Higher Education Salary Report 2026: New Zealand
Salary report and benchmark
Professors in New Zealand are paid from NZ$169,279–NZ$190,294 (University of Auckland and University of Waikato, 2026 agreements).
How academic pay works in New Zealand
Academic Jobs, the higher education salary benchmark, based on 1,219 university job posts since January 1, 2026, drawn from millions of historical job posts.
New Zealand universities set academic pay through collective agreements, with roles progressing from lecturer to senior lecturer, associate professor and professor.
Each of the eight universities, including University of Auckland, University of Otago, and Victoria University of Wellington, publishes its own salary scales, so pay differs between institutions.
Academic Jobs benchmarks NZ salaries using 1,219 university job posts since January 1, 2026.
| Role | Pay now | What this is |
|---|---|---|
| Lecturer/Instructor | $115,328 | 235 posts since January 1, 2026. Last year $115,117. |
| Senior Lecturer | $122,765 | 161 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Associate Professor | $146,336 | 83 posts since January 1, 2026. Last year $144,994. |
| Research Fellow | $94,648 | 49 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Professor | $171,851 | 38 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Post-Doc | $88,604 | 36 posts since January 1, 2026. Last year $82,189. |
| PhD Researcher | $40,000 | 30 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Post Doc Research Fellow | $89,608 | 17 posts since January 1, 2026. Last year $88,604. |
| Research | $97,250 | 17 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Tenure | $124,497 | 14 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Clinical Educator | $117,748 | 10 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Tenure-track | $109,496 | 9 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Director/Manager | $187,984 | 8 posts since January 1, 2026. Last year $201,319. |
| Visiting Fellow | $37,500 | 6 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Assistant Professor | $114,906 | 5 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
17 more roles
| Role | Pay now | What this is |
|---|---|---|
| Scientist/Associate | $82,000 | 5 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Program Director | $152,151 | 4 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Tutor | $75,806 | 4 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Curriculum Developer | $122,495 | 2 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Faculty Researcher | $129,332 | 2 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Instructional Designer | $119,200 | 2 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Program Coordinator | $72,009 | 2 posts since January 1, 2026. Last year $71,450. |
| Research Coordinator | $82,225 | 2 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Teaching Assistant | $119,712 | 2 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Academic Advisor | $154,179 | 1 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Adjunct Faculty | $97,808 | 1 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Clinical Chair | $189,854 | 1 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Clinical Professor/Prof of Practice | $147,274 | 1 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Educational Technologist | $122,495 | 1 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Faculty Development Specialist | $115,904 | 1 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Research Assistant | $71,450 | 1 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
| Sessional Academic | $111,360 | 1 posts since January 1, 2026. No change from last year. |
Sources
Academic pay
Professor
NZ$169,279–NZ$190,294
Professor scale minimum, 2026 agreements
What changes pay
Rank
A professor scale sits above a lecturer or assistant professor scale.
Institution
Research universities and teaching-focused colleges do not use the same bands.
Contract
Nine-month, twelve-month, and casual contracts are not the same annual pay.
Location
Capital-city loadings and regional scales change the same title.
Compare a real offer
Use this salary report when you negotiate, or compare professor salaries and university salaries.