Personal trainer salary: what you take home after tax and Medicare

Understanding the personal trainer salary landscape

If you are a personal trainer in Australia, your pay can vary significantly depending on whether you work full-time, part-time, or as a contractor. The most recent official data from Jobs and Skills Australia shows that fitness instructors (the occupation group that includes personal trainers) have a median full-time weekly earnings of $1,500 before tax. That works out to about $78,000 a year for someone working full-time hours. However, only 32% of fitness instructors work full-time; the majority work part-time, so your personal trainer salary may be lower if you are not working a standard 38-hour week.

Median earnings from official data

Jobs and Skills Australia reports that the median hourly earnings for fitness instructors is $38 per hour (full-time non-managerial employees). This is above the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour set by Fair Work. The median age in this occupation is 36, and 62% of fitness instructors are female. These figures give you a realistic benchmark for what a typical personal trainer salary looks like in the current market.

How tax and Medicare affect your take-home

Your take-home pay is what lands in your bank account after the Australian Taxation Office deducts income tax and the Medicare levy. For the 2026–27 tax year, the 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 also pay the Medicare levy of 2% of your taxable income. The latest published single-person thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. If you earn below $28,011 you pay no Medicare levy; between $28,011 and $35,013 you pay a reduced rate; above $35,013 you pay the full 2%. Most full-time personal trainers will be in the full 2% bracket.

For a personal trainer salary of $78,000, your tax would be roughly:

• Tax on first $18,200: $0
• Tax on next $26,800 (up to $45,000): $4,020
• Tax on remaining $33,000 (up to $78,000): $9,900
• Total income tax: $13,920
• Medicare levy (2% of $78,000): $1,560
• Total deductions: $15,480
• Take-home: $62,520 per year, or about $1,202 per week, $2,405 per fortnight.

This is a rough estimate. Your actual take-home may differ due to the Low Income Tax Offset, HELP/HECS repayments, or salary packaging. Use the Take-home pay tool for a personalised calculation.

Fortnightly and annual estimates

If you are paid fortnightly, your gross pay on a $1,500 weekly salary would be $3,000 per fortnight. After tax and Medicare, you might see around $2,400 to $2,500 deposited each fortnight. If you work part-time, your take-home will be proportionally lower. Remember that superannuation is not deducted from your take-home if your employer pays it on top of your salary. The super guarantee rate is 12% from 1 July 2026, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830.

Superannuation considerations

Your personal trainer salary may be advertised as "plus super". That means the employer contributes an additional 12% into your super fund, which you cannot access until retirement. This is not part of your take-home pay. If you are a contractor, you may need to arrange your own super and factor in GST and business expenses.

Using benchmarks to compare

The Minimum wage page shows the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour. The Average pay page shows the all-employees average weekly total earnings of $1,579.20. Your personal trainer salary of $1,500 per week is slightly below that average, but remember that many personal trainers work part-time and may earn less per week overall.

Final thoughts

Your personal trainer salary is a starting point. What matters is what you actually take home after tax and Medicare. Use the Tax and Medicare guide to understand your obligations, and always check your pay slip to ensure your employer is withholding the correct amounts. If you are unsure, the Australian Taxation Office provides calculators and the Fair Work Ombudsman can help with minimum wage questions.