Karoline Leavitt salary: Where does it sit against the Australian line?
If you searched for Karoline Leavitt salary, you are likely looking for a specific public figure's pay. In Australia, individual salaries for private citizens or most public figures are not published in official datasets. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Fair Work do not record named salaries. The closest public information is the salary of the Prime Minister (about $564,000) or certain public service roles, but Karoline Leavitt's pay is not available in Australian records. Instead, this page explains how Australian salaries vary by state and award, and how your own pay might compare to the national full-time average.
The national full-time average: the line
The site's central benchmark is the full-time adult ordinary-time average from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. That figure is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52 weeks). This is the 'line' against which all salaries on this site are measured. It represents the average weekly ordinary-time earnings for full-time adults, before tax, across all industries and states.
For context, the full-time median (the middle point) is lower, at about $90,532 per year, while the all-employees median (including part-time) is about $74,100 per year. These medians come from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey for August 2025. The gap between the average and the median tells you that higher earners pull the average up.
Why a state or an award can move the figure off the national line
Your actual salary may be above or below the national line for two main reasons: where you live and how your pay is set.
State differences
The ABS publishes full-time average ordinary-time earnings for each state and territory. Here are the annual equivalents (× 52) from the May 2026 release:
- Australian Capital Territory: $119,090 – the highest, driven by public sector employment.
- Western Australia: $115,825 – resources sector lifts pay.
- New South Wales: $109,658 – close to the national line.
- Victoria: $106,137 – slightly below.
- Queensland: $106,064 – similar to Victoria.
- Northern Territory: $103,173 – remote work premiums.
- South Australia: $102,450 – below average.
- Tasmania: $96,008 – the lowest.
If you work in the ACT or WA, you are likely above the national line. If you work in Tasmania or SA, you are likely below. These differences reflect industry composition, cost of living, and labour market tightness. For a detailed breakdown, see States and territories.
Award and agreement coverage
How your pay is set also matters. The ABS Employee Earnings survey shows that in May 2025, 22.7% of employees were paid only by award, 34.6% by collective agreement, and 38.5% by individual arrangement. Award-only employees earn the least on average: $922.20 per week (about $47,954 per year). Collective agreement employees average $1,746.10 per week ($90,797 per year), and individual arrangement employees average $1,876.50 per week ($97,578 per year).
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from that date. If you are on an award, your pay is likely below the national full-time average. If you have an individual arrangement or are a manager, you may be above it.
Occupation and industry
Occupation and industry are the biggest drivers of pay. The ABS reports that managers earn the highest hourly rate ($69.20) and professionals ($64.50). The full-time median for all occupations is about $90,532, but within specific jobs it can be much higher or lower. For example, the median for full-time males is $1,994 per week ($103,688 per year) and for full-time females $1,758 per week ($91,416 per year). See Job medians and Industry medians for more.
Tax and take-home pay
If you earn the national full-time average of $108,352, your 2026–27 tax (resident rates) would be:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on the next $26,800 ($4,020)
- 30% on the next $90,000 ($27,000)
- 37% on the remaining $0 (since $108,352 is below $135,000)
- Plus 2% Medicare levy ($2,167)
Total tax and Medicare: about $33,187. Take-home: about $75,165 per year, or $1,445 per week. This is before any deductions or offsets.
How to place your own salary on the line
If you want to see where your pay sits against the national average, you can Place a salary on the line. The tool accepts a yearly salary before tax and shows the weekly and hourly equivalent on a 38-hour week, plus the distance from the full-time average. It uses the ABS Average Weekly Earnings figure as the benchmark.
For more on how the figures are set, see How the figures are set. For guides on awards and minimum wages, see Guides.
Summary
Karoline Leavitt's salary is not a published figure in Australia. But the national full-time average of $108,352 provides a useful reference point. Your own salary will vary based on your state, award or agreement, occupation, and industry. The line is a starting point, not a target.