Bookkeeper salary in Australia
Bookkeepers play a vital role in managing financial records for businesses of all sizes. If you are considering a career as a bookkeeper or employing one, understanding the typical pay is essential. This article looks at the median bookkeeper salary, how it compares to national benchmarks, and what it means for your budget.
Where the figures come from
The most reliable source for occupation-level pay is the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, which Jobs and Skills Australia publishes in occupation profiles. For bookkeepers (ANZSCO 5512), the latest data from May 2025 shows a median full-time weekly earnings of $1,400. This figure is for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, which excludes part-time workers, managers, and those on junior or trainee rates. It provides a clean comparison between occupations.
Reading the same pay three ways
To make the salary easy to understand, we can read it as a year, a week, and an hour.
- Yearly: $1,400 per week multiplied by 52 weeks gives about $72,800 before tax. This is the annual figure you might see in a job advertisement or use for budgeting.
- Weekly: $1,400 is the median weekly pay for full-time bookkeepers. It is the middle point: half earn more, half earn less.
- Hourly: The median hourly earnings for bookkeepers are $37, based on actual hours worked. This is above the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour (from 1 July 2026) and above the award minimums that rose by 4.75% in the latest adjustment.
How bookkeeper pay compares to the national average
The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings, as measured by the ABS in May 2026, is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year. The bookkeeper median of $1,400 is well below this average. It is also below the all-employees median of about $74,100 per year, which includes part-time and casual workers.
Why the gap? Bookkeepers are predominantly female (89%) and the occupation has a median age of 52. The gender pay gap in Australia means female-dominated occupations often have lower median earnings. The national full-time average for women is $1,934.50 per week ($100,594 per year), still above the bookkeeper median. However, the bookkeeper hourly rate of $37 is competitive with many service roles and reflects the specialised nature of the work.
State and territory differences
While we do not have state-specific bookkeeper medians, the national full-time average varies significantly across Australia. For example, the ACT has the highest full-time average at about $119,090 per year, while Tasmania is lowest at about $96,008. Bookkeepers in higher-cost states like New South Wales ($109,658) and Western Australia ($115,825) may command higher pay, but local market conditions and industry mix also matter.
Putting your salary on the line
If you are a bookkeeper or employer, you can compare your own pay against the national line. Place a salary on the line to see how it measures up to the full-time average, the median, and the minimum wage. You can also explore job medians for other roles to see where bookkeepers sit in the broader labour market.
What this means for your take-home pay
Using the 2026–27 tax rates, a bookkeeper earning $72,800 per year would pay no tax on the first $18,200, 15% on the next $26,800, and 30% on the remaining $27,800, plus the 2% Medicare levy. This results in an estimated tax of about $13,500, leaving a net income of around $59,300 per year. The actual amount depends on individual circumstances, such as deductions and offsets.
The bottom line
The median bookkeeper salary of $1,400 per week ($72,800 per year) is a solid income, though below the national full-time average. It reflects the occupation's demographics and the value placed on financial record-keeping. Whether you are hiring or looking for work, knowing these figures helps you make informed decisions.