What is the average salary for a business manager in Australia?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics does not report a separate figure for 'business manager'. The closest published category is Managers, which includes a wide range of roles. For all employees in that occupation, average weekly total cash earnings were $2,800.90 in May 2025 (ABS Employee Earnings and Hours). That works out to about $145,647 a year if you multiply by 52, but note this average includes part‑time workers. For full‑time adult non‑managerial employees classified as Managers, the average was $2,688.70 per week, or about $139,812 a year. Neither figure is a precise 'business manager' salary, but they give a useful benchmark.

How much take‑home pay would a business manager earning the manager average receive?

Using the all‑employees manager average of $2,800.90 per week ($145,647 a year) and 2026–27 resident tax rates (nil up to $18,200, 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000, plus 2% Medicare levy), the estimated annual tax is about $35,700, leaving roughly $109,950 after tax. That is about $2,114 per week. For comparison, the national full‑time adult average of $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 a year) yields about $80,500 after tax, or $1,548 per week. So a manager on the occupation average takes home roughly $566 more per week than the full‑time average worker.

How does the business manager salary compare to the national minimum wage?

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a 38‑hour week ($52,255 a year). The manager occupation average of $2,800.90 per week is about 2.8 times that. Even the lowest‑paid full‑time managers (first quartile) earn around $1,472 per week for males and $1,370 for females, still well above the minimum. Award minimums rose 4.75% from 1 July 2026, but most business managers are covered by individual arrangements or enterprise agreements rather than awards.

Business Manager Salary in Australia: How It Compares to the National Average

Business Manager Salary in Australia: A Resident Take‑Home Sketch

If you are a business manager in Australia—or considering the role—you probably want to know how your pay compares to the national benchmark. The most useful reference is the ABS Average Weekly Earnings figure for full‑time adults: $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 a year. That is the line this site draws. But where does a business manager sit against it?

What the ABS says about managers

The Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a separate salary for “business manager”. The closest occupation group is Managers, which covers chief executives, general managers, specialist managers, and many other leadership roles. In the latest Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025), the average weekly total cash earnings for all employees in the Managers occupation was $2,800.90. That annualises to roughly $145,647 (×52). However, this average includes both full‑time and part‑time workers, so it is not directly comparable to the full‑time ordinary‑time average.

For a more consistent comparison, the ABS also reports earnings for full‑time non‑managerial employees paid at the adult rate who are classified as Managers. That group averaged $2,688.70 per week, or about $139,812 a year. Even this figure is a blend of many management roles, but it suggests that a typical business manager earns well above the national full‑time average.

How the take‑home pay stacks up

Let us run a resident tax calculation for someone earning the all‑employees manager average of $145,647 a year, using 2026–27 rates:

Taxable income: $145,647
Tax on first $18,200: $0
Tax on $18,201–$45,000: 15% of $26,800 = $4,020
Tax on $45,001–$135,000: 30% of $90,000 = $27,000
Tax on $135,001–$145,647: 37% of $10,647 = $3,939
Total tax: $34,959
Medicare levy (2%): $2,913
Total tax + Medicare: $37,872
After‑tax income: $107,775 per year, or $2,073 per week

For the national full‑time average earner ($108,352):

Tax: $26,250 (approx.)
Medicare: $2,167
After‑tax: $79,935 per year, or $1,537 per week

So a manager on the occupation average takes home about $536 more per week than the full‑time average worker. That gap narrows if you use the full‑time non‑managerial manager average ($139,812), which yields roughly $1,990 per week after tax.

Where the figures come from

The national full‑time average is from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 (released 13 August 2026). The manager earnings are from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey for May 2025 (released 23 January 2026). The two surveys use different reference periods and methodologies, so comparisons are indicative. For more detail on how these numbers are collected, see How the figures are set.

Medians and minimums

It is also useful to know the median—the middle point where half earn more and half earn less. For all employees (full‑time and part‑time), the median weekly earnings were $1,436 in August 2025, or about $74,672 a year. For full‑time employees, the median is higher but not separately published in the latest release. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week on 38 hours, or $52,255 a year. Award minimums rose 4.75% from that date. Most business managers are paid above award rates, often through individual arrangements (the most common method of setting pay, at 38.5% of employees).

State variations

Where you work also matters. The full‑time adult average varies by state and territory, based on ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026:

New South Wales: ~$109,658
Victoria: ~$106,137
Queensland: ~$106,064
South Australia: ~$102,450
Western Australia: ~$115,825
Tasmania: ~$96,008
Northern Territory: ~$103,173
Australian Capital Territory: ~$119,090

A business manager in Western Australia or the ACT is likely to earn more than one in Tasmania, reflecting industry mix and cost of living. See States and territories for a breakdown.

Putting your own salary on the line

If you are a business manager and want to see where your pay sits against the national full‑time average, you can Place a salary on the line. The tool uses the ABS full‑time adult ordinary‑time average as the reference line and shows your weekly and hourly rate on a 38‑hour week, plus the distance from the average. It also compares to medians for occupations and industries. For a broader view of how different roles compare, browse Job medians.

Key takeaways

The ABS does not publish a specific “business manager” salary, but the Managers occupation average ($2,800.90 per week for all employees) is well above the national full‑time average ($2,083.70).
After tax, a manager on that average takes home roughly $2,073 per week, compared to $1,537 for the full‑time average earner.
The national minimum wage is $1,004.90 per week, so even lower‑paid managers earn significantly more.
State averages range from about $96,000 (Tasmania) to $119,000 (ACT), so location affects your benchmark.

Remember that “business manager” can mean many things—from a small‑business operations manager to a corporate strategy director. The figures here are broad averages. For a precise comparison, check your own pay against the line using the tools on this site.