Judge salary: reading the same pay as a year, a week, and an hour
If you are looking at a judge salary, the most reliable public figure comes from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025). For the occupation group 'Judicial and Other Legal Professionals', the median full-time weekly earnings are $2,803. That works out to about $145,756 a year (multiply by 52) and, on a standard 38-hour week, roughly $75 an hour.
This page puts that figure alongside the national full-time average line – the benchmark used by Place a salary on the line. The line is drawn from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026: $2,083.70 per week for full-time adult ordinary-time earnings, or about $108,352 a year. The judge median sits well above that line, reflecting the seniority and specialised nature of judicial roles.
How the figures are built
The national full-time average ($2,083.70 a week) is the seasonally adjusted estimate from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey. It covers all full-time adult employees across Australia. The median for judicial and other legal professionals comes from a different ABS survey – Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025 – which asks employers about the earnings of a sample of employees. That survey gives a median rather than an average, meaning half the people in that occupation earn more and half earn less.
Because the ABS does not publish a separate figure for judges alone, the occupation group median is the best available public benchmark. It includes magistrates, tribunal members, and other legal professionals as well as judges. Actual judge salaries, set by judicial remuneration tribunals, are typically higher than this median.
Comparing with other benchmarks
- National full-time median: $1,741 a week, about $90,532 a year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). The judge median is 61% higher.
- All-employees median: $1,425 a week, about $74,100 a year. The judge median is nearly double.
- National minimum wage (from 1 July 2026): $26.44 an hour, $1,004.90 a week, $52,255 a year. The judge median hourly rate of $75 is 2.8 times the minimum.
State and territory differences
The national average masks variation across Australia. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, gives full-time adult ordinary-time earnings by state:
- New South Wales: $2,108.80 a week ($109,658 a year)
- Victoria: $2,041.10 ($106,137)
- Queensland: $2,039.70 ($106,064)
- South Australia: $1,970.20 ($102,450)
- Western Australia: $2,227.40 ($115,825)
- Tasmania: $1,846.30 ($96,008)
- Northern Territory: $1,984.10 ($103,173)
- Australian Capital Territory: $2,290.20 ($119,090)
A judge salary, even at the median, exceeds every state average. The ACT average is the highest at $119,090, still well below $145,756. For more detail on state comparisons, see States and territories.
What about gender?
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey also reports separate averages for men and women. For full-time adult ordinary-time earnings (May 2026):
- Men: $2,181.00 a week ($113,412 a year)
- Women: $1,934.50 a week ($100,594 a year)
The gender pay gap (based on these averages) was 11.3% in May 2026, the lowest on record. The judge median of $145,756 is above both averages, but the occupation group itself may have its own gender composition. The ABS does not publish a gender breakdown for judicial and other legal professionals in the Employee Earnings and Hours survey.
How the line works
The line on this site is set at the national full-time adult ordinary-time average from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey. That figure is updated twice a year, in May and November. The judge median from the Employee Earnings and Hours survey is updated less frequently – the most recent data is May 2025. When you Place a salary on the line, the tool shows how far above or below that national average your salary sits, expressed as a weekly and hourly amount on a 38-hour week.
Tax on a judge salary
Using the 2026–27 resident tax rates:
- Nil tax on the first $18,200
- 15% on the next $26,800 (to $45,000)
- 30% on the next $90,000 (to $135,000)
- 37% on the next $55,000 (to $190,000)
- 45% above $190,000
For a salary of $145,756, the tax would be roughly:
- $0 on $18,200
- $4,020 on $26,800 at 15%
- $27,000 on $90,000 at 30%
- $3,979.72 on $10,756 at 37% Total income tax: about $35,000 (approximate). Plus the 2% Medicare levy ($2,915). Total tax around $37,915, leaving about $107,841 after tax. This is a simplified estimate; the ATO applies offsets and levies based on individual circumstances.
Where to find more occupation medians
The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey provides medians for hundreds of occupations. For a broader view of how different jobs compare, see Job medians. You can also explore Industry medians to see how whole sectors stack up.
Summary
A judge salary, using the median for judicial and other legal professionals, is $2,803 a week, $145,756 a year, and about $75 an hour. That is 34% above the national full-time average line of $2,083.70 a week. It is 61% above the national full-time median and nearly double the all-employees median. While individual judge salaries vary by jurisdiction and experience, this median provides a solid public benchmark for understanding where judicial pay sits in the broader Australian earnings landscape.