How is the national full-time average calculated?

The ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, reports full-time adult ordinary-time earnings at $2,083.70 per week. Multiplying by 52 gives an annual figure of about $108,352. This is the site's line. The figure is updated twice a year (May and November) and represents average gross earnings before tax for full-time employees in their ordinary hours, excluding overtime and irregular payments.

What would Nick Daicos's salary need to be to be above the average?

Any annual salary above $108,352 would be above the national full-time average. Without a confirmed figure for Nick Daicos, we cannot say whether his pay meets that threshold. AFL player salaries are often above this level, but no official figure is available from the sources used here.

What are the tax implications for a salary above the average?

For the 2026–27 income year, tax rates are: nil up to $18,200; 15% from $18,201 to $45,000; 30% from $45,001 to $135,000; 37% from $135,001 to $190,000; and 45% above $190,000. A 2% Medicare levy also applies. A salary above the average would fall into the 30% or higher bracket.

Nick Daicos salary: Where does it sit against the national full-time average?

Nick Daicos salary and the national full-time average

Nick Daicos is a professional Australian rules footballer for the Collingwood Football Club. His exact salary is not publicly available from the sources used on this site, which rely on official data from the ABS, Fair Work, and the ATO. Without a confirmed figure, we cannot place his pay on the line. However, we can explain how the national full-time average is determined and what would move a salary above or below it.

The national full-time average

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year, for May and November. The May 2026 release shows full-time adult ordinary-time earnings at $2,083.70 per week. Multiplied by 52 weeks, that equals about $108,352 per year. This is the site's line. It represents the average before tax for full-time employees in their ordinary hours, excluding overtime and irregular payments.

This figure is a mean, not a median. The median full-time weekly earnings from the ABS Employee Earnings survey (August 2025) are lower, at about $1,674 per week, or roughly $90,532 per year. The all-employees median (including part-time) is about $1,425 per week, or $74,100 per year. The average is pulled up by higher earners.

State and territory averages

The national average masks variation across Australia. The on-site notes provide state full-time averages based on ABS data:

New South Wales: about $109,658
Victoria: about $106,137
Queensland: about $106,064
South Australia: about $102,450
Western Australia: about $115,825
Tasmania: about $96,008
Northern Territory: about $103,173
Australian Capital Territory: about $119,090

If Nick Daicos's salary were known, we could compare it to the average for Victoria, where Collingwood is based. The Victorian full-time average is slightly below the national figure.

What moves a salary above or below the average

Several factors determine whether a salary sits above or below the national full-time average:

Occupation and industry: Professionals and managers earn higher average hourly rates. The ABS reports that Managers earn $69.20 per hour and Professionals $64.50. Athletes and sports players often fall into higher pay brackets, especially at the elite level.
Experience and seniority: More experienced workers and those in senior roles typically earn more.
Full-time vs part-time: The average is for full-time employees only. Part-time workers earn less on a weekly basis.
Enterprise agreements and individual arrangements: The method of setting pay affects earnings. In August 2025, 38.5% of employees had pay set by individual arrangement, and 34.6% by collective agreement.
Location: As shown, state averages differ. The ACT has the highest average, Tasmania the lowest.
Gender: The average for men is about $113,412 per year, for women about $100,594. This reflects differences in occupations, hours, and industries.

For a professional athlete like Nick Daicos, his salary would likely be determined by his contract with the Collingwood Football Club, including base pay, match payments, and performance bonuses. AFL player salaries are generally above the national average, but without a specific figure, we cannot confirm.

The minimum wage as a floor

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week, equating to about $52,255 per year. Award minimums rose by 4.75%. Any salary below this would be unlawful. Nick Daicos's salary, if known, would certainly be above this floor.

Tax implications

For the 2026–27 income year, the tax brackets are:

$0–$18,200: nil
$18,201–$45,000: 15%
$45,001–$135,000: 30%
$135,001–$190,000: 37%
Above $190,000: 45%

A 2% Medicare levy applies on top. A salary above the national average would fall into the 30% bracket. For example, a salary of $108,352 would incur about $24,000 in tax plus Medicare. Higher salaries attract higher marginal rates.

How the average is measured

The ABS Survey of Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) collects data from businesses on the last pay period ending on or before the third Friday of May and November. It measures gross earnings for a typical week, excluding irregular payments like annual bonuses. Changes in the average can be affected not only by wage rises but also by shifts in workforce composition—for instance, if more high-paid workers enter the sample, the average rises even if individual wages stay flat. This is why the ABS advises caution when using AWE to derive annualised earnings.

Where to go from here

If you know Nick Daicos's salary from a reliable source, you can Place a salary on the line to see its distance from the average. You can also explore States and territories to compare with local averages, or Job medians for occupation-specific data. For more on how the figures are set, see How the figures are set.