Interior designer salary: what you take home after tax and Medicare

Introduction

If you're an interior designer or considering the career, you want to know what lands in your bank account after tax and the Medicare levy. The interior designer salary data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics gives a clear starting point, but your actual take-home depends on tax brackets, the Medicare levy, and whether super is quoted on top.

What the data shows

According to Jobs and Skills Australia, the median full-time interior designer earns $1,692 per week before tax. That works out to about $87,984 a year. This is for full-time non-managerial employees and is the most recent ABS figure (May 2025). The occupation is 73% female, with a median age of 40, and 70% work full-time.

Fair Work notes that interior designers may be covered by different awards depending on their employer and qualifications. If you're award-free, you're entitled to the national minimum wage of $26.44 an hour or $1,004.90 a week.

From gross to take-home

Let's convert the median weekly salary to a fortnightly figure and apply the 2026–27 tax rates and Medicare levy.

• Gross fortnightly: $1,692 × 2 = $3,384
• Annual equivalent: $1,692 × 52 = $87,984

Using the resident tax rates:

• Tax on $87,984: $4,020 + 30c for each $1 over $45,000 = $4,020 + ($87,984 - $45,000) × 0.30 = $4,020 + $12,895.20 = $16,915.20
• Less Low Income Tax Offset (LITO): at $87,984, LITO is $325 minus 1.5c per $1 over $45,000 = $325 - ($87,984 - $45,000) × 0.015 = $325 - $644.76 = -$319.76, so LITO is $0 (it can't reduce tax below zero, but here it's negative so no offset).
• Medicare levy: 2% of $87,984 = $1,759.68 (full levy as income exceeds $35,013)
• Total deductions: $16,915.20 + $1,759.68 = $18,674.88 per year
• Annual take-home: $87,984 - $18,674.88 = $69,309.12
• Fortnightly take-home: $69,309.12 ÷ 26 = $2,665.73

This estimate excludes HELP/HECS repayments, the Medicare levy surcharge, and salary sacrifice. It's a guide, not a tax assessment.

What changes the fortnight

Your actual fortnightly pay can differ due to three main factors:

Tax brackets

The progressive tax system means each dollar you earn above a threshold is taxed at a higher rate. For interior designers earning near the median, the marginal rate is 30c per dollar over $45,000. If you earn more, say $100,000, you enter the 37c bracket above $135,000. The Tax and Medicare page explains the full rate structure.

Medicare levy

The Medicare levy is a flat 2% on taxable income, but with a shading-in for low incomes. The latest single-person thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. Full-time interior designers almost always pay the full 2%. This levy is separate from the Medicare levy surcharge (for those without appropriate private hospital cover).

Superannuation

Super is not deducted from your take-home pay if your salary is quoted as 'plus super'. The 12% super guarantee (from 1 July 2026) is paid on top of your salary into your super fund. However, if you salary sacrifice extra super, that reduces your taxable income and therefore your take-home pay. See Salary packaging for details.

Using the take-home pay calculator

To get a personalised estimate, use our Clearance tool. It accounts for your exact income, tax offsets, and Medicare levy. You can also compare your pay to the Benchmarks for all employees.

Summary

The median interior designer salary of $1,692 per week translates to about $2,666 per fortnight after tax and Medicare (excluding HELP). Your actual take-home will vary based on your exact earnings, deductions, and whether you salary sacrifice. Always check your pay slip and consult a tax professional for your situation.