Average A-League salary: What the data says
If you are searching for the average A-League salary, you are likely looking for a benchmark for professional footballers in Australia's top men's or women's soccer competition. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Fair Work Commission do not publish a specific figure for the A-League. Professional sports salaries are not captured in the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, which covers employees in industries classified under the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC). The A-League is not a separately reported industry. For a precise figure, you would need to consult the league, the players' union, or a dedicated sports salary report.
This site uses the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, as its primary benchmark. The national full-time adult average ordinary-time earnings are $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52). This is the 'line' against which any salary can be compared. The tool on this site lets you place a salary on the line to see it as a yearly, weekly, and hourly figure (based on a 38-hour week), and to see how far it sits above or below the national full-time average.
Reading the same pay as a year, a week, and an hour
The site is designed to help you understand a salary in multiple timeframes. When you enter a yearly salary before tax, the tool converts it to a weekly amount (÷52) and an hourly amount (÷52 ÷38). It then shows the distance from the national full-time average. For example, the national full-time average of $108,352 a year is $2,083.70 a week and $54.83 an hour. If you have a specific A-League salary figure, you can enter it and instantly see how it stacks up.
Other benchmarks from the ABS and Fair Work
Even without an official average A-League salary, you can use other published benchmarks to gauge where a footballer's pay might sit.
Medians
The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey (August 2025) provides medians, which are less affected by very high or very low earners. The full-time adult median is about $90,532 per year. The all-employees median (including part-time and casual) is about $74,100 per year. These are useful if you want to compare against typical Australian workers rather than the average.
Minimum wage and awards
From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 per year (based on a 38-hour week). Award minimums rose by 4.75% in the 2025–26 Annual Wage Review. Professional footballers in the A-League are likely covered by a specific enterprise agreement or individual contracts, not a modern award. The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database does not include a sports award, so the national minimum wage is the legal floor.
State and territory averages
Full-time average earnings vary across Australia. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, provides state-level figures (original, seasonally adjusted). Using the on-site figures:
- 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
These are full-time adult ordinary-time averages. If an A-League player is based in a particular state, that state's average can be a useful comparison. See states and territories for more detail.
Industry and occupation medians
The ABS also publishes earnings by industry and occupation. While 'Sports Players' is a recognised occupation, the ABS does not release a separate median for A-League footballers in its public data. You can explore broader categories like 'Arts and Recreation Services' (which includes sports) on the industry medians and job medians pages.
How the figures are set
The national full-time average comes from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, conducted twice a year (May and November). The latest release is May 2026. Medians come from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, conducted every two years (most recently August 2025). The minimum wage is set by the Fair Work Commission each financial year. For more on methodology, see how the figures are set.
Using this site for an A-League salary
If you have a specific salary figure—whether from a news report, a contract, or a rumour—you can enter it into the tool on this site. The tool will show you:
- The yearly amount (before tax)
- The weekly amount (÷52)
- The hourly amount (÷52 ÷38)
- The distance from the national full-time average (in dollars and percentage)
- The approximate tax and Medicare levy (using 2026–27 resident rates)
This works for any salary, not just A-League. The site does not store or share your data.
Guides and further reading
For more context on how salaries compare across Australia, including explanations of averages vs medians, and how to interpret the data, see the guides section. You can also learn more about this site and its purpose.
Summary
The average A-League salary is not published by the ABS or Fair Work. The best available benchmarks are the national full-time average ($108,352), the full-time median ($90,532), and the minimum wage ($52,255). If you have a specific figure, use the line tool to compare it instantly.