What is average salary in Australia? Compare with minimum wage and full-time ordinary time earnings

What is average salary in Australia?

If you're searching for what is average salary in Australia, you'll find two main figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 (seasonally adjusted). The first is the average weekly total earnings for all employees, which includes part-time and casual workers. That figure is $1,579.20 per week, or $82,118 per year. The second is the average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adult employees, which excludes overtime and employer super contributions. That figure is $2,083.70 per week, or $108,352 per year.

Both are before income tax and the Medicare levy. Your take-home pay—the amount that actually reaches your bank account each fortnight—will be less. And if your job advertisement says "plus super", your employer will contribute an additional 12% superannuation on top of your salary from 1 July 2026.

How the averages compare to the minimum wage

The national minimum wage, set by Fair Work Ombudsman from 1 July 2026, is $26.44 per hour and $1,004.90 per week, or $52,255 per year for a full-time worker (38 hours per week, 52 weeks). The all-employees average is about 57% higher than the minimum wage, while the full-time ordinary time average is about 107% higher.

If you earn the minimum wage, your annual salary is $52,255. After income tax and the Medicare levy, your estimated take-home pay is approximately $44,500 per year (depending on your tax offsets). For a detailed breakdown, see our Minimum wage guide.

Estimating your take-home pay

To estimate how much reaches your bank account after tax and the Medicare levy, you need to apply the 2026–27 resident tax rates and the low-income tax offset (LITO). The Medicare levy is a flat 2% of your taxable income, but if your income is below the single-person thresholds of $28,011 or $35,013, you may pay a reduced rate or none at all. For full-time salaries, you will generally pay the full 2%.

Here are the estimated deductions for the two average salaries:

All-employees average ($82,118 per year)

• Income tax: $4,020 plus 30c for each $1 over $45,000 = $4,020 + $11,135.40 = $15,155.40
• LITO: $325 minus 1.5c per $1 over $45,000 = $325 - $556.77 = $0 (phased out)
• Medicare levy: 2% of $82,118 = $1,642.36
• Total deductions: $16,797.76
• Estimated take-home: $65,320.24 per year (about $1,256 per week or $2,512 per fortnight)

Full-time ordinary time average ($108,352 per year)

• Income tax: $4,020 plus 30c for each $1 over $45,000 = $4,020 + $19,005.60 = $23,025.60
• LITO: $0 (fully phased out)
• Medicare levy: 2% of $108,352 = $2,167.04
• Total deductions: $25,192.64
• Estimated take-home: $83,159.36 per year (about $1,599 per week or $3,198 per fortnight)

These are estimates only and exclude HELP/HECS repayments, the Medicare levy surcharge, salary sacrifice, and payroll rounding. Use our Clearance tool for a personalised calculation that accounts for your specific circumstances.

Understanding the tax brackets

The 2026–27 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
• $135,001 to $190,000: $31,020 plus 37c per $1 over $135,000
• Over $190,000: $51,370 plus 45c per $1 over $190,000

The low-income tax offset (LITO) gives a maximum of $700 at taxable income up to $37,500, then reduces by 5c per $1 until $45,000, then $325 minus 1.5c per $1 over $45,000 until it reaches zero at $66,667. For the average salaries above, LITO is fully phased out.

For more on how tax and Medicare affect your pay, see our Tax and Medicare guide.

What about super?

Superannuation is not deducted from your take-home pay if your salary is quoted as "plus super". From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12% on earnings up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. Your employer pays this on top of your salary. If your salary is quoted as "including super", then the super amount is part of your total package and your take-home pay will be lower.

For example, if your salary is $108,352 plus super, your employer will contribute an additional $13,002.24 to your super fund. Your take-home pay remains $83,159.36 (before any salary sacrifice). If your salary is $108,352 including super, then the super component is about $11,609 (12% of the base) and your cash salary is about $96,743, resulting in lower take-home.

For more on how super affects your pay, see our Super guide.

Which average should you use?

When comparing job offers, the full-time ordinary time average ($108,352) is more relevant for full-time professional roles. The all-employees average ($82,118) includes part-time and casual workers, so it's lower. Always check whether the salary is before or after super.

If you work part-time, your annual salary will be proportionally lower. The ABS all-employees average already includes part-time workers, so it may be a better benchmark for you if you work fewer than 38 hours per week.

For a deeper look at how salaries vary by industry and role, visit our Average pay page. You can also compare your salary against benchmarks using our Benchmarks page.