What is the average barista salary in Australia?

The most reliable figure is the median full-time weekly earnings for Bar Attendants and Baristas, reported by Jobs and Skills Australia using ABS data: $1,500 per week before tax, or about $78,000 a year. This is a median, meaning half earn more and half earn less. Many baristas work part-time, so the all-employees median would be lower. The minimum under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award for a Level 1 food and beverage attendant is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week on 38 hours.

How does barista pay compare to the national average?

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings is $2,083.70 (ABS, May 2026), or about $108,352 a year. A full-time barista at the median of $1,500 a week earns about 72% of that average. Even the top of the award scale for a Level 2 food and beverage attendant ($1,029.10/week) is only half the national average. The gap is partly because baristas are younger (median age 23) and often in casual or part-time roles.

What is the take-home pay for a barista earning the median?

For a resident earning $78,000 a year in 2026–27, tax is roughly $13,920 and the Medicare levy $1,560, leaving about $62,520 a year ($1,202 a week). That is about 75% of the take-home pay of someone on the national full-time average ($108,352), who would take home roughly $83,160 a year after tax and Medicare. The exact amount depends on tax offsets and deductions.

Barista salary in Australia: how it compares to the national average and what you take home

Barista salary in Australia: where it sits on the line

If you work as a barista in Australia, your pay is likely to fall well below the national full-time average. The latest data from the ABS and Fair Work gives us a clear picture of what baristas earn, how that compares to the average worker, and what you can expect to take home after tax.

The national average as a reference

The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 puts full-time adult ordinary time earnings at $2,083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year (multiplied by 52). This is the line on this site – the benchmark against which all salaries are measured. For men the average is higher ($2,181.50/week, $113,412/year) and for women it is lower ($1,934.50/week, $100,594/year). These are averages, not medians, and they include all full-time adult employees across every industry.

Barista pay: median and minimum

The best source for barista-specific earnings is the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, reported by Jobs and Skills Australia. For the occupation group "Bar Attendants and Baristas", the median full-time weekly earnings are $1,500 before tax. That works out to about $78,000 a year. This is a median for full-time non-managerial adult employees – it excludes managers, part-timers and juniors, so it gives a fair comparison with other occupations. The median hourly rate is $37.

However, only 29% of baristas work full-time hours. The majority work part-time or casually, so the all-employees median would be lower. The ABS does not publish a separate all-employees median for this occupation.

For those covered by the Hospitality Industry (General) Award, the minimum rates from 1 July 2026 are:

Introductory level: $25.74/hour, $978.10/week
Level 1 food and beverage attendant (the most common classification for baristas): $26.44/hour, $1,004.90/week (about $52,255/year on 38 hours)
Level 2 food and beverage attendant: $27.08/hour, $1,029.10/week

These award rates rose by 4.75% in July 2026, in line with the national minimum wage increase. Many baristas earn above the award, especially in specialty cafes or with experience, but the median of $1,500/week suggests the typical full-time barista is well above the minimum.

A take-home sketch

Let's look at what a barista earning the median full-time salary of $78,000 a year would actually take home after tax and the Medicare levy, using the 2026–27 resident tax rates.

Tax calculation for $78,000:

$0 on first $18,200
15% on next $26,800 = $4,020
30% on remaining $33,000 = $9,900
Total tax: $13,920
Medicare levy (2%): $1,560
Total deductions: $15,480
Take-home: $62,520 a year, or about $1,202 a week

Compare that to someone earning the national full-time average of $108,352:

Tax: $23,026
Medicare: $2,167
Total deductions: $25,193
Take-home: $83,159 a year, or about $1,599 a week

So the barista takes home about 75% of what the average full-time worker does, even though their gross salary is only 72% of the average. The progressive tax system narrows the gap slightly.

How barista pay compares across states

State full-time averages vary significantly, and barista pay may follow similar patterns, though the ABS does not publish occupation-level earnings by state. The national full-time averages by state (ABS, May 2026) are:

New South Wales: $2,108.80/week ($109,658/year)
Victoria: $2,041.10/week ($106,137/year)
Queensland: $2,039.70/week ($106,064/year)
South Australia: $1,970.20/week ($102,450/year)
Western Australia: $2,227.40/week ($115,825/year)
Tasmania: $1,846.30/week ($96,008/year)
Northern Territory: $1,984.10/week ($103,173/year)
Australian Capital Territory: $2,290.20/week ($119,090/year)

A barista in WA or the ACT might earn a bit more than one in Tasmania, but the occupation's median is still far below every state average. The award rates are national, so the minimum is the same everywhere, but market rates can differ.

Putting your salary on the line

If you're a barista and want to see exactly where your pay sits against the national average, you can place your salary on the line. The tool shows your weekly and hourly figures on a 38-hour week, and tells you how far above or below the $2,083.70 benchmark you are. You can also explore job medians for hundreds of occupations to see how barista pay compares with other roles.

The bottom line

Barista pay in Australia is modest. The median full-time barista earns about $1,500 a week, well below the national full-time average of $2,083.70. After tax, the take-home difference narrows a little, but the gap remains significant. The award minimum provides a floor of about $1,005 a week, but most full-time baristas earn more than that. Whether you're a barista yourself or just curious, the numbers show that this is a job that typically pays below the average – but with the right experience and location, you can push above the median.