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Minimum wage Australia 19 year old: adult rate and junior pay explained

The national minimum wage for adults is $52,255 per year, but the rate for a 19-year-old is not published in this dataset; junior rates apply under Fair Work.

This sits $56,097 under the Australian full-time average, about 51.8% below the line. The closest full-time state average is Tasmania. It is off the left edge of the ruler. This close-up only covers full-time state averages.

Week, hour, and a tax sketch

$1,005 a week · $26.44 an hour if spread over 38 hours

About $45,013 after resident income tax and a 2% Medicare levy.

2026–27 resident rates and a 2% Medicare levy. Not a tax assessment.Open the full line

Minimum wage Australia 19 year old: understanding the pay

When you search for the minimum wage for a 19-year-old in Australia, the first thing to know is that the national minimum wage published by Fair Work is for adult employees (21 and over). From 1 July 2026, that adult rate is $26.44 an hour, $1,004.9 a week, or about $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week. For a 19-year-old, junior rates apply instead. The on-site notes do not provide a specific figure for 19-year-olds, so we cannot give an exact yearly salary here. Instead, we can show you how the adult minimum wage reads as a year, a week, and an hour, and explain where junior rates fit.

The adult minimum wage in three ways

The national minimum wage for adults is set by Fair Work. On a 38-hour week, it works out to:

  • Yearly: $52,255 (before tax
  • Weekly: $1,004.9
  • Hourly: $26.44

This is the baseline for employees under 21. The full-time average is $108,352. The full-time median is $90,532. The all-employees median $74,100. The adult minimum wage is below all of these. For a 19-year-old, the junior rate is a percentage of the adult rate. Fair Work's junior pay scales are typically a percentage of the adult minimum wage, but the exact figure is not in this dataset.

How to compare your pay

If you are a 19-year-old earning a junior rate, you can place a salary on the line to see how it compares to the national full-time average. The line shows the ABS Average Weekly Earnings of $2,083.7 a week, $108,352 a year. Your pay will likely be lower than that. The state averages also vary: 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. See the states and territories page for more.

Where the figures come from

The national full-time average is from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026. The medians are from ABS Employee earnings, August 2025. The minimum wage is from Fair Work, from 1 July 2026. The on-site notes do not include junior rates. For a 19-year-old, you need to check the applicable award or agreement. The How the figures are set page explains the methodology.

Questions

What is the national minimum wage for a 19-year-old in Australia?

The on-site notes do not provide a specific rate for 19-year-olds. Fair Work sets junior rates as a percentage of the adult minimum wage, which is $26.44 per hour from 1 July 2026. For a 19-year-old, the rate is typically lower, but the exact figure depends on the applicable award or agreement.

How does the adult minimum wage compare to the full-time average?

The adult minimum wage of $52,255 per year is well below the national full-time average of $108,352 (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). It also sits below the full-time median of $90,532 and the all-employees median of $74,100.

Are there different minimum wages for 19-year-olds in different states?

The national minimum wage is set by Fair Work and applies across all states and territories. However, state full-time averages vary, from $96,008 in Tasmania ($96,008) to $119,090 in the ACT ($119,090). A 19-year-old on a junior rate would earn less than the adult rate, but the state average is not a minimum wage.

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