How to Use the Robert Half Salary Guide to Compare Job Offers by Take-Home Pay
The Robert Half salary guide provides projected starting salary ranges; your actual take-home depends on tax, Medicare, and super.
Introduction
When you receive a job offer, the headline salary is only part of the story. What matters is the amount that lands in your bank account each pay cycle – your take-home pay. The Robert Half salary guide is a trusted resource for projected starting salaries across six professional fields in Australia. But to compare offers fairly, you need to strip away tax, the Medicare levy, and superannuation. This article shows you how.
Understanding the Robert Half Salary Guide
The Robert Half 2026 Australia Salary Guide covers finance and accounting, technology, financial services, human resources, business support, and marketing. It reports starting salaries at three percentiles: 25th (limited experience), 50th (moderate experience), and 75th (extensive experience). These figures are gross annual base salaries – they exclude bonuses, benefits, and super. The guide is based on real placement data, making it a solid benchmark for negotiations.
From Gross to Net: Your Take-Home Pay
To turn a gross salary into net take-home, you need to account for:
- Income tax using the 2026–27 resident rates: nil on the first $18,200, then 15c per $1 up to $45,000, 30c up to $135,000, 37c up to $190,000, and 45c above that.
- Low Income Tax Offset (LITO): up to $700 for incomes under $37,500, phasing out by $66,667.
- Medicare levy: 2% of taxable income, with reduced rates for singles earning between $28,011 and $35,013. Full-time salaries typically pay the full 2%.
- Superannuation: from 1 July 2026, the mandatory employer contribution is 12% of your ordinary time earnings. This is not deducted from your salary if the offer is quoted as “plus super”.
For example, a role listed at the 50th percentile for a technology role in the Robert Half guide might be $120,000. After tax (approx. $31,020 + 30c per $1 over $45,000 = $31,020 + $22,500 = $53,520 tax), plus Medicare ($2,400), your net annual income is about $64,080, or $1,232 per week. Always check the Tax and Medicare page for the latest rates.
Using the Benchmarks
Fair Work sets the national minimum wage at $26.44 per hour and $1,004.90 per week (from 1 July 2026). The ABS reports average full-time ordinary earnings of $2,083.70 per week. Compare any offer from the Robert Half guide against these Benchmarks to see where you stand. Remember that the guide’s salaries are starting points – your experience and skills can push you higher.
Final Tips
- Always ask if the salary is “plus super” or “inclusive of super”. The Robert Half guide uses base salary only.
- Use our Take-home pay calculator to run the numbers for your specific situation.
- Factor in salary packaging options, which can reduce your taxable income.
- The Medicare levy surcharge applies if you don’t have appropriate private hospital cover and earn above a threshold – not included in this estimate.
Questions
Does the Robert Half salary guide include superannuation?
No. The guide states that salaries listed are starting salaries only and do not include bonuses, benefits, or superannuation. When comparing offers, add 12% super on top of the base salary (from 1 July 2026) and then calculate tax on the base.
How do I estimate my weekly take-home pay from a salary in the guide?
Take the annual gross salary, subtract the tax using the 2026–27 rates (nil up to $18,200, then 15c per $1 up to $45,000, etc.), apply the Low Income Tax Offset if eligible, and subtract 2% Medicare levy. Divide by 52 for weekly net. Use our Take-home pay tool for a quick estimate.
What if the job offer is below the Medicare levy low-income threshold?
If your taxable income is $28,011 or less, you pay no Medicare levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, the levy is phased in at 10c per dollar over the lower threshold. Above $35,013, the full 2% applies. The thresholds are for singles; different rules apply for families.