Aged care worker salary: what you take home after tax and Medicare

Your aged care worker salary: from award rates to take-home pay

If you work in aged care, your minimum pay is set by the Aged Care Award 2010 (MA000018), which the Fair Work Ombudsman updates each year. The award divides employees into two streams: general employees (e.g., kitchen, cleaning, administration) and direct care employees (e.g., personal carers, assistants in nursing). Each stream has multiple levels based on skills and responsibilities.

Award pay rates (full-time, per week)

For general employees, the weekly rates range from $1,055.40 (level 1) to $1,278.60 (level 7). For direct care employees, rates start at $1,239.00 (level 1 – Introductory) and go up to $1,541.90 (level 6 – Team Leader). These are the minimums – many employers pay above the award.

Your aged care worker salary is the gross amount before tax, Medicare levy, and any salary sacrifice arrangements. To understand what lands in your bank account each fortnight, you need to account for income tax brackets, the Medicare levy, and whether super is deducted from your pay or paid on top.

From gross to take-home: the tax and Medicare effect

Australia uses a progressive tax system. For the 2026–27 income year, the tax rates are:

• $0 – $18,200: Nil
• $18,201 – $45,000: 15c for each $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 – $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c for each $1 over $45,000
• $135,001 – $190,000: $31,020 plus 37c for each $1 over $135,000
• Over $190,000: $51,370 plus 45c for each $1 over $190,000

You may also be eligible for the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO), which reduces your tax if your taxable income is below $66,667. For example, if you earn $62,400 (about $1,200 per week), your tax before offsets is $9,240. After LITO (approximately $325 minus a small reduction), your tax might be around $9,000.

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income. If you earn below $28,011 (single), you pay nothing. Between $28,011 and $35,013, the levy is phased in at 10c per dollar over the lower threshold. Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. For a full-time aged care worker earning $62,400, the levy is $1,248.

So your total deductions (tax + Medicare) on $62,400 would be roughly $10,248, leaving you with about $52,152 per year, or $2,006 per fortnight.

What about super?

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12% of your ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year. If your job advertisement says “$62,400 plus super”, that $62,400 is your gross salary and super is paid on top – it does not reduce your take-home pay. If the ad says “$62,400 inclusive of super”, then the employer’s 12% contribution is part of that figure, meaning your actual salary is lower and your take-home will be less.

Fortnightly pay and budgeting

The award requires wages to be paid weekly or fortnightly. Most aged care workers are paid fortnightly. Using the example above, your take-home per fortnight would be about $2,006. But remember: this is an estimate. Your actual take-home depends on your exact classification, any allowances (like leading hand or sleepover allowances), and whether you salary package.

For a more precise calculation, use the Take-home pay tool on this site. You can also check the Tax and Medicare guide for the latest thresholds.

Allowances can boost your pay

The award includes several allowances that increase your gross pay. For example:

• Leading hand allowance: $0.88 to $1.94 per hour depending on how many staff you supervise.
• Sleepover allowance: $65.31 per night.
• Uniform allowance: $1.26 per shift (up to $6.41 per week).
• Vehicle allowance: $1.05 per km (from September 2026 to February 2027).

These allowances are added to your base rate before penalties and overtime are calculated. Some allowances (marked with an asterisk in the award) are “all purpose” and must be included when calculating overtime rates.

The bottom line

Your aged care worker salary is not a single figure – it depends on your classification, experience, and the type of care you provide. The minimum weekly rates under the award are a starting point. After income tax and the Medicare levy, a full-time worker earning around $62,400 can expect a fortnightly take-home of roughly $2,000 to $2,050, depending on their exact tax situation and any offsets.

Remember: the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week, but if you are covered by the Aged Care Award, your minimum is higher than that. Always check your pay against the award rates published by Fair Work.

For more guidance, see our Benchmarks page for average earnings comparisons, or visit the Super guide to understand how your retirement savings are building.