Where does your pay sit against the Australian full-time average?
If you are comparing your salary to the national picture, the most widely used benchmark is the full-time adult average ordinary-time earnings published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). For May 2026, that figure is $2,083.70 per week, which works out to about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52 weeks). This is the line that this site uses to show you how your pay compares.
What the average includes
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey covers all employees in Australia, but the headline figure is for full-time adults (employees who usually work 35 hours or more per week and are not junior or apprentice rates). It measures ordinary time earnings – that is, pay for regular hours, excluding overtime, bonuses, and other irregular payments. The figure is seasonally adjusted to remove regular seasonal patterns.
Because it is an average, it can be influenced by a small number of very high salaries. That is why the median – the middle point – is often a better guide for typical workers.
Median salaries: a different view
The ABS also publishes median earnings from its Employee Earnings survey. For August 2025, the median weekly earnings for full-time employees was $1,741 per week, or about $90,532 per year. For all employees (including part-time and casual), the median was $1,425 per week, about $74,100 per year. These medians are lower than the average because they are not pulled up by high incomes.
If your salary is near the full-time median, you are earning more than half of all full-time workers. If it is near the average, you are earning more than the typical full-time worker, because the average is higher than the median.
The minimum wage and award rates
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week, which is about $52,255 per year. This is the legal floor for employees not covered by an award or agreement. Award minimums increased by 4.75% from the same date. The minimum wage is well below both the average and median, reflecting that many workers earn above the minimum through awards, enterprise agreements, or individual arrangements.
State and territory averages
Full-time average earnings vary across Australia. The ABS provides state-level figures for May 2026 (original, not seasonally adjusted). Here are the annualised averages:
- 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
These differences reflect the mix of industries, occupations, and public versus private sector employment in each state. For example, the ACT has a high proportion of public sector and professional jobs, while Tasmania has a larger share of lower-paying industries.
How to use this site
This site lets you place a salary on the line to see how it compares to the national full-time average. You enter your yearly salary before tax, and we show you the equivalent weekly and hourly amounts (based on a 38-hour week), plus how far above or below the average you sit. You can also explore states and territories to see how your pay compares to the average in your area, or look at job medians and industry medians for more detailed benchmarks.
What about tax?
Your take-home pay depends on the tax rates for 2026–27. The tax-free threshold is $18,200. Above that, you pay 15% up to $45,000, 30% up to $135,000, 37% up to $190,000, and 45% above $190,000. Most residents also pay the 2% Medicare levy. The average salary of $108,352 falls in the 30% bracket, so the marginal tax rate on additional income is 30% plus Medicare. Use the Guides section for more on tax and salary packaging.
Why the average matters
The average Australian salary is a useful benchmark for job negotiations, career planning, and understanding where your pay sits in the broader economy. But remember: it is just one number. Your industry, experience, location, and hours worked all affect your individual situation. The median and minimum wage give additional context. For the most current data, the ABS releases Average Weekly Earnings twice a year (May and November) and Employee Earnings annually.
For more detail on how these figures are set, see How the figures are set.