Your guide to the minimum wage NSW: take-home pay after tax and Medicare

Minimum wage NSW: what you actually take home

If you're working in New South Wales on the national minimum wage, your hourly rate is $26.44 and your weekly pay for a 38-hour week is $1,004.90. That's the figure set by the Fair Work Commission from 1 July 2026. But what reaches your bank account each fortnight is different after income tax, the Medicare levy, and superannuation.

This guide explains how the minimum wage NSW translates into take-home pay, and what changes your fortnightly amount.

The national minimum wage and NSW

The national minimum wage applies to all employees in Australia who are not covered by an award or registered agreement. That includes workers in NSW. The Fair Work Ombudsman confirms the rate: $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week. Casual employees get a 25% loading, so $33.05 per hour.

Most employees in NSW are covered by an award, which may set higher minimum rates. If you're award-free, the national minimum wage is your floor. Check the Minimum wage page for more details.

What changes your fortnightly take-home

Your take-home pay is what's left after tax and the Medicare levy. Superannuation is paid by your employer on top of your salary, so it doesn't reduce your bank deposit. Here's how the numbers work for a full-time minimum wage earner.

Annual salary and tax brackets

A full-time employee on the national minimum wage earns $52,255 per year (38 hours × 52 weeks × $26.44). For the 2026–27 tax year, the resident tax rates are:

• Up to $18,200: nil
• $18,201 to $45,000: 15c per $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 to $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c per $1 over $45,000

On $52,255, the tax is $4,020 plus 30c on the $7,255 above $45,000, which is $2,176.50. Total tax: $6,196.50. The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) reduces this. Your taxable income of $52,255 is above $45,000, so LITO is $325 minus 1.5c per $1 over $45,000. That's $325 minus $108.83 = $216.17. So net tax after LITO is $5,980.33.

Medicare levy

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income. The latest published single-person thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. Since your income is above $35,013, you pay the full 2%: $1,045.10. The levy is not reduced by LITO.

Fortnightly take-home

Annual after-tax and Medicare: $52,255 – $5,980.33 – $1,045.10 = $45,229.57. Divide by 26 fortnights: about $1,739.60 per fortnight. That's your take-home pay.

Note: This is a resident estimate only. It excludes HELP/HECS, the Medicare levy surcharge, salary sacrifice, and payroll rounding. See Take-home pay for more scenarios.

Superannuation

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12% on your ordinary time earnings. For a minimum wage earner, that's $6,270.60 per year paid by your employer into your super fund. It does not come out of your take-home. Super is on top of your salary, so your total employment cost is $58,525.60. Learn more on the Super page.

Award-covered employees in NSW

If you're covered by an award, your minimum wage may be higher than the national minimum wage. The Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay Calculator can show your exact rates. The national minimum wage is the safety net, but awards often set higher rates for specific industries. For example, the Miscellaneous Award 2020 sets rates for apprentices and trainees. Always check your award.

Medicare thresholds and the levy

The Medicare levy has a shading zone for low-income earners. The latest published single-person thresholds are $28,011 (lower) and $35,013 (upper). If your taxable income is below $28,028, you pay no levy. Between $28,028 and $35,013, you pay 10c per $1 over the lower threshold. Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. For a minimum wage earner on $52,255, you're well above, so full levy applies.

Summary

The minimum wage NSW rate of $26.44 per hour gives you a fortnightly take-home of about $1,740 after tax and Medicare. Your employer also pays 12% super. If you're on an award, your rate may be higher. Use the Tax and Medicare guide to calculate your own figures.