Where doctor salaries sit against the national average
If you're a doctor or considering a medical career in Australia, you probably want to know how your pay compares to the typical full-time worker. This page uses the national full-time adult average from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) as a benchmark. The most recent figure, from May 2026, is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52 weeks). That's the line we use on this site.
But there's no single "doctor salary" published by the ABS. Instead, we have the Medical Practitioners Award 2020 from Fair Work, which sets minimum pay rates for doctors in training and career medical officers. These are legal minimums, not averages. Many doctors earn more, especially specialists and those in private practice. Still, the award rates give a useful starting point for comparison.
Award minimums for doctors in training
The award covers interns, resident medical officers, registrars, and senior registrars. Here are the minimum annual salaries for a full-time employee working 38 ordinary hours per week (from 1 July 2026):
- Intern: $66,432
- Resident medical officer (pay point 1): $70,529
- Resident medical officer (pay point 3): $74,083
- Registrar (pay point 1): $80,248
- Registrar (pay point 4): $90,018
- Senior registrar (pay point 1): $104,874
- Senior registrar (pay point 2): $109,010
As you can see, an intern's minimum is well below the national full-time average of $108,352. A senior registrar at pay point 2 is just above it. But remember: these are minimums. Many registrars and senior registrars earn more through overtime, penalties, or enterprise agreements.
Career medical officers and specialists
The award also covers career medical officers (CMOs) and senior CMOs. Their minimums are higher:
- Career medical officer (pay point 1): $105,951
- Career medical officer (pay point 4): $116,188
- Senior career medical officer (pay point 1): $129,953
- Senior career medical officer (pay point 5): $150,985
These rates are closer to or above the national average. However, the award does not cover all doctors. Specialists, consultants, and GPs are often covered by other arrangements or enterprise agreements, and their earnings can be much higher. The ABS does not publish a separate average for medical practitioners, so we rely on these award benchmarks.
How the national average is calculated
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey measures average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults. It includes all industries and occupations. The May 2026 figure of $2,083.70 per week is a mean, not a median. The full-time median is lower, at about $90,532 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). So while the average is $108,352, half of full-time workers earn less than $90,532.
For context, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week. Every doctor's minimum award rate is well above that.
State and territory comparisons
Full-time average earnings vary by state. For example, the ACT has the highest average at about $119,090, while Tasmania has the lowest at about $96,008. A doctor working in the ACT might find their pay closer to the local average than a doctor in Tasmania. You can explore state figures on our States and territories page.
What this means for your salary check
If you're a doctor, you can Place a salary on the line to see how your pay compares to the national full-time average. The tool uses the ABS average of $108,352 as the benchmark. Enter your yearly salary before tax, and it will show your weekly and hourly equivalents (based on a 38-hour week) and the distance from the line.
Keep in mind that the tool is for comparison only. It doesn't account for overtime, penalties, or superannuation. And because the ABS doesn't publish a doctor-specific average, the comparison is against all full-time workers.
Where the figures come from
All figures on this page come from trusted public sources:
- National full-time average: ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026 (released 13 August 2026). The next release is for November 2026, due 25 February 2027.
- Award minimums: Fair Work Ombudsman, Medical Practitioners Award 2020 (consolidated to 1 July 2026).
- Medians: ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, August 2025.
- Minimum wage: Fair Work, from 1 July 2026.
For more detail on how these figures are set, see our How the figures are set page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the average doctor salary higher than the national average?
For many doctors, yes. But it depends on the role. Interns and junior residents earn below the national full-time average of $108,352. Registrars and career medical officers are closer to or above it. Specialists and senior doctors typically earn well above the average, but precise figures are not published by the ABS.
What is the median salary for a doctor?
The ABS does not publish a median salary specifically for doctors. The overall full-time median is about $90,532 per year. Given that many doctors earn above that, the median for doctors is likely higher, but we cannot confirm a number.
Do these award rates include overtime and penalties?
No. The award rates shown are minimum annual salaries for ordinary hours. Doctors often receive additional pay for overtime, weekend work, public holidays, and on-call duties. The Fair Work pay guide for the Medical Practitioners Award includes penalty rates (e.g., Saturday and Sunday work at 150%, public holidays at 250%). Your actual take-home pay may be significantly higher than the minimum.
Next steps
If you want to see where your salary sits, use our line tool. You can also explore Industry medians for other fields, or read our Guides for more on Australian pay benchmarks.