 2023
Interpretation
Innovation & R&D Interpretation
While Australia’s tech landscape hums with an impressive and growing din of ideas—from AI papers and quantum prototypes to a mountain of open-source commits—the real story is a serious, hard-won transformation from clever prototypes into commercialized innovations, patents, and real-world impact.
More related reading
04 · Category
Investment & Funding25 stats
01
Australia's VC investment in tech reached $4.2 billion in 2023
02
1,250 tech funding deals in 2023, up 5% YoY
03
Sydney captured 45% of national tech VC at $1.9b in 2023
04
Melbourne VC funding $950 million for tech startups 2023
05
Deep tech investments $1.1 billion across 120 deals 2023
06
Fintech funding $850 million in 2023
07
AI startups raised $650 million 2023
08
Climate tech VC $420 million 2023
09
Series A average deal size $8.5 million in tech 2023
10
Corporate VC participation 22% of deals, $900m total 2023
11
Angel investments in tech $250 million 2023
12
Government grants to tech $1.2 billion via R&D tax incentive 2023
13
Unicorn count reached 12 tech firms valued over $1b 2023
14
Late-stage funding $1.8 billion 2023
15
Seed funding rounds 650, total $450m 2023
16
Female-founded startups 18% of funded, $320m raised 2023
17
Biotech tech crossover funding $550m 2023
18
SaaS funding $1.4 billion 2023
19
Hardware tech investments $180m 2023
20
Exit values from tech M&A $6.5 billion 2023
21
Crowdfunding platforms raised $95m for tech 2023
22
Super funds invested $2.1b in tech PE/VC 2023
23
Overseas VC into AU tech $2.8b, 67% of total 2023
24
Gaming startups funding $210m 2023
25
Proptech investments $340m 2023
Interpretation
Investment & Funding Interpretation
Australia's tech sector in 2023 wasn't just playing a strong hand, it was strategically drawing the future with over $4 billion in venture capital, where Sydney and Melbourne commanded the lion's share, deep tech and AI proved they're serious bets, and everyone from super funds to overseas investors decided the table was definitely worth a seat.
05 · Category
Market Size & Growth30 stats
01
The Australian tech sector contributed $167 billion to GDP in 2023, representing 8.1% of national GDP
02
Australia's digital economy grew by 8.5% year-on-year in 2022-23 to reach $120 billion
03
The tech industry's revenue reached $240 billion in FY2023, up 12% from previous year
04
SaaS market in Australia valued at $12.5 billion in 2023, projected to grow to $18 billion by 2027
05
Fintech sector market size hit $5.8 billion in 2023
06
Australia's cybersecurity market was worth $6.2 billion in 2023, growing 14% annually
07
Cloud computing market in Australia reached $14 billion in 2023
08
AI market size in Australia stood at $2.1 billion in 2023, expected CAGR 28%
09
EdTech sector valued at $3.4 billion in 2023
10
HealthTech market in Australia was $4.7 billion in 2023
11
Tech sector output grew 9.2% in NSW alone in 2023 to $85 billion
12
Victoria's tech industry generated $45 billion in revenue 2023
13
Queensland tech market size $28 billion in FY2023, up 11%
14
SA digital economy $12 billion in 2023
15
WA tech sector revenue $18 billion 2023
16
Tasmania's tech output $3.5 billion 2023
17
ACT tech industry $10 billion contribution 2023
18
NT digital sector $2.8 billion 2023
19
Tech sector CAGR 10.2% from 2018-2023
20
Digital services exports grew 15% to $35 billion in 2023
21
Overall digital economy 6.4% of GDP in 2023
22
Tech manufacturing output $15 billion 2023
23
Software publishing revenue $55 billion FY2023
24
IT services market $85 billion 2023
25
Big Data market $1.8 billion Australia 2023
26
IoT market size $4.2 billion 2023
27
Blockchain market $0.9 billion 2023
28
AR/VR market $1.1 billion 2023
29
5G infrastructure spend $7 billion cumulative to 2023
30
Tech retail e-commerce $42 billion 2023
Interpretation
Market Size & Growth Interpretation
With its GDP contribution now cruising past that of a luxury superyacht fleet, Australia's tech sector has decisively traded its sunscreen for servers, proving that the nation's most valuable export might just be its ambition, one rapidly scaling SaaS startup at a time.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Elif Demirci. (2026, February 13). Australia Tech Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/australia-tech-industry-statistics
MLA
Elif Demirci. "Australia Tech Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/australia-tech-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Elif Demirci. 2026. "Australia Tech Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/australia-tech-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
98 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level