HEW 6 salary and the national full-time average
If you are looking at a HEW 6 salary, you are likely working in a university or higher education institution under the Higher Education Industry Academic and Professional Staff Award. This classification covers professional and administrative roles, and the pay rates are set by the Fair Work Commission’s annual wage review. The most recent review increased award minimums by 4.75% from 1 July 2026.
The national full-time average as a benchmark
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year, for May and November. The latest release for May 2026 shows that full-time adult ordinary-time earnings averaged $2,083.70 per week. That works out to about $108,352 per year when multiplied by 52. This figure is the line on this site – the benchmark against which you can compare any salary.
For context, the full-time median salary (the middle point of all full-time earners) is about $90,532 per year, based on ABS Employee Earnings data from August 2025. The all-employees median (including part-time and casual) is about $74,100. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week, which comes to about $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week.
Where does HEW 6 sit?
The exact HEW 6 salary is not published in the search results provided. However, it is an award classification that typically falls below the national full-time average. Depending on the step within Level 6, the salary might range from around $75,000 to $90,000 per year. To get the precise figure, you would need to check the current award or use the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay Calculator.
Reading the same pay as a year, a week, and an hour
One of the most useful things you can do with a salary is to see it in different timeframes. The site shows a yearly salary before tax, then converts it to a weekly amount (divided by 52) and an hourly amount (divided by 52, then divided by 38 for a standard full-time week). It also shows the distance from the national full-time average.
For example, if a HEW 6 salary were $85,000 per year:
- Weekly: $85,000 ÷ 52 = $1,634.62
- Hourly: $1,634.62 ÷ 38 = $43.02
- Distance from average: $108,352 – $85,000 = $23,352 below the line
This lets you quickly see how your pay stacks up against the typical full-time worker in Australia.
State and territory differences
The national average masks variation across states and territories. The ABS data for May 2026 gives full-time ordinary-time averages for each jurisdiction:
- New South Wales: about $109,658 per year
- Victoria: about $106,137
- Queensland: about $106,064
- South Australia: about $102,450
- Western Australia: about $115,825
- Tasmania: about $96,008
- Northern Territory: about $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: about $119,090
If you work in a HEW 6 role in the ACT, for instance, the gap to the local average may be larger than in Tasmania. You can compare your salary by state or territory on this site.
Medians and the minimum wage
It is important to keep the different benchmarks distinct. The national full-time average is a mean, which can be pulled up by high earners. The median gives a better sense of the typical worker. The minimum wage is the legal floor. A HEW 6 salary should be well above the minimum wage, but may be below the median depending on the step. The all-employees median of $74,100 is a useful reference if you work part-time or casually.
How the figures are set
The ABS calculates Average Weekly Earnings from a survey of employers. It is not the same as the median or the minimum wage. The Fair Work Commission sets award rates and the national minimum wage after an annual review. For HEW 6, the award rate is adjusted each year, usually on 1 July. The 4.75% increase in 2026 applies to most award classifications, including higher education.
If you want to see where your own salary sits, you can place a salary on the line and compare it to the national full-time average. You can also explore job medians for specific roles.
Summary
While the exact HEW 6 salary is not provided in the sources used here, you can use the national full-time average of $108,352 as a reference point. The award rate is likely lower, but the gap varies by step and location. By converting your salary to weekly and hourly figures, you can see exactly how it measures up. Always check the current award or the Fair Work Ombudsman for the precise rate.