Lawyer Salary Australia: Where Does It Sit on the Line?
When you place a salary on the line, the benchmark is the national full-time adult average ordinary-time earnings: $2,083.70 per week or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). For lawyers and solicitors, the most recent published figure is a median of $2,070 per week for full-time solicitors, according to the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) as reported by Jobs and Skills Australia. That works out to about $107,640 a year – just under the national average.
How the Figures Are Built
The ABS publishes two key measures:
- Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) – a mean (average) of all full-time adult ordinary-time earnings, released twice a year (May and November). The May 2026 figure is $2,083.70 per week.
- Employee Earnings and Hours (EEH) – a survey that produces medians for specific occupations. The latest EEH data (August 2025) gives the solicitor median of $2,070 per week.
The national full-time median across all occupations is about $1,741 per week ($90,532 a year), so solicitors sit comfortably above that. The all-employees median (including part-time) is about $1,425 per week ($74,100 a year).
What Would Move Lawyer Pay Above or Below the Average?
Several factors can push a lawyer’s salary above or below the national line:
Experience and Seniority
- Graduate lawyers often start on award minimums or slightly above. The Legal Services Award 2020 sets a minimum of $1,291.80 per week ($67,174 a year) for a law graduate (Level 5).
- Mid-level solicitors (3–5 years) typically earn between $80,000 and $120,000, depending on firm size and location.
- Senior solicitors and partners can earn well above the national average, sometimes $150,000 to $200,000 or more. However, the published median does not capture partners, who are often classified as managers.
Location
Lawyer pay varies significantly by state and territory. The national full-time averages (from ABS AWE May 2026) are:
- New South Wales: $109,658
- Victoria: $106,137
- Queensland: $106,064
- South Australia: $102,450
- Western Australia: $115,825
- Tasmania: $96,008
- Northern Territory: $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: $119,090
Solicitors in Western Australia and the ACT tend to earn more, reflecting higher demand and cost of living. See the states and territories page for more detail.
Sector
- Private practice (firms) generally pays more than government or community legal centres, especially in commercial law.
- In-house counsel salaries often sit between private practice and government.
- Public sector solicitors (e.g., in legal aid or government departments) are covered by awards or enterprise agreements, with pay scales that may be lower than private sector but offer stability.
Gender
Nationally, the full-time average for men is $2,181.50 per week ($113,412 a year) and for women $1,934.50 per week ($100,594 a year). The solicitor profession has a female share of 57%, and the median age is 37. Gender pay gaps persist in law, as in most industries.
Award Minimums vs. Market Rates
The Legal Services Award 2020 sets minimum wages for law graduates, legal clerks, and administrative staff. From 1 July 2026, the award rates increased by 4.75% (in line with the national minimum wage decision). Key weekly rates:
- Law graduate (Level 5): $1,291.80
- Law clerk (Level 6): $1,369.20
- Legal clerical/admin Level 1: $1,073.10
These are minimums. Most solicitors are covered by enterprise agreements or individual contracts that pay above award. The national minimum wage itself is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 a year – far below typical lawyer pay.
How Tax Affects Take-Home Pay
For the 2026–27 income year, resident tax rates are:
- Nil up to $18,200
- 15% from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% above $190,000 Plus a 2% Medicare levy (with reductions for low incomes).
A solicitor earning $107,640 would fall in the 30% bracket. After tax and Medicare, take-home pay would be roughly $80,000–$85,000, depending on deductions and offsets.
Comparing to Other Occupations
On the job medians page, you can see how solicitors compare to other professions. For example, the median for all occupations is $1,741 per week. Solicitors at $2,070 are 19% above that. However, they are below the national average of $2,083.70, which is pulled up by high-earning managers and professionals.
What the Data Doesn’t Tell You
The solicitor median of $2,070 is from May 2025 – the most recent available. It covers full-time non-managerial employees only. It does not include:
- Partners and directors
- Barristers (who are self-employed)
- Part-time or casual lawyers
- Solicitors working overseas
For a more complete picture, the ABS will release new occupation profiles under the OSCA classification in mid-2026. Until then, this is the best available figure.
Putting Your Salary on the Line
If you’re a lawyer wondering where you sit, use the line tool to compare your salary to the national average. You can also explore industry medians for legal services or see how the figures are set by the ABS and Fair Work.
In summary, the typical full-time solicitor in Australia earns about $107,640 a year – just below the national full-time average of $108,352. Experience, location, sector, and gender all play a role in moving that figure above or below the line.