Biologist Salary in Australia
If you are looking for a clear figure for a biologist salary in Australia, the most reliable public source is the Jobs and Skills Australia profile for Life Scientists, which covers occupations such as biologists, biochemists, botanists, and marine biologists. According to that profile, the median weekly earnings for full-time Life Scientists is $1,544. This is a median for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, and it is the best available benchmark for a typical biologist salary.
How It Stacks Up Against the National Full-Time Average
The site’s line is the national full-time adult ordinary-time average from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, May 2026. That figure is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52). The biologist median of $1,544 per week is about $540 less per week, or roughly 26% below the national average. This places biologist pay below the full-time average but still above the national minimum wage and the all-employees median.
For context, the all-employees median weekly earnings (including part-time and casual workers) is $1,425 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025), so the biologist median sits slightly above that. 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 a 38-hour week (Fair Work). Biologists typically earn well above the minimum wage.
Understanding the Data
The ABS publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year, for May and November. The May 2026 release shows that full-time adult ordinary time earnings rose 3.7% annually. The figure used here is the seasonally adjusted estimate. The ABS also publishes median earnings through the Employee Earnings and Hours survey, most recently for May 2025. The Jobs and Skills Australia profile draws on that survey for the Life Scientists median.
It is important to note that the biologist salary figure is a median, not an average. Medians are less affected by very high or low earners and give a better sense of the typical wage. The national full-time average, by contrast, is an arithmetic mean and can be pulled upward by high-income roles.
State and Territory Comparisons
Biologist pay can vary by location. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey provides full-time adult ordinary time earnings by state and territory. These are averages, not medians, but they give a sense of regional pay levels:
- New South Wales: $2,109.20 per week (about $109,678 per year)
- Victoria: $2,041.10 per week (about $106,137 per year)
- Queensland: $2,039.70 per week (about $106,064 per year)
- South Australia: $1,970.20 per week (about $102,450 per year)
- Western Australia: $2,227.40 per week (about $115,825 per year)
- Tasmania: $1,846.30 per week (about $96,008 per year)
- Northern Territory: $1,984.10 per week (about $103,173 per year)
- Australian Capital Territory: $2,290.20 per week (about $119,090 per year)
A biologist working in Western Australia or the ACT may earn more than one in Tasmania or South Australia, reflecting broader labour market conditions.
Sector Differences
The ABS also breaks down earnings by sector. In May 2026, full-time adult ordinary time earnings in the public sector averaged $2,263.10 per week, while the private sector averaged $2,034.10. Many biologists work in government research, universities, or public health, which may align more with public sector pay. However, the Life Scientists median of $1,544 is below both sector averages, suggesting that even within the public sector, biologists may earn less than the overall public sector average.
How to Use This Information
If you are a biologist or considering a career in biology, you can place a salary on the line to see how your pay compares to the national full-time average. You can also explore job medians for other occupations. Remember that the figures here are before tax. For the 2026–27 financial year, resident tax rates start at nil up to $18,200, then 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000, and 45% above that, plus the 2% Medicare levy (subject to reductions).
Limitations of the Data
The Jobs and Skills Australia median for Life Scientists is based on the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. It covers full-time non-managerial employees only. It does not include part-time or casual biologists, nor those in managerial roles. The sample size may also be small for some specialisations, so the figure should be treated as a guide rather than a precise salary. The ABS does not publish a separate average or median for the narrower occupation of “biologist” at the six-digit ANZSCO level.
Summary
A typical biologist in Australia earns a median of $1,544 per week, or about $80,288 per year. This is below the national full-time adult average of $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 per year) but above the all-employees median and well above the minimum wage. Pay varies by state, sector, and experience. For the most current data, refer to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings release and the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profiles.