What Is the Average Salary Sydney? A Guide to Earnings and Take-Home Pay

Understanding the Average Salary Sydney

When you search for the average salary Sydney, you will find several different figures. That is because the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and other sources measure earnings in different ways. The most commonly cited numbers are the median employee income, the mean employee income, and the full-time adult average ordinary time earnings. Each tells a different story about what people earn in Sydney.

Median and Mean Employee Income in Greater Sydney

The ABS Personal Income in Australia release (2022–23, the latest available) shows that employees in Greater Sydney had a median income of $66,619 and a mean income of $83,795. The median is the middle point: half of all employees earned less than $66,619, half earned more. The mean is the simple average. The gap between the two reflects the impact of high earners on the average. For context, the median for all of Australia was $61,966, so Sydney's median is about 7.5% higher.

These figures include all employees – full-time, part-time, and casual. That is why they are lower than full-time only averages. The highest-earning area in Sydney is North Sydney and Hornsby, with a median of $81,308. The lowest is the Central Coast at $59,400.

Full-Time Average Ordinary Time Earnings for New South Wales

For full-time adults, the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey (May 2026) reports that average weekly ordinary time earnings in New South Wales are $2,108.80. That works out to $109,658 a year. This figure excludes overtime and employer superannuation contributions. It is higher than the Sydney-wide median because it only covers full-time workers, who tend to earn more than part-time or casual workers.

By gender, the NSW full-time average is $114,634 for men and $102,476 for women. The public sector average ($2,263.10 per week) is higher than the private sector ($2,034.10 per week).

How the Average Salary Sydney Compares with Benchmarks

To put these numbers in perspective, consider the national minimum wage: $26.44 an hour and $1,004.90 a week (Fair Work Ombudsman, from 1 July 2026). A full-time worker on the minimum earns about $52,255 a year. The Sydney median of $66,619 is well above that, and the full-time average of $109,658 is more than double.

The ABS also publishes the all-employees average weekly total earnings (seasonally adjusted) of $1,579.20, or $82,118 a year. This includes part-time workers and is a broader measure than the full-time average.

Take-Home Pay from the Average Salary Sydney

If you earn the NSW full-time average of $109,658, your take-home pay after income tax and the Medicare levy (at 2026–27 rates) is about $84,047 a year, or $3,232.58 a fortnight. This calculation uses the resident tax rates: no tax on the first $18,200, then 15c per dollar up to $45,000, then 30c per dollar up to $135,000, plus the Medicare levy of 2%. The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) also applies, reducing tax by up to $700 for incomes below $37,500, but it phases out completely by $66,667. For someone on $109,658, the LITO is fully phased out.

Remember that this is a rough estimate. It does not include HELP/HECS repayments, the Medicare levy surcharge (if you do not have appropriate private hospital cover), salary sacrifice arrangements, or payroll tax-table rounding. Use the Take-home pay guide for a more personalised calculation.

Medicare Levy Thresholds

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income, but there are reduced rates for low-income earners. The latest published single-person thresholds are $28,011 (lower threshold) and $35,013 (upper threshold). If your taxable income is below $28,011, you pay no Medicare levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, you pay a shaded rate of 10 cents per dollar over the lower threshold. Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. For most full-time workers on the average salary Sydney, the full 2% applies.

Superannuation

Employer superannuation contributions are 12% of your ordinary time earnings (from 1 July 2026), up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. This is on top of your salary, not deducted from it. When you see a job ad quoting a salary, it is usually exclusive of super unless stated otherwise. Your take-home pay is calculated from the salary before super. Learn more about Super.

Key Takeaways

• The average salary Sydney is not a single number. The median employee income is $66,619, the mean is $83,795, and the full-time average is $109,658.
• These figures come from the ABS and are the most reliable benchmarks for understanding earnings in Sydney.
• Your take-home pay on the full-time average is about $84,047 a year after tax, but your individual situation may differ.
• The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour and $1,004.90 per week.
• Use the Average pay page to see how other measures compare.

For more detailed breakdowns by industry, state, and region, refer to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings article.