Where a HEW 8 salary sits against the national line
If you are looking up a HEW 8 salary, you are likely a university professional or someone considering a role in the higher education sector. The classification HEW 8 (Higher Education Worker Level 8) is used under the Higher Education Industry – General Staff – Award 2020 and in many university enterprise agreements. It covers senior professionals, managers, and specialists. Because each university negotiates its own agreement, the exact dollar figure for HEW 8 is not published in a single national source that we rely on — the ABS, Fair Work, or the ATO. However, we can give you a clear picture of how a typical HEW 8 salary compares with the national full-time average, the median, and the minimum wage, and what a resident taxpayer might take home.
The national full-time average as a reference
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 reports that full-time adult ordinary-time earnings are $2,083.70 per week. Multiplied by 52 weeks, that is about $108,352 a year. This is the line that Place a salary on the line uses as its benchmark. For men, the full-time ordinary-time average is about $113,412 a year; for women, about $100,594. These are averages, not medians, and they include all industries and occupations.
A HEW 8 salary is almost always above the national full-time average. Most advertised HEW 8 roles in 2026 fall between $110,000 and $130,000, depending on the university and location. Some enterprise agreements set HEW 8 at $115,000 or higher. Because the figure is not centrally published, we cannot give you one precise number, but the range is well above the $108,352 line.
Medians and the minimum wage
For context, the full-time median earnings (from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, August 2025) are about $90,532 a year. The all-employees median — including part-time and casual workers — is about $74,100. A HEW 8 salary is comfortably above both medians.
The national minimum wage, as set by Fair Work from 1 July 2026, is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week. On a 38-hour week that works out to about $52,255 a year. Award minimums rose by 4.75% in the same review. HEW 8 is many times higher than the minimum.
A take-home pay sketch for a resident taxpayer
Let us take a hypothetical HEW 8 salary of $115,000 a year — a common figure in many university agreements. Using the 2026–27 resident tax rates and the Medicare levy of 2%, here is how the take-home pay looks:
- Tax-free threshold: $0 to $18,200 – no tax.
- 15% on the next $26,800 (from $18,201 to $45,000) = $4,020.
- 30% on the next $90,000 (from $45,001 to $135,000) = $27,000.
- Medicare levy: 2% of $115,000 = $2,300.
- Total tax and Medicare: $4,020 + $27,000 + $2,300 = $33,320.
- After-tax income: $115,000 – $33,320 = $81,680 per year.
- Weekly take-home: about $1,571.
If the HEW 8 salary is $120,000, the tax would be higher: $4,020 + $27,000 + (30% on the portion above $135,000? No, $120,000 is still under $135,000, so same bracket. Actually $120,000: tax on $45,001 to $120,000 is 30% of $75,000 = $22,500, plus $4,020 = $26,520, plus Medicare $2,400 = $28,920, after-tax $91,080, weekly $1,751. The exact take-home depends on the precise salary.
State variations
Because HEW 8 salaries are set by individual universities, they vary by state. The ABS reports state full-time averages for all industries. For example, the Australian Capital Territory has the highest full-time average at about $119,090 a year, reflecting the concentration of public sector and university jobs. New South Wales averages about $109,658, Victoria about $106,137, Queensland about $106,064, South Australia about $102,450, Western Australia about $115,825, Tasmania about $96,008, and the Northern Territory about $103,173. A HEW 8 salary in the ACT or WA may be closer to the state average, while in Tasmania it would be well above. You can explore state comparisons on our States and territories page.
How the figures are set
The national averages come from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, published twice a year (May and November). Medians are from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, released less frequently. The minimum wage is set annually by the Fair Work Commission and published by Fair Work. HEW 8 salaries are determined through enterprise bargaining between universities and unions, often with annual increments. For the most current HEW 8 rate at a specific university, check the university’s enterprise agreement on the Fair Work Commission website.
Summary
A HEW 8 salary is a strong professional wage, typically above the national full-time average of $108,352. It is well above the full-time median of $90,532 and far above the minimum wage. After tax, a resident on $115,000 takes home about $81,680 a year. If you are comparing a specific offer or role, Place a salary on the line to see how it measures up against the national average.