Your Machine Learning Engineer Salary: Gross Pay vs Take-Home in Australia

Your Machine Learning Engineer Salary: What Reaches Your Bank Account?

When you see a machine learning engineer salary advertised, it’s usually a gross figure – the amount before tax, Medicare, and other deductions. But what actually lands in your account each fortnight? This guide breaks down the numbers for 2026–27, using the latest Australian tax rates and salary data.

Typical Machine Learning Engineer Salaries

Salary data from multiple sources shows a wide range. According to , the average base salary for a Machine Learning Engineer is $127,000 per year, with a typical range from $105,375 (25th percentile) to $176,250 (75th percentile). A separate salary guide from reports a median of $131,000, with the middle half of salaries falling between $123,000 and $138,000. Keep in mind that actual offers depend on experience, location, and the employer.

From Gross to Take-Home: How Tax and Medicare Affect Your Pay

Your employer deducts income tax and the Medicare levy from each pay cheque using the ATO’s withholding tables. For 2026–27, the resident 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
• $190,001 and over: $51,370 plus 45c for each $1 over $190,000

Plus the Medicare levy of 2% of your taxable income (unless you’re below the low-income threshold). The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) can reduce tax for lower incomes, but for a typical machine learning engineer salary above $66,667, the offset phases out completely.

Example: $131,000 gross

Using the median figure, here’s how your annual salary splits:

Item	Amount
Gross salary	$131,000
Income tax	–$29,820
Medicare levy (2%)	–$2,620
Total deductions	–$32,440
Take-home pay	$98,560

That’s about $8,213 per month or $3,791 per fortnight. Your effective tax rate (including Medicare) is 24.8%. For a junior role at $90,000, take-home would be around $70,680; for a senior at $185,000, about $131,780.

Superannuation Is on Top, Not Deducted

A common confusion is whether super comes out of your salary. The Super Guarantee requires your employer to pay an extra 12% of your ordinary time earnings into your super fund. This is not deducted from your take-home pay – it’s an additional cost to the employer. For a $131,000 salary, that’s an extra $15,720 per year going into your super account. Always check if a job ad says “plus super” or “including super”.

Medicare Levy Thresholds

If your taxable income is below $28,011, you pay no Medicare levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, the levy is reduced (10c per $1 over the lower threshold). Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. These are the latest published single-person thresholds. Most full-time machine learning engineers will be above $35,013, so the full 2% applies.

What This Means for You

When comparing job offers, look beyond the headline number. A $131,000 salary with a 12% super contribution is a total package of $146,720, but your take-home is still $98,560. Use Take-home pay calculators to estimate your own situation, and check Tax and Medicare for offsets or surcharges that might apply. Remember, this is an estimate – your actual PAYG withholding may differ slightly due to payroll rounding or your tax file declaration.

For more context, see the Minimum wage ($26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week) and Average pay benchmarks. If you’re considering salary packaging, read Salary packaging to understand how it can reduce your taxable income.