Introduction
If you are a 15-year-old starting your first job in Australia, you might wonder what you should be paid. The national minimum wage for adults is set by Fair Work, but for juniors the rate is different. This guide explains how the minimum wage for a 15-year-old relates to the full-time adult average salary, and what that means for your take-home pay.
The national full-time average
The site’s reference point is the ABS Average Weekly Earnings for full-time adult ordinary-time workers, May 2026. That figure is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 a year (multiplied by 52). This is the line against which all salaries on this site are measured. For comparison, the full-time median salary is about $90,532, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). Men’s full-time average is about $113,412; women’s about $100,594. State averages range from $96,008 in Tasmania to $119,090 in the Australian Capital Territory. Place a salary on the line to see where any pay sits.
The adult minimum wage
From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage for adults is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week. This is set by Fair Work and applies to employees not covered by an award. Award minimums rose by 4.75% at the same time. The adult minimum wage is about 48% of the full-time average – a large gap that reflects the difference between entry-level and experienced pay.
Junior rates for 15-year-olds
For a 15-year-old, the minimum wage is not a single number. Fair Work sets junior rates as a percentage of the adult rate under the National Minimum Wage Order or under specific awards. The on-site notes do not provide a precise percentage for 15-year-olds, so we cannot give an exact dollar figure here. However, the principle is that junior rates increase with age. For example, under the National Minimum Wage Order, the junior rate for under 16 is typically around 36.8% of the adult rate, but this is not confirmed by the on-site data. Always check the relevant award or Fair Work’s Pay and Conditions Tool for the correct rate. Because the junior rate is lower, a 15-year-old’s pay will be well below the adult minimum wage, and therefore far below the full-time average. Guides offer more detail on how junior rates work.
Take-home pay comparison
Even the adult minimum wage of $52,255 a year leaves a worker well short of the full-time average. After tax, using the 2026–27 resident tax rates (nil to $18,200; 15% to $45,000; 30% to $135,000; 37% to $190,000; 45% above that, plus 2% Medicare levy), the take-home from $52,255 is roughly $43,000. For a 15-year-old on a junior rate, the before-tax amount is lower, so the tax withheld is less, but the take-home is also lower. Without a precise junior figure, a specific take-home figure cannot be calculated. The gap to the full-time average is even larger for a junior worker.
Conclusion
The minimum wage for a 15-year-old is a junior rate, not a single published figure. It is a percentage of the adult minimum wage, which itself is about $52,255 a year – less than half the full-time average of $108,352. For a 15-year-old, the pay will be even lower. Use the site’s tools to Place a salary on the line and see how any wage compares to the national average. For more on how figures are set, see How the figures are set.