Astronaut salary and the national line
There is no published average salary for astronauts in Australia. The ABS, Fair Work, and the ATO do not report a specific figure for this occupation. Without a precise number, it is impossible to say exactly where an astronaut’s pay sits against the national full-time adult ordinary-time average of $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). This page explains why a state or an award can move any salary off that national line, and how the same factors would apply to an astronaut role.
The national full-time average as a benchmark
The ABS publishes the average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults twice a year, for May and November. The May 2026 figure of $2,083.70 per week is the site’s line. It is an average, not a median, and it covers all full-time employees across all industries and occupations. The full-time median is lower, at about $90,532 a year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). The all-employees median (including part-time) is about $74,100. These differences show that high earners pull the average up. For a rare, specialised role like an astronaut, pay could be well above the average, but without data we cannot confirm.
How state averages shift the line
State full-time averages vary significantly, as shown in the on-site notes. The Australian Capital Territory has the highest full-time average at about $119,090, followed by Western Australia at $115,825. Tasmania is lowest at $96,008. If an astronaut were employed by a federal agency based in Canberra (ACT), their salary might align more closely with that state’s average. But state averages are broad; they include all industries. An astronaut’s employer—whether the Australian Space Agency, a university, or a private company—may set pay based on enterprise agreements or individual contracts that reflect the specialised skills required. States and territories provides more detail on how location affects earnings.
Awards, collective agreements, and individual arrangements
The method of setting pay is a major factor. According to the ABS Employee Earnings survey (May 2025), 38.5% of employees have their pay set by individual arrangement, 34.6% by collective agreement, and 22.7% by award only. Award-only employees earn the least, averaging $922.20 per week ($47,954 annually). Collective agreement employees average $1,746.10 per week ($90,797 annually). Individual arrangement employees average $1,876.50 per week ($97,578 annually). Astronauts are unlikely to be covered by an award; they are more likely to be on an individual arrangement or an enterprise agreement. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week ($52,255 annually on 38 hours). Award minimums rose 4.75% from that date. An astronaut’s salary would almost certainly exceed these floors, but by how much is not publicly known.
Why the composition of the labour force matters
The ABS notes that movements in average earnings can be affected by changes in the composition of the labour force, such as the proportion of full-time, part-time, casual, and junior employees, as well as the occupational and industry distribution. For a niche occupation like astronaut, the small number of employees means that even one high or low salary could skew any average. This is why the ABS does not publish averages for very small occupations. The on-site notes also remind us that comparisons between male and female average earnings do not account for compositional differences like occupation and hours worked. The full-time ordinary-time average for men is about $113,412, and for women about $100,594. Without astronaut-specific data, we cannot assess gender pay gaps in that field.
Using the site’s tools
The on-site tool accepts a yearly salary before tax and shows the weekly equivalent on a 38-hour week, plus the distance from the full-time average. If you have a specific astronaut salary figure from a job advertisement or contract, you can place a salary on the line to see how it compares. The tool does not require a login or award search. It simply calculates the difference from the national line. For understanding how the figures are set, see How the figures are set. The page draws a chart automatically based on the salary you enter.
Conclusion
Astronaut salary in Australia remains unpublished by official sources. The national full-time average of $108,352 provides a benchmark, but state, award, and individual arrangement differences can move any salary off that line. Without a published figure, the best approach is to use the site’s tool with a known salary to see where it stands. The ABS, Fair Work, and the ATO are the authoritative sources for earnings data, and they do not cover this occupation.