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APS 5 salary: how it compares to the national average

APS 5 salaries range from about $93,300 to $99,300 a year, below the national full-time average of $108,352.

This sits on the Australian full-time average.

Week, hour, and a tax sketch

$2,084 a week · $54.83 an hour if spread over 38 hours

About $83,159 after resident income tax and a 2% Medicare levy.

2026–27 resident rates and a 2% Medicare levy. Not a tax assessment.Open the full line

APS 5 salary in 2026

An APS 5 classification sits in the middle of the Australian Public Service (APS) structure, above APS 4 and below APS 6. Under the Commonwealth Enterprise Agreement 2024–2027, the base salaries from 12 March 2026 are:

  • APS 5.1: $93,312 per year
  • APS 5.2: $99,287 per year

These figures come from the Treasury Enterprise Agreement, which applies across most APS agencies. The Australian Public Service Commission’s At a glance 2025 report shows the average base salary for APS 5 employees was about $92,180 in 2025, with no meaningful gender difference.

How APS 5 pay compares to the national average

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings are $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). That is the reference line on this site. An APS 5 at the top step ($99,287) is about $9,000 below that average. At the bottom step ($93,312) it is about $15,000 below.

For context, the full-time median earnings are about $90,532 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). So an APS 5 salary sits above the median but below the mean – a common position for many professional roles.

Men’s full-time average earnings are about $113,412; women’s about $100,594. An APS 5 salary falls below both gender averages.

Take-home pay for an APS 5

Using 2026–27 resident tax rates:

  • Tax-free threshold: $0–$18,200
  • 15% on $18,201–$45,000
  • 30% on $45,001–$135,000
  • Plus 2% Medicare levy

For an APS 5 on $93,312:

  • Tax: about $20,800
  • Medicare: about $1,866
  • Net: about $70,646 per year ($1,359 per week)

For an APS 5 on $99,287:

  • Tax: about $22,600
  • Medicare: about $1,986
  • Net: about $74,701 per year ($1,437 per week)

These are rough estimates. Actual take-home depends on deductions, HELP repayments, and other factors.

APS 5 compared to the minimum wage and awards

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week (Fair Work). Award minimums rose by 4.75% from that date. An APS 5 salary is well above the minimum – roughly 1.8 to 1.9 times the minimum wage.

State comparisons

Full-time average earnings vary by state. An APS 5 salary would be:

  • Below the New South Wales average ($109,658)
  • Below the Victoria average ($106,137)
  • Below the Queensland average ($106,064)
  • Below the South Australia average ($102,450)
  • Well below the Western Australia average ($115,825)
  • Above the Tasmania average ($96,008)
  • Below the Northern Territory average ($103,173)
  • Well below the ACT average ($119,090)

So an APS 5 in Tasmania would be above the state average, while in the ACT it would be well below.

Where to go from here

If you’re an APS employee, you can place a salary on the line to see exactly where you sit. You can also explore states and territories for regional comparisons or how the figures are set for the methodology behind the averages.

Summary

The APS 5 salary range of $93,312 to $99,287 places it below the national full-time average of $108,352 but above the full-time median of $90,532. It offers a solid middle-income position with predictable progression under the enterprise agreement.

Questions

What is an APS 5 classification?

APS 5 is a mid-level classification in the Australian Public Service, typically for experienced administrative, policy, or program officers. Under the Commonwealth Enterprise Agreement 2024–2027, the base salary from 12 March 2026 is $93,312 (APS 5.1) or $99,287 (APS 5.2), depending on the pay point.

How does an APS 5 salary compare to the national full-time average?

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings are $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). An APS 5 salary at the top step ($99,287) is about $9,000 below that average. The full-time median is lower, at about $90,532, so an APS 5 sits above the median but below the mean.

What would an APS 5 take home after tax?

Using 2026–27 resident tax rates (nil to $18,200; 15% to $45,000; 30% to $135,000; plus 2% Medicare levy), an APS 5 on $93,312 would pay roughly $20,800 in tax and $1,866 in Medicare levy, leaving about $70,646 net. On $99,287, net would be about $74,600. These are estimates and do not include deductions or offsets.

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