The national full-time average and the Adecco salary guide
The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year, according to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. This figure is the line on this site – the benchmark against which all salaries are measured. The Adecco Australia Salary Guide, published in 2025, offers indicative salary ranges for hundreds of roles across industries. However, it is a general reference, not a definitive source. The guide itself states that salaries are for guidance only and are exclusive of superannuation.
When you compare a salary from the Adecco guide to the national line, remember that the national average reflects the earnings of all full-time adults across Australia, including both public and private sectors. The Adecco guide may list a role at $90,000 or $120,000, but the distance from the line depends on where that role sits in the broader distribution.
How state averages move the figure
State full-time averages differ markedly from the national line. For example:
- New South Wales: about $109,658
- Victoria: about $106,137
- Queensland: about $106,064
- South Australia: about $102,450
- Western Australia: about $115,825
- Tasmania: about $96,008
- Northern Territory: about $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: about $119,090
If the Adecco guide suggests a salary for a role in Western Australia, it is likely to be above the national line because the state average is higher. Conversely, a role in Tasmania may sit below the line. The States and territories page on this site provides the full breakdown.
Award and minimum wage effects
Many Australian employees are covered by awards or enterprise agreements that set minimum pay rates. Fair Work’s national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, $1,004.90 a week, or about $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week. Award minimums rose by 4.75% in that same adjustment. If the Adecco guide lists a salary near the award rate, it will be well below the national full-time average. For roles above the award, the distance from the line narrows.
The ABS also publishes medians: the full-time median is about $90,532 a year, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). These medians are lower than the average because the average is pulled up by high earners. The Adecco guide may include both average and median figures for some roles, but the site’s line is the average.
Using the Adecco guide alongside this site
The Adecco guide is a useful starting point, but for a precise comparison to the national line, you should check the job medians and industry medians on this site. Those figures are drawn from the ABS and are more current. The How the figures are set page explains the methodology behind the averages, medians, and minimums.
Remember that the Adecco guide is from 2025, while the national average is from May 2026. Earnings growth has slowed – the ABS noted that six-monthly growth to May 2026 was the lowest since May 2022. So a salary from the 2025 guide may need to be adjusted for the 3.7% annual increase in average weekly ordinary time earnings.
Gender and sector differences
The national average masks differences by gender and sector. Men’s full-time ordinary-time average is about $113,412 a year; women’s is about $100,594. The gender pay gap in average weekly ordinary full-time earnings fell to 11.3% in May 2026. Public sector full-time average earnings are higher ($2,263.10 a week) than private sector ($2,034.10). The Adecco guide does not break down by sector, but this site’s Guides offer more detail on how these factors affect your pay.
In summary, the Adecco salary guide provides a broad picture, but the national line is the ABS average. State, award, gender, and sector differences can all move a salary off that line. Use the tools on this site to see exactly where your pay sits.