Midwife salary Australia: the key figures
If you are looking for a midwife salary in Australia, the most authoritative source is the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, reported by Jobs and Skills Australia. The median full-time weekly earnings for midwives is $2,114 as of May 2025. That translates to about $109,928 a year before tax, assuming 52 weeks.
This figure is a median, not an average. It represents the middle point: half of full-time midwives earn more, half earn less. It also excludes managers and part-time employees to give a clearer picture of typical pay for non-managerial full-time workers.
How midwife pay stacks up against the national line
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. That is the line used on this site. The midwife median of $2,114 is slightly above that average. However, because the midwife figure is a median and the national figure is an average, they are not directly comparable in a statistical sense. The national full-time median (all occupations) is about $90,532 a year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025), so midwives are well above the typical full-time worker.
Place a salary on the line to see where your own pay sits.
Reading the same pay as a year, a week, and an hour
A midwife earning the median full-time salary of $2,114 per week would see:
- Yearly: $109,928 (52 weeks)
- Weekly: $2,114
- Hourly: about $55.63 (based on a 38-hour week, which is the standard used on this site)
This hourly rate is more than double the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour (from 1 July 2026). It also exceeds the median hourly earnings for all occupations of $47 (ABS, May 2025).
Award coverage and minimum rates
Midwives are covered by the Nurses Award 2020, not the Health Professionals and Support Services Award that appears in some search results. The Nurses Award sets minimum wages, allowances, and penalty rates. A registered midwife at the lowest classification (Level 1) earns a minimum weekly rate that is higher than the national minimum wage. For exact current rates, use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool.
State and territory comparisons
The national full-time average varies by state. For example, the ACT has the highest average at about $119,090 a year, while Tasmania is lowest at about $96,008. Midwife pay may also vary by location, but the ABS does not publish state-level midwife medians. The national median of $109,928 is a useful benchmark regardless of where you work.
States and territories shows the full list of state averages.
Average vs. median: why it matters
This site uses the national average as its line. But for occupations like midwifery, the median is often more representative because it is not skewed by a few very high or very low earners. The ABS publishes both. When comparing your own salary, consider whether you are looking at an average or a median. The midwife figure here is a median, so it is a good target for a typical full-time role.
Job medians has medians for many other occupations.
Tax on a midwife salary
For the 2026–27 financial year, a midwife earning $109,928 would fall into the 30% tax bracket (income between $45,001 and $135,000). The tax rates are:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
- Plus the Medicare levy of 2%
After tax and Medicare, take-home pay would be roughly $85,000–$87,000, depending on deductions and offsets.
Where the data comes from
The median midwife earnings come from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, as reported by Jobs and Skills Australia. The national averages come from ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026. The minimum wage is from Fair Work, effective 1 July 2026. All figures are before tax.
How the figures are set explains the methodology.
Summary
A midwife salary in Australia typically sits around $2,114 per week or $109,928 a year for full-time work. This is above the national full-time average and well above the national minimum wage. Use the tools on this site to compare your own pay against the line, or explore medians for other occupations.