Minimum wage for a 15-year-old in Australia
When people ask about the minimum wage for a 15-year-old in Australia, they are usually looking for a single dollar figure. The reality is more nuanced. Fair Work, the national workplace relations tribunal, sets a national minimum wage for adult employees. From 1 July 2026, that adult rate is $26.44 per hour, which works out to $1004.90 per week and about $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week. For junior employees under 21, the minimum wage is a percentage of that adult rate. The percentage increases with age. For a 15-year-old, the typical percentage is 50%, so the minimum wage is around $13.22 per hour. This is not a separate published figure; it is derived from the adult minimum wage.
How the junior rate is set
Fair Work determines junior rates through the national minimum wage order and through awards. The percentages are designed to reflect that younger workers often have less experience and may be in training. For a 15-year-old, the rate is generally 50% of the adult minimum wage. For a 16-year-old it is 60%, for a 17-year-old 70%, for an 18-year-old 80%, for a 19-year-old 90%, and for a 20-year-old 100% (the full adult rate). These percentages apply to the national minimum wage, but many awards set their own junior rates, which may be slightly different. The latest award minimums rose by 4.75% in the 2026 adjustment, so award-covered juniors may see a similar percentage increase.
Where this pay sits against the national full-time average
The national full-time adult ordinary-time average, as measured by the ABS Average Weekly Earnings for May 2026, is $2083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year. That is the line on this site. The minimum wage for a 15-year-old, at roughly $13.22 per hour, equates to about $502 per week on a 38-hour week, or about $26,000 per year. That is far below the full-time average. Even the adult national minimum wage of $52,255 per year is less than half the full-time average. So a 15-year-old on the junior rate is well below the line.
What would move this pay above or below the average
Several factors could push a 15-year-old's pay higher or keep it low. The most obvious is the number of hours worked. Many 15-year-olds work part-time, often fewer than 38 hours per week, so their weekly and annual earnings are lower than the full-time equivalent. If a 15-year-old works more hours, their total pay rises, but it is still capped by the junior hourly rate. Another factor is the award or agreement. Some awards, such as the General Retail Industry Award or the Hospitality Industry (General) Award, set higher junior rates than the national minimum wage percentage. For example, a 15-year-old in retail might earn a higher percentage of the adult award rate. If the employer pays above the minimum, the 15-year-old could earn more. However, even with these increases, the pay is unlikely to reach the full-time average unless the 15-year-old works very long hours, which is uncommon due to school commitments and legal restrictions on hours for minors.
On the other side, the pay could be lower if the 15-year-old is in a job that is not covered by an award and the employer pays only the national minimum wage junior rate. Some industries, like fast food, have specific junior rates that are lower than the general percentage. Additionally, if the 15-year-old works fewer hours, their annual earnings will be lower. The distance from the full-time average is therefore very large for most 15-year-olds.
Comparing to medians and state averages
The full-time median salary in Australia, from the ABS Employee Earnings for August 2025, is about $90,532 per year. The all-employees median is about $74,100. Both are far above what a 15-year-old on the junior minimum wage would earn. State full-time averages also vary. For example, the Australian Capital Territory has the highest state average at about $119,090, while Tasmania has the lowest at about $96,008. A 15-year-old's pay is not directly comparable to these averages because they are for adult full-time workers, but it shows how far below the typical adult salary the junior rate sits.
Practical implications
For a 15-year-old working a casual or part-time job, the junior minimum wage is a floor. Employers must pay at least that amount. The rate is reviewed annually by Fair Work, and the percentages for juniors are adjusted as part of the national minimum wage decision. If you want to see where a specific salary falls on the line, you can place a salary on the line. For more information on how these figures are set, see About this site.
Summary
The minimum wage for a 15-year-old in Australia is not a single number but a percentage of the adult national minimum wage. At 50%, it is about $13.22 per hour, well below the national full-time average of $108,352 per year. Factors like hours worked, award coverage, and employer discretion can move the pay up or down, but it remains far from the average for most 15-year-olds.