Legal secretary salary guide: what you take home after tax and Medicare

Legal secretary salary: award rates and what you actually take home

If you are working as a legal secretary or considering the role, understanding the legal secretary salary under the Legal Services Award is the first step. But the figure you see in a job ad is rarely what lands in your bank account each fortnight. Tax brackets, the Medicare levy, and superannuation all change the amount you can spend.

Award minimum rates for legal clerical and administrative employees

The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes the Legal Services Award 2020, which sets minimum weekly and hourly rates for legal secretaries and other legal support staff. shows the following full-time adult rates from 1 July 2026:

• Level 1: $1,073.10 per week ($28.24 per hour)
• Level 2: $1,119.10 per week ($29.45 per hour)
• Level 3: $1,182.10 per week ($31.11 per hour)
• Level 4: $1,241.40 per week ($32.67 per hour)
• Level 5: $1,291.80 per week ($33.99 per hour)
• Law graduate (Level 5): same as Level 5
• Law clerk (Level 6): $1,369.20 per week ($36.03 per hour)

These are the legal minimums. Many legal secretaries with experience or in specialist firms earn above the award. However, the Jobs and Skills Australia profile for Legal Secretaries notes that median weekly earnings are not produced for this occupation, so published averages are unavailable. reports that 59% of legal secretaries work full-time, averaging 39 hours per week, and 97% are female.

What changes your fortnightly take-home pay

Your take-home pay is your gross salary minus income tax and the Medicare levy. Superannuation is separate unless your salary is advertised as 'including super'.

Income tax brackets (2026–27)

Using the resident tax rates for 2026–27:

• Up to $18,200: nil
• $18,201 to $45,000: 15c for each $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 to $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c for each $1 over $45,000
• $135,001 to $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 also get the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) of up to $700, which phases out between $37,500 and $66,667. This offset reduces your tax bill but cannot create a refund.

Medicare levy

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income. For singles, the latest published thresholds are $28,011 (lower) and $35,013 (upper). If your taxable income is between these amounts, you pay a reduced rate of 10c per dollar over the lower threshold. Full-time legal secretaries earning above $35,013 pay the full 2%.

Superannuation

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of your ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year. If your salary is quoted as 'plus super', the 12% is paid on top and does not reduce your cash pay. If it is 'including super', the employer may deduct the super from the total package. Always check the wording.

Example: take-home for a Level 3 legal secretary

Assume a full-time Level 3 legal secretary earns the award minimum of $1,182.10 per week, or about $61,469 per year (52 weeks). This is above the Medicare levy upper threshold, so the full 2% applies. Using the 2026–27 tax rates:

• Taxable income: $61,469
• Tax on first $45,000: $4,020
• Tax on remaining $16,469 at 30c: $4,940.70
• Total tax before offsets: $8,960.70
• LITO: $325 minus 1.5c per $1 over $45,000 = $325 – $247.04 = $77.96 (approx.)
• Net tax: $8,882.74
• Medicare levy (2%): $1,229.38
• Total deductions: $10,112.12
• Annual take-home: $51,356.88
• Fortnightly take-home: about $1,975.26

This is an estimate only and excludes HELP/HECS, the Medicare levy surcharge, salary sacrifice, and payroll rounding. Use the Take-home pay tool for a personalised calculation.

How the award classification affects your pay

The award has five levels for legal clerical and administrative employees, plus law graduate and law clerk. Your classification depends on the complexity of your duties, such as preparing court documents, liaising with clients, or supervising junior staff. A Level 1 legal secretary typically performs routine tasks under supervision, while a Level 5 may manage a practice or handle complex litigation support. The Roles guide explains typical duties for each level.

What about part-time or casual work?

Part-time legal secretaries are paid the same hourly rate as full-time employees but work fewer hours. Casual employees get a 25% loading on top of the hourly rate (not shown in the award summary above). Your fortnightly take-home will vary with your hours.

Key takeaways

• The legal secretary salary under the award ranges from $1,073.10 to $1,369.20 per week.
• Tax brackets, the Medicare levy, and super all affect your bank balance.
• Always check whether a salary is 'plus super' or 'including super'.
• Use the Tax and Medicare page to understand your exact deductions.

For a full breakdown of how your pay is calculated, see the Method page.