Adecco Salary Guide 2018 PDF and Today’s National Average
If you have come across the Adecco Salary Guide 2018 PDF and are wondering how the salaries listed there compare to current Australian benchmarks, you are not alone. Many job seekers and employers refer to that guide for historical context. However, this site does not host or reproduce that document. Instead, we provide a clear, up-to-date picture of where pay sits against the national full-time average, using official data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Fair Work, and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
What the Adecco Guide Contains
The Adecco Salary Guide is a commercial publication that typically lists typical salaries for various roles across industries, often based on surveys of placements and client data. The 2018 edition would reflect market conditions from that year. Since then, wages have grown significantly. According to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, full-time adult ordinary-time earnings have increased by 3.7% annually to $2,083.70 per week. That translates to about $108,352 per year (multiplying by 52 weeks).
How This Site Works
This site is designed to help you read any salary as a year, a week, and an hour. The tool accepts a yearly salary before tax and instantly shows:
- The weekly equivalent (based on 52 weeks)
- The hourly equivalent (based on a standard 38-hour week)
- How far that salary sits above or below the national full-time average line
The line itself is drawn from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026 – the most recent official estimate. You can place a salary on the line to see where you stand.
Official Benchmarks You Can Rely On
Because the Adecco guide is not an official source, we recommend using these government-published figures as your reference points:
- National full-time adult ordinary-time average: $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 per year) – ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026.
- Full-time median earnings: about $90,532 per year – ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025.
- All-employees median earnings: about $74,100 per year – same source.
- National minimum wage (from 1 July 2026): $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, about $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from that date.
These figures are distinct. The average is pulled up by higher earners, while the median better represents the typical worker. The minimum wage is the legal floor. The Adecco guide may have used different definitions, so direct comparisons require caution.
State and Territory Differences
Salaries vary across Australia. The ABS provides state-level full-time averages (original, not seasonally adjusted) for May 2026:
- New South Wales: about $109,658 per year
- 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 listed salaries for specific locations, you can compare them against these state averages. See our states and territories page for more detail.
Industry and Occupation Medians
For a finer comparison, the ABS also publishes median earnings by industry and occupation (from the Employee Earnings survey, August 2025). These medians are often more relevant than the overall average when assessing a specific role. For example, the median for full-time workers in professional services will differ from retail. You can explore job medians and industry medians on this site.
Tax Context
When reading a salary from the Adecco guide, remember that the figures are likely before tax. For the 2026–27 income year, the resident tax rates are:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% on income above $190,000
Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (before any reductions). So a salary of, say, $80,000 would have a marginal rate of 30% plus 2% Medicare levy. The ATO provides full details.
Why the Adecco Guide May Differ
The Adecco Salary Guide 2018 PDF was produced seven years before the May 2026 ABS data. Wage growth, changes in award rates, and shifts in industry composition mean that any salary from that guide is likely lower than today’s equivalent. For instance, the national minimum wage in 2018 was around $18.93 per hour; it is now $26.44. That’s a 40% increase over eight years. Similarly, average earnings have risen steadily.
Using This Site to Benchmark
If you have a salary figure from the Adecco guide – or any other source – you can enter it here to see how it compares to the current national average. The tool does not require a login, award search, or tax return. It simply shows the weekly and hourly breakdown and the distance from the line. For more context on how the figures are set, visit our data page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Adecco Salary Guide 2018 PDF available on this site? A: No. This site does not host or link to that document. We use official Australian government data only.
Q: How often is the national average updated? A: The ABS Average Weekly Earnings is published twice a year – for May and November. The latest release is May 2026. The next release (November 2026) will be on 25 February 2027.
Q: Can I compare a salary from the Adecco guide to the minimum wage? A: Yes. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour. If the Adecco guide listed a salary below that, it would be below the legal minimum today. However, award rates may be higher. Check Fair Work for your specific award.
Final Thoughts
The Adecco Salary Guide 2018 PDF is a historical snapshot. For current, reliable salary benchmarks, turn to the ABS, Fair Work, and the ATO. This site makes it easy to see where any salary sits against the national full-time average, in terms of year, week, and hour. About this site explains our methodology.