Matt Comyn's $9.1 million salary: how it compares to the national average
Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn's annual pay jumped to $9.1 million last year, according to a report in the Australian Financial Review. The figure includes rewards from previous years that vested, and comes as the bank negotiates broader staff pay increases.
To put that number in perspective, the national full-time adult average ordinary-time earnings is $2,083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). That means Mr Comyn's salary is roughly 84 times the average full-time worker's pay. The full-time median is lower still at about $90,532, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 (ABS Employee earnings, August 2025).
A resident take-home sketch
For a resident earning $9.1 million in 2026–27, the tax picture is straightforward. The personal income tax rates are: nil 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), and 45% on everything above that. The Medicare levy adds another 2% on taxable income, with no reduction at that income level.
Most of Mr Comyn's earnings fall into the top bracket. The tax on $9.1 million would be substantial, but the exact amount depends on deductions and other factors. After tax, his take-home pay would still be many millions, far above what even the highest-paid professionals earn.
Contrast with average and minimum earners
An average full-time worker on $108,352 would pay tax at the 30% and 37% brackets, plus Medicare levy. Their effective tax rate would be around 25–30%, leaving a take-home of roughly $75,000–$80,000 a year. That's a fraction of Mr Comyn's after-tax income.
At the other end, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, or $1,004.90 a week, about $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week (Fair Work). A minimum-wage earner pays little or no tax after the tax-free threshold and low-income offsets. Their take-home is around $49,000–$50,000. Mr Comyn's salary is about 174 times that.
How the figures are set
The national full-time average comes from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, released twice a year for May and November. The latest release (May 2026) shows ordinary-time earnings for full-time adults at $2,083.70 a week. The ABS also publishes medians in its Employee Earnings and Hours release, most recently for August 2025. The minimum wage is set by Fair Work and updated annually on 1 July.
For a deeper look at how your own salary compares, you can place a salary on the line and see where it sits against the national average. You can also explore states and territories to see how averages differ around Australia.
The bigger picture
Mr Comyn's pay highlights the gap between executive remuneration and typical earnings. While the CBA boss earns millions, the majority of Australian employees earn less than the full-time average. The all-employees average weekly total earnings is $1,579.20, or about $82,118 a year (ABS, May 2026). That includes part-time and casual workers.
It's worth noting that the average weekly earnings figures are means, not medians. High earners like Mr Comyn pull the average up, which is why the median is a better measure of what a typical worker earns. The full-time median of $90,532 is about 16% below the average.
For more context on how different occupations and industries compare, see our job medians and industry medians pages. And if you're curious about how the national average is calculated, visit How the figures are set.
Summary
Matt Comyn's $9.1 million salary is an outlier in the Australian labour market. It dwarfs the national full-time average of $108,352 and the minimum wage of $52,255. After tax, his take-home remains in the millions, while most workers take home a fraction of that. The contrast illustrates the wide dispersion of earnings in Australia, from the lowest-paid award workers to the highest-paid executives.