Average lawyer salary in Australia
If you're searching for the average lawyer salary in Australia, the first thing to know is that the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) does not publish an average earnings figure specifically for lawyers. Instead, the most authoritative source is Jobs and Skills Australia, which provides median weekly earnings for solicitors (ANZSCO 2713). According to their occupation profile, the median full-time weekly earnings for solicitors is $2,070. This is based on the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025.
For context, the national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings is $2,083.70, which works out to about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52). That means the solicitor median of $2,070 per week ($107,640 per year) sits just below the national average. However, it's important to note that the national figure is an average, while the solicitor figure is a median. The median is the middle point – half of full-time solicitors earn more, half earn less. The national full-time median for all occupations is lower, at about $90,532 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025).
Take-home pay sketch
To give you a sense of what a solicitor earning the median might take home after tax, we can apply the 2026–27 resident tax rates and the Medicare levy. The tax brackets 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 a 2% Medicare levy on taxable income
On a yearly salary of $107,640 (the solicitor median), the tax calculation is approximately:
- Tax-free: $18,200
- 15% on $26,800 ($45,000 – $18,200) = $4,020
- 30% on $62,640 ($107,640 – $45,000) = $18,792
- Medicare levy (2% of $107,640) = $2,152.80
- Total tax and Medicare: $24,964.80
- Take-home pay: about $82,675 per year, or roughly $1,590 per week
This is a rough estimate and doesn't account for deductions, offsets, or the fact that some solicitors may earn above or below the median. For comparison, the national full-time average of $108,352 would yield a similar take-home of about $83,300 per year.
How it compares by state
Full-time average weekly earnings vary significantly across states and territories. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, reports the following annualised full-time averages (ordinary time earnings, multiplied by 52):
- New South Wales: $109,658
- Victoria: $106,137
- Queensland: $106,064
- South Australia: $102,450
- Western Australia: $115,825
- Tasmania: $96,008
- Northern Territory: $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: $119,090
The solicitor median of $107,640 is above the averages in South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory, but below those in New South Wales, Western Australia, and the ACT. For a more detailed breakdown by location, see our States and territories page.
Understanding the data
It's crucial to distinguish between averages and medians. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey measures the mean (average) of all full-time adult employees, which can be pulled up by high earners. The median, on the other hand, represents the middle earner and is less affected by extremes. Jobs and Skills Australia uses the median for occupations because it gives a more typical picture for roles like solicitors. The solicitor data also excludes managers and part-time workers, making it a fair comparison for full-time legal professionals.
If you'd like to see how your own salary stacks up against the national line, you can Place a salary on the line and see where you sit relative to the full-time average. For more on how these figures are collected and calculated, visit How the figures are set.
Key takeaways
- The ABS does not publish an average lawyer salary; the best available figure is the median for solicitors: $2,070 per week ($107,640 per year).
- This is slightly below the national full-time average of $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 per year).
- After tax, a solicitor on the median might take home around $82,675 per year.
- State averages vary, with the ACT highest and Tasmania lowest.
- Remember that this is a median, not an average, and individual earnings will differ based on experience, location, and employer.