What is the average law clerk salary in Australia?

There is no single published average specifically for law clerks. The ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) gives a median of $1,345 a week for the broader occupation group ‘Court and Legal Clerks’ – that is about $69,940 a year. The Fair Work Legal Services Award sets a minimum of $1,369.20 a week for a Law clerk at level 6 (the highest clerical classification), which works out to roughly $71,198 a year. Actual salaries can be higher, especially in large firms or capital cities.

How does a law clerk salary compare to the national full‑time average?

The national full‑time adult average weekly ordinary‑time earnings is $2,083.70 (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026), or about $108,352 a year. Both the award minimum for a law clerk ($1,369.20/week) and the median for Court and Legal Clerks ($1,345/week) are well below that average. A law clerk would need to earn roughly $2,084 a week to sit exactly on the national line. Most law clerks are paid less, though senior clerks in top‑tier firms or with many years of experience may reach or exceed the average.

What factors can move a law clerk’s pay above or below the national average?

Several factors influence law clerk pay. Location matters: full‑time averages vary from about $96,008 in Tasmania to $119,090 in the ACT. Firm size and type also play a role – large commercial firms often pay above award, while smaller suburban practices may pay closer to the minimum. Experience and specialisation (e.g., litigation vs. conveyancing) can push pay higher. Overtime and penalty rates under the award can boost weekly earnings, but the base rate itself is below the national average for most clerks.

Law clerk salary: How it compares to the national full‑time average

Law clerk salary and the national full‑time average

If you’re looking at a law clerk salary, the first question is often: how does it compare to the typical Australian full‑time wage? The short answer is that most law clerks earn less than the national full‑time average, but the gap can narrow with experience, location and the type of employer.

What the data says about law clerk pay

There is no single official figure for “law clerk” because the occupation is grouped under the broader ANZSCO category ‘Court and Legal Clerks’. The most recent ABS data (Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, August 2025) shows a median full‑time weekly earnings of $1,345 for that group – about $69,940 a year. That is a median, meaning half earn more and half earn less.

A more precise benchmark comes from the Fair Work Legal Services Award, which sets minimum pay rates for law clerks. Under the award effective from 1 July 2026, a Law clerk at level 6 (the highest clerical classification) must be paid at least $1,369.20 per week – roughly $71,198 a year. Lower levels (e.g., Legal clerical and administrative employee level 1) start at $1,073.10 a week ($55,801 a year).

These award rates are minimums. Many law clerks, especially those in large commercial firms or with specialised skills, earn above the award. But even the level 6 rate is well below the national full‑time adult average.

Where the national full‑time average sits

The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey (May 2026) reports that full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings average $2,083.70 a week – that’s about $108,352 a year when multiplied by 52. This is the figure we use as the “line” on this site. It is an average of all full‑time adults, not a median, and it includes managers and professionals who tend to earn more.

For context:

The full‑time median (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) is about $90,532 a year.
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, $1,004.90 a week, or $52,255 a year on a 38‑hour week.

A law clerk on the award level 6 rate earns about $19,000 a year more than the minimum wage, but about $37,000 a year less than the national full‑time average.

What moves a law clerk’s pay above or below the average

Several factors determine whether a law clerk’s salary sits above or below the national line.

Location – Full‑time average earnings vary significantly by state and territory. For example:

Australian Capital Territory: $119,090 a year
Western Australia: $115,825
New South Wales: $109,658
Victoria: $106,137
Queensland: $106,064
South Australia: $102,450
Northern Territory: $103,173
Tasmania: $96,008

A law clerk in the ACT or WA is more likely to be closer to the national average, while one in Tasmania faces a lower local benchmark. However, award rates are national, so the gap between the minimum and the local average is wider in higher‑earning states.

Employer type – Large commercial law firms and government legal departments often pay above the award. A law clerk in a top‑tier firm in Sydney or Melbourne might earn $70,000–$85,000, still below the national average but above the award minimum. Smaller suburban practices may pay at or just above the award.

Experience and seniority – The award has six levels for legal clerical employees. A new starter at level 1 earns $1,073.10 a week; a law clerk at level 6 earns $1,369.20. Beyond the award, experienced clerks who take on paralegal duties or manage teams can command higher pay, potentially reaching or exceeding the national average.

Hours and overtime – The award provides penalty rates for early morning, afternoon, night and weekend work. A law clerk who regularly works overtime can boost weekly earnings, but the base rate itself remains below the average.

How to see where your salary sits

You can place a salary on the line to see how it compares to the national full‑time average, the median and the minimum wage. The tool also shows the distance from the average in percentage terms.

For a broader view, explore job medians for other legal and administrative roles, or check industry medians to see how the legal services sector compares with others.

The bottom line

A typical law clerk salary – whether measured by the award minimum or the median for Court and Legal Clerks – is below the national full‑time average of $108,352 a year. To reach that line, a law clerk would need to earn about $2,084 a week, which is roughly $715 a week more than the level 6 award rate. While some senior clerks in high‑cost cities may approach or exceed the average, most law clerks sit below it. Understanding where your pay falls can help with career planning and salary negotiations.

All figures are before tax. Tax rates for 2026–27: nil up to $18,200; 15¢ per $1 from $18,201 to $45,000; 30¢ per $1 from $45,001 to $135,000; 37¢ per $1 from $135,001 to $190,000; 45¢ per $1 above $190,000. Medicare levy of 2% applies unless reduced.