Your physiotherapist salary: median earnings and take-home pay

Your physiotherapist salary: what the data shows

If you're a physiotherapist in Australia or considering the profession, understanding your earning potential is key to planning your career and finances. The latest data from Jobs and Skills Australia gives you a clear picture of the median **physiotherapist salary. This guide breaks down the numbers, compares it to national benchmarks, and shows you what your take-home pay could look like after tax and the Medicare levy.

Median earnings for physiotherapists

According to Jobs and Skills Australia, the median full-time weekly earnings for physiotherapists is $1,888. That works out to about $50 per hour for a standard 38-hour week. This figure comes from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, and reflects the midpoint for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. It's before tax, salary sacrifice, and superannuation.

How does this compare to the broader workforce? The national median full-time weekly earnings for all occupations is $1,852, so physiotherapists earn slightly above average. The median age for physiotherapists is 33 years, younger than the all-occupations median of 39, and 58% of physiotherapists are female.

Award rates and minimum pay

If you're covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020, your minimum pay depends on your qualifications and experience. For a physiotherapist with a bachelor's degree (AQF Level 7), the minimum weekly rate ranges from $1,308.80 for a first-year employee to $1,689.50 after seven years. That's well below the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week. The award rates are higher than the minimum, reflecting the professional nature of the role. Check the Benchmarks page for more on how these rates compare.

Take-home pay after tax and Medicare

Your take-home pay is what lands in your bank account after income tax and the Medicare levy. For a full-time physiotherapist earning the median $1,888 per week, your annual salary is about $98,176. Using the 2026–27 tax rates:

• No tax on the first $18,200
• 15 cents per dollar from $18,201 to $45,000
• 30 cents per dollar from $45,001 to $135,000
• Plus the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) if applicable

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income, but if you earn below the single thresholds of $28,011 or $35,013, you may pay a reduced rate or none. For a full-time salary, you'll pay the full 2% because your income is well above the upper threshold. After all that, your estimated weekly take-home pay is roughly $1,400 per week (approximately $72,800 per year**. This is a guide only; use the Tax and Medicare page for a precise calculation.

Where your physiotherapist salary in context

Your physiotherapist salary sits comfortably above the national minimum wage and above the full-time adult ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70 per week. The median $1,888 is about 90% of that higher figure, showing that physiotherapists are well compensated compared to the average full-time worker. If you're considering salary packaging or salary packaging, remember that super is paid on top of your base salary at 12% from 1 July 2026.