Tasmania's average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adult workers (AWOTE) increased by $49.30 to $1448.60 per week in the year to November in trend terms, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated.

That left Tasmania on the bottom of the ladder for average wages, but its 3.5 per cent growth helped it get closer to the averages of three other states and both territories.

The national average increased by 3.2 per cent ($52.10) to $1658.70.

The ACT remained the highest paying jurisdiction at $1825.80, but its AWOTE only increased by $14.60, which was less than a third of Tasmania's increase.

Second-placed WA increased by $22.20 to $1780.30.

Only New South Wales and Victoria outpaced Tasmania for AWOTE growth in dollar terms.

The result also put Tasmania in sight of potentially overtaking South Australia ($1501.40) in coming years.

Tasmania's average wages growth was faster than the latest annual inflation reading, suggesting many full-time workers would have been getting ahead, even if only marginally.

The ABS estimated Hobart inflation - the best available measure for Tasmania - increased by 2.7 per cent in the year to December.

The bureau's other main measure of wages growth, the wage price index, increased by 2.7 per cent for Tasmanian private sector workers and 2.2 per cent for public sector workers in the year to December.

Unlike average wages, the wage price index measures changes in payments for the same work.

Nationally, the ABS said, the construction industry had the strongest annual increase in AWOTE.

It described the annual growth in average earnings as moderate.