Understanding Your Midwife Salary Australia: Take-Home Pay After Tax and Medicare

Introduction

If you're a midwife or considering the profession, you want to know what your midwife salary Australia actually delivers to your bank account each fortnight. The headline figure in a job advertisement is only the start – tax, the Medicare levy, and superannuation all play a part. This guide walks you through the key factors that change your take-home pay.

How Your Midwife Salary Is Set

Midwife pay in Australia is governed by the Nurses Award 2020, which sets minimum rates based on classification level and years of experience. However, many employers offer above-award rates, especially in private hospitals or through enterprise agreements. Because of this variation, there is no single published figure for midwife salary. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides a pay guide for health professionals that covers support services, but midwives fall under a different award. For the most accurate rates, check the Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database or use the Pay and Conditions Tool.

Tax Brackets and the Medicare Levy

Once you know your gross annual salary, the next step is working out how much tax you'll pay. For the 2026–27 tax year, 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
• 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). It gives a maximum $700 reduction if your taxable income is $37,500 or less, then phases out by 5c per dollar up to $45,000, and further reduces until $66,667.

The Medicare levy is a flat 2% of your taxable income, but the latest published single-person thresholds ($28,011 and $35,013) mean you pay nothing if you earn below $28,011, and a reduced rate (10c per dollar over the lower threshold) between $28,011 and $35,013. Full-time midwives will almost always pay the full 2%.

For a detailed breakdown of how these interact, see our Tax and Medicare guide.

The Role of Superannuation

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. How this affects your take-home pay depends on your contract:

• Salary plus super: The 12% is paid on top of your base salary. Your take-home pay is calculated from the base salary only.
• Salary inclusive of super: The 12% is deducted from your gross pay, so your take-home is lower.

Always read your employment offer carefully. If you're unsure, our Super page explains the rules.

Putting It All Together: Fortnightly Take-Home

Let's look at a hypothetical midwife earning $85,000 per year (plus super). Using the 2026–27 tax rates:

• Tax on $85,000: $4,020 + 30c × ($85,000 – $45,000) = $4,020 + $12,000 = $16,020
• LITO: At $85,000 you are not eligible (phases out by $66,667).
• Medicare levy: 2% × $85,000 = $1,700
• Total deductions: $16,020 + $1,700 = $17,720
• Annual take-home: $85,000 – $17,720 = $67,280
• Fortnightly take-home: $67,280 ÷ 26 = approximately $2,587.69

This is a simplified estimate. It excludes HELP/HECS repayments, the Medicare levy surcharge, salary packaging, and payroll tax-table rounding. Use our Take-home pay calculator for a personalised result.

Remember, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour ($1,004.90 per week) – a useful benchmark to compare against. The average full-time adult ordinary time earnings are $2,083.70 per week, as reported by the ABS. See our Benchmarks page for more context.