Where does your pay sit against the Australian full-time average?
If you are wondering how your salary compares to the national average, the key figure to know is the full-time adult ordinary-time average from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). As of May 2026, that average is $2,083.70 per week, which works out to about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52 weeks). This is the line that Place a salary on the line uses to show you how far above or below the average your pay is.
What the average includes
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings measure covers full-time employees who are adult (21 years and over) and paid at ordinary-time rates. It excludes overtime, bonuses, and part-time or casual workers. That means the average is a snapshot of what a typical full-time worker earns in their regular hours. The figure is updated twice a year, in May and November, so it is a reliable benchmark but not a real-time number.
How the average compares to medians
Averages can be skewed by very high incomes. For a more typical picture, look at the median salary. The ABS Employee Earnings survey for August 2025 gives a full-time median of about $90,532 per year and an all-employees median (including part-time and casual) of about $74,100 per year. The median is the middle value: half of workers earn more, half earn less. If your pay is around $90,000, you are close to the typical full-time worker, even though the average is higher.
The minimum wage and award rates
At the bottom end, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week on a 38-hour week, which is about $52,255 per year. That is roughly half the full-time average. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from the same date, so many workers covered by awards will have seen their base rates increase. Fair Work sets these rates, and they apply to employees not covered by an enterprise agreement.
State and territory differences
Where you live makes a big difference. The ABS also publishes average weekly earnings by state and territory. The full-time averages (annualised) are:
- 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 figures are from the same ABS survey and show that the ACT and Western Australia have the highest averages, while Tasmania is the lowest. If you are in a state with a higher average, your pay might need to be higher to keep up with the local market. You can see more detail on States and territories.
Men's and women's average salaries
The ABS also breaks down averages by gender. Men's full-time ordinary-time average is about $113,412 per year, while women's is about $100,594 per year. That is a gap of roughly $12,818, or about 11% less for women. This gap reflects differences in industries, occupations, and hours, and is an important part of the picture.
Tax on the average salary
If you earn the full-time average of $108,352, your before-tax income is subject to the 2026–27 resident tax rates: nil up to $18,200; 15% from $18,201 to $45,000; 30% from $45,001 to $135,000; 37% from $135,001 to $190,000; and 45% above $190,000. Plus a 2% Medicare levy (before any reductions). On $108,352, you would pay roughly $25,000 in tax plus Medicare, leaving about $83,000 after tax. Use the Guides for more on tax and take-home pay.
How to use this information
To see where your own salary sits, Place a salary on the line. The tool compares your yearly pay (before tax) to the national full-time average, shows the weekly and hourly rate on a 38-hour week, and tells you how far above or below you are. It is a simple way to benchmark your income against the ABS benchmark.
Important notes
- The average is not a median, not a minimum wage, not a median. Keep these distinct: the full-time average is $108,352; full-time median is $90,532; all-employees median is $74,100; minimum wage is $52,255. Do not confuse them.
- The ABS Average Weekly Earnings is published twice a year, not every quarter. The May 2026 figure is the latest on this site.
- The on-site notes provide these figures; do not invent more precise numbers.
Summary
The Australian full-time average salary is $108,352 per year. It is a useful benchmark, but your own situation may be better represented by the median or your state average. Use the links to explore more.
How the figures are set
All figures on this site come from the ABS and Fair Work. See [How the figures are set](/data] for methodology.
About this site
This site is about comparing your salary against the national full-time average. It is not a salary index, not a job board or tax calculator. No login required.