Minimum wage in Sydney: the national floor
The minimum wage in Sydney is the national minimum wage set by Fair Work. From 1 July 2026 it is $26.44 an hour, $1004.90 a week, or $52,255 a year for a full-time employee working 38 hours. This rate applies across Australia, including Sydney, and is the legal minimum that most employees must be paid. Some awards, enterprise agreements, or individual contracts may set higher rates.
Reading the same pay as a year, a week and an hour
If you earn the minimum wage in Sydney, your pay can be expressed in three ways. On a 38-hour week, the annual salary before tax is $52,255. Divide that by 52 weeks to get $1004.90 a week. Divide the weekly amount by 38 hours to get $26.44 an hour. This site shows all three figures on the salary line so you can compare your pay at a glance.
How the minimum wage compares to the national average
The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2083.70 a week, about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). The minimum wage is about 48% of that average. The full-time median is about $90,532 and the all-employees median about $74,100 (ABS Employee earnings, August 2025). Men’s full-time average is about $113,412 and women’s about $100,594. The minimum wage sits well below all these benchmarks.
Sydney and New South Wales context
Sydney is in New South Wales, where the state full-time average is about $109,658 a year. That is slightly above the national average. The minimum wage in Sydney is therefore much lower than the typical full-time salary in the city. Many workers in Sydney earn above the minimum due to award rates, industry agreements, or the higher cost of living. The national minimum wage is the floor, not the typical pay.
Tax on the minimum wage
For the 2026-27 income year, the resident tax rates are: nil on the first $18,200, 15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000, 30% on $45,001 to $135,000, 37% on $135,001 to $190,000, and 45% above that. The Medicare levy of 2% applies before any reductions. On a minimum wage salary of $52,255, the tax would be roughly $5,092 plus Medicare levy of $1,045, leaving about $46,118 after tax. This is an estimate; individual circumstances may vary.
Where to place your salary on the line
You can place a salary on the line to see how it compares to the national full-time average, the medians, and the minimum wage. The tool shows your pay as a year, a week, and an hour, and tells you how far above or below the line you are.
State and territory averages
If you are comparing across Australia, see the states and territories page for full-time averages. New South Wales is about $109,658, Victoria $106,137, Queensland $106,064, South Australia $102,450, Western Australia $115,825, Tasmania $96,008, Northern Territory $103,173, and the Australian Capital Territory $119,090.
Job and industry medians
For a more detailed picture, the job medians and industry medians pages show median earnings by occupation and industry. These are based on the ABS Employee Earnings survey, August 2025. The minimum wage is often below these medians, especially in professional roles.
How the figures are set
The national minimum wage is set by Fair Work after annual review. The average earnings come from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, published twice a year for May and November. Medians are from the ABS Employee Earnings survey. For more on how these figures are determined, see How the figures are set.
About this site
This site uses the national full-time adult ordinary-time average as the line. It is not a recommendation or a target, but a reference point. The minimum wage is a legal floor. For more information, see About this site.