How to Read the Seek Salary Guide: Gross Salary, Package, and Take-Home Pay

Understanding the Seek Salary Guide: Gross, Package, and Take-Home

When you look at a job advertisement or use the seek salary guide, you’ll often see two numbers: a gross salary and a total package. Many people assume the package is what lands in their bank account, but that’s a common mix-up. Your take-home pay is the amount after income tax and the Medicare levy are deducted, and it can be significantly less than either figure.

What the Seek Salary Guide Shows

The seek salary guide on SEEK’s career advice page lets you enter a gross annual salary and see your estimated weekly, fortnightly, or monthly take-home pay. It also shows the tax deducted and the super your employer contributes. For example, a gross salary of $84,000 a year (excluding super) gives a take-home of about $1,260 a week, according to the calculator. That’s the amount that reaches your bank account after the Australian Taxation Office withholds PAYG tax and the Medicare levy.

The Three Numbers You Need to Know

1. Gross salary – This is your base pay before any deductions. It’s the figure you negotiate with an employer. For the 2026–27 year, the National Minimum Wage set by Fair Work is $26.44 an hour or $1,004.90 a week, which works out to about $52,255 a year for a full-time worker. If you’re covered by an award or agreement, your minimum may be higher.

2. Total package – This includes your gross salary plus the super your employer must pay. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12% of your ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. For example, a $84,000 gross salary would have a total package of $94,080 (including $10,080 super). But super is not part of your take-home pay – it goes into your super fund, not your bank account.

3. Take-home pay – This is your net income after the Australian Taxation Office withholds income tax and the Medicare levy. The ATO tax tables for 2026–27 show the rates: no tax on the first $18,200, then 15c per dollar up to $45,000, 30c per dollar up to $135,000, 37c per dollar up to $190,000, and 45c per dollar above that. The Medicare levy adds 2% for most full-time workers (single people earning over $35,013 pay the full rate; those earning between $28,011 and $35,013 pay a reduced rate). The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) can reduce your tax if you earn under $66,667, but it cannot reduce your tax below zero.

Why the Mix-Up Happens

Job ads often list the total package because it looks larger. But if you’re comparing offers, always focus on the gross salary – that’s what your take-home is based on. The seek salary guide helps you convert that gross figure into a realistic weekly amount. For instance, a $100,000 gross salary (excluding super) gives a take-home of about $1,460 a week after tax and Medicare, according to the calculator. That’s a far cry from the $112,000 package if you include super.

How to Use the Seek Salary Guide for Your Budget

When you’re planning your finances, use the Take-home pay calculator on this site or the seek salary guide to see what actually lands in your account. Remember that the estimate is for a resident taxpayer and excludes HELP/HECS repayments, the Medicare levy surcharge, salary sacrifice, and payroll tax-table rounding. It’s not a tax assessment, but it’s a reliable starting point.

Key Benchmarks for 2026–27

• National minimum wage: $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week (Fair Work)
• All employees average weekly total earnings: $1,579.20 (ABS, includes part-time)
• Full-time adult ordinary time earnings: $2,083.70 per week (ABS, excludes overtime and employer super)
• Medicare levy thresholds: $28,011 (lower) and $35,013 (upper) for singles

For more details on how your salary is taxed, see our Tax and Medicare guide. If you’re considering salary packaging, check Salary packaging to understand how it affects your take-home.

Final Thoughts

The seek salary guide is a powerful tool to cut through the confusion. Always compare gross salaries, not packages, and use the guide to estimate your weekly bank deposit. That way, you’ll know exactly what you’ll have to spend, save, or invest.