Average Salary Brisbane: Understanding the Figures
When you search for the "average salary Brisbane", the most reliable source is the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). However, the ABS does not publish a city-level average. Instead, it provides state and territory averages through its Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) series. For Brisbane, the closest official figure is the Queensland full-time adult ordinary-time average.
The National Full-Time Average
The site's line is based on the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026. The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 per week, which works out to about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52). This is the benchmark against which all salaries on this site are measured. You can place a salary on the line to see how it compares.
Queensland's Full-Time Average
Queensland's full-time adult ordinary-time average is about $106,064 per year, or $2,039.70 per week. This is about $2,288 below the national average. While this figure represents the whole state, it is the best available proxy for Brisbane. The ABS does not break down AWE by city, so for a Brisbane-specific number, you would need to rely on private surveys or job advertisements, which are not as consistent or authoritative.
How to Read a Salary as a Year, Week, and Hour
This site converts any yearly salary before tax into a weekly and hourly figure based on a 38-hour week. For example, the Queensland average of $106,064 a year is about $2,039.70 per week and $53.68 per hour. The national average of $108,352 a year is $2,083.70 per week and $54.83 per hour. You can use the tool to see where your own pay sits relative to these benchmarks.
Medians and the Minimum Wage
Averages can be pulled up by high earners, so medians give a clearer picture of the typical worker. The ABS Employee Earnings report for August 2025 shows a full-time median of about $90,532 per year and an all-employees median of about $74,100. These are national figures; state medians are not published by the ABS.
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 per year on 38 hours. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from the previous year. Fair Work sets these rates, and they apply in Brisbane as elsewhere in Australia.
How Brisbane Compares to Other States
Looking at the states and territories page, you can see the full-time averages for each jurisdiction. New South Wales leads the mainland at about $109,658, followed by Victoria at $106,137 and Queensland at $106,064. Western Australia is higher at $115,825, while the Australian Capital Territory tops the list at $119,090. Tasmania is the lowest at $96,008. Brisbane's position within Queensland means its average is likely similar to the state figure, though cost of living and industry mix can cause local variation.
Tax on a Brisbane Salary
For the 2026–27 financial year, resident tax rates are: nil on the first $18,200, 15% on income 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. The Medicare levy of 2% applies before any reductions. On the Queensland average of $106,064, the tax would be roughly $24,288 plus the Medicare levy, leaving about $79,587 after tax. These are estimates and do not include offsets or deductions.
Industry and Job Medians
If you are interested in how specific occupations or industries pay in Brisbane, the ABS publishes national medians by industry and occupation. You can explore job medians and industry medians on this site. For example, the mining industry has a high median, while retail and hospitality are lower. These national figures can be a useful guide, but local conditions in Brisbane may differ.
Why City-Level Data Is Not Available
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey is designed to produce reliable estimates at the state and territory level. Sample sizes are not large enough to publish for individual cities like Brisbane. The ABS does release some data for capital cities in other surveys, such as the Consumer Price Index, but not for average earnings. Therefore, anyone asking for the "average salary Brisbane" should use the Queensland figure as the best official estimate.
How This Site Uses the Data
This site uses the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, as its line. The how the figures are set page explains the methodology. The line is updated twice a year, in May and November, when the ABS publishes new AWE data. Medians come from the ABS Employee Earnings report, which is released less frequently. The minimum wage is updated annually from Fair Work decisions.
Putting Your Salary on the Line
You can use the tool to place a salary on the line and see how it compares to the national full-time average. Enter your yearly salary before tax, and the site will show you the weekly and hourly equivalents, plus the distance from the line. This works for any salary, whether you are in Brisbane or elsewhere.
Summary
While there is no official "average salary Brisbane" from the ABS, the Queensland full-time average of about $106,064 is the closest benchmark. It is slightly below the national average of $108,352. For a more typical figure, the national full-time median of about $90,532 is useful. Remember that averages can be affected by high earners, and medians give a better sense of the middle. The minimum wage in Brisbane is the national rate of $26.44 per hour. For more details, explore the guides on this site.