Minimum wage in Victoria: national rate applies
When readers ask about the minimum wage in Victoria, the answer is straightforward: there is no separate Victorian minimum wage. Australia’s national minimum wage, set by Fair Work, applies across all states and territories, including Victoria. From 1 July 2026, that rate is $26.44 an hour, $1,004.90 a week, or $52,255 a year based on a 38-hour week. Award minimums rose by 4.75% on the same date, meaning many Victorian workers covered by awards earn more than the national minimum.
How the minimum wage sits against the Victorian full-time average
The national minimum wage is well below Victoria’s full-time average. According to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings for May 2026, Victoria’s full-time adult ordinary-time average is $106,137 a year. That is about $2,040 a week. The national full-time average – the line this site uses – is $108,352 a year ($2,083.70 a week). The minimum wage of $52,255 is roughly half the Victorian average and about 48% of the national line.
For context, the national full-time median (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) is $90,532 a year, and the all-employees median is $74,100. The minimum wage sits below both medians. Men’s full-time ordinary-time average nationally is $113,412; women’s is $100,594. Victoria’s average of $106,137 is slightly below the national average but above the national median.
What the minimum wage means in practice
A worker on the national minimum wage in Victoria earning $52,255 a year would take home about $42,700 after tax and the Medicare levy, using 2026–27 resident tax rates (nil up to $18,200, then 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, plus 2% Medicare). That is a weekly take-home of roughly $821. By contrast, a worker on the Victorian full-time average of $106,137 would take home about $79,600 after tax and Medicare, or about $1,531 a week.
Many Victorians are covered by awards that set higher minimum rates. For example, the retail, hospitality, and health care awards all have rates above the national minimum. The 4.75% increase from 1 July 2026 lifted those award rates as well. If you are on an award, your minimum pay is likely higher than the national minimum wage.
Where Victoria sits among the states
Victoria’s full-time average of $106,137 is the fourth highest among states and territories, behind the Australian Capital Territory ($119,090), Western Australia ($115,825), and New South Wales ($109,658). It is ahead of Queensland ($106,064), the Northern Territory ($103,173), South Australia ($102,450), and Tasmania ($96,008). The national minimum wage applies uniformly, so the gap between the minimum and the state average varies. In Victoria, that gap is about $53,882 a year.
Using this site to compare your pay
If you want to see where your own salary sits against the national full-time average, you can place a salary on the line. The tool accepts a yearly salary before tax and shows the equivalent weekly and hourly figures based on a 38-hour week, plus the distance from the $108,352 line. You can also explore Victoria’s state average and compare it with other states and territories. For a deeper look at how salaries vary by industry or occupation, see the job medians and industry medians pages.
A note on sources
The national full-time average of $108,352 is from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026, multiplied by 52. The Victorian state average of $106,137 is from the same release. Medians are from the ABS Employee Earnings survey for August 2025. The national minimum wage figures are from Fair Work, effective 1 July 2026. Tax rates are from the ATO for 2026–27. All figures are before tax unless stated otherwise.
Summary
The minimum wage in Victoria is the national minimum wage. It is $52,255 a year, well below Victoria’s full-time average of $106,137 and the national line of $108,352. If you are covered by an award, your minimum is likely higher. Use the Place a salary on the line tool to see how your own pay compares, or visit the Victoria page for more state-specific data.