Graduate accountant salary and the national average
If you are looking for a single, official figure for a graduate accountant salary in Australia, you will not find one published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics or Jobs and Skills Australia. The most relevant published data is the median full-time earnings for all accountants (ANZSCO 2211), which stands at $2,003 per week, or about $104,156 per year. That figure comes from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, as reported by Jobs and Skills Australia.
However, that median covers accountants of all experience levels, from graduates to senior professionals. Graduate salaries are typically lower, often starting near the minimum rate under the relevant modern award or slightly above. Without a specific published graduate figure, the best approach is to compare the broader accountant median against the national full-time average.
What the data shows
The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). This is the line that this site uses as its benchmark. The median accountant earnings of $2,003 per week sit about $80 below that line. For a graduate, the gap would be wider.
To put it in perspective, the all-employees median (including part-time and casual workers) is about $74,100 per year, and the full-time median is about $90,532 per year. A graduate accountant might expect to earn somewhere between the national minimum wage and the accountant median, depending on the employer, location, and award classification.
State-by-state, the full-time average varies. For example, Western Australia has a full-time average of about $115,825, while Tasmania is about $96,008. You can explore state differences on the states and territories page.
How the national average is set
The ABS publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year, for May and November. The May 2026 release showed a 3.7% annual increase in full-time adult ordinary time earnings to $2,083.70. This figure is used across the site as the national line. It is an average, not a median, so it can be pulled up by high earners. The median full-time earnings are lower, at about $90,532 per year.
For comparison, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week on a 38-hour week, amounting to about $52,255 per year. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from that date. The Fair Work Commission maintains the Modern Awards Pay Database, which includes minimum rates for classifications under awards such as the Professional Employees Award, which may cover some accountant roles.
Where to find more
If you want to see how a specific salary compares to the national line, you can place a salary on the line using the tool on this site. For a broader view of earnings by occupation, visit the job medians page, which draws on ABS data. The industry medians page shows how different sectors compare.
Remember that the figures discussed here are before tax. For the 2026–27 income year, the resident tax rates are: nil on the first $18,200, 15% on income up to $45,000, 30% up to $135,000, 37% up to $190,000, and 45% above that, plus the 2% Medicare levy. A graduate accountant earning around $60,000 would pay about $8,467 in tax plus Medicare, leaving a take-home of about $51,533.
In summary, while there is no official graduate accountant salary, the available data suggests that a graduate would earn below the national full-time average of $108,352, and likely below the accountant median of $104,156. The exact figure depends on the employer, location, and award coverage.