Graduate lawyer salary and the national full-time average
If you are considering a career in law or hiring a graduate lawyer, understanding how the salary compares to the Australian full-time average is essential. The most concrete figure available is the minimum rate set by the Legal Services Award 2020, which covers law graduates employed in law firms. This award, published by the Fair Work Ombudsman, specifies a minimum weekly wage for a law graduate at Level 5 of $1,291.80, or $33.99 per hour based on a 38-hour week. That works out to roughly $67,174 per year.
How the award minimum compares to the national average
The national full-time adult average ordinary-time earnings, as measured by the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026, stand at $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year. The award minimum for a graduate lawyer is therefore about 38% below the national full-time average. This gap is not unusual for entry-level professional roles, where starting salaries are often lower than the average for all full-time workers.
It is important to note that the award minimum is a legal floor, not a typical starting salary. Many law firms, particularly large commercial practices in capital cities, pay graduate lawyers significantly more. The award itself provides a classification structure that includes higher levels for more experienced employees, and some graduates may be classified at a higher level if their duties warrant it.
State and territory variations
The national full-time average varies by state and territory. For example, the average in the Australian Capital Territory is about $119,090 per year, while in Tasmania it is about $96,008. A graduate lawyer earning the award minimum would be further behind the average in higher-earning states. However, graduate salaries also tend to be higher in cities like Sydney and Melbourne, where the cost of living is greater. You can explore state-by-state averages on our States and territories page.
Beyond the award: typical graduate lawyer pay
Because the ABS does not publish a specific occupational breakdown for graduate lawyers, we rely on the award as the only official public figure. Industry sources suggest that graduate lawyer salaries in mid-tier and top-tier firms often start between $70,000 and $85,000, and sometimes higher. In the public sector or smaller firms, the award minimum may be closer to the actual starting salary. The key takeaway is that the award minimum is a useful benchmark, but actual pay can be substantially different.
The role of the national minimum wage and medians
For context, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or about $52,255 per year for a 38-hour week. The graduate lawyer award rate is about 29% above that. The full-time median earnings (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) are about $90,532 per year, and the all-employees median is about $74,100. The graduate lawyer award minimum sits below both medians, reflecting its entry-level nature.
What this means for your salary check
If you are a graduate lawyer or an employer, you can Place a salary on the line to see how it compares to the national full-time average. The tool uses the ABS Average Weekly Earnings figure of $108,352 as the line, and shows your weekly and hourly equivalents on a 38-hour week. Remember that the award minimum is just one data point; your actual salary may be higher, and the tool will show the distance from the average.
Summary
The graduate lawyer salary under the Legal Services Award is $1,291.80 per week, or about $67,174 per year. This is well below the national full-time average of $108,352. However, many graduate lawyers earn more than the award minimum, and actual salaries depend on the employer, location, and market conditions. For the most accurate comparison, use the salary line tool with your own salary figure.