What is the award rate for a payroll officer in 2026?

Under the Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020, a payroll officer who calculates and maintains wage and salary records is classified at Level 3. From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, the minimum rate is $31.11 an hour, $1,182.10 a week, or $61,469 a year for a 38-hour week. Higher duties at Level 4 or Level 5 attract higher minimums.

How does a payroll officer salary compare to the national average?

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings is $2,083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). The median full-time payroll clerk earns $1,606 a week, or about $83,512 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia, ABS data May 2025). Both the award minimum and the market median are below the national average.

What is the take-home pay for a payroll officer on the award rate?

For a Level 3 payroll officer earning $61,469 a year, the estimated take-home pay using 2026–27 tax rates (including the Medicare levy) is about $51,357 a year, or $988 a week. This assumes no HECS-HELP or other deductions. Superannuation is paid on top of the gross salary.

Payroll Officer Salary in Australia 2026: Award Rates, Market Pay, and National Average

Payroll Officer Salary: Award Minimums and Market Pay

A payroll officer salary in Australia depends on the employer, the complexity of the role, and whether the position is covered by an award. For private-sector payroll officers, the Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020 sets minimum rates. The market median, drawn from employer surveys, is higher than the award floor but still sits below the national full-time average.

This page reads the same pay as a year, a week, and an hour, so you can compare any figure against the national line.

Award Minimums Under the Clerks Award

The Fair Work Commission’s Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020 classifies payroll duties by level. From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, the minimum hourly rates are:

Level 2 – Year 1: $29.45 an hour, $1,119.10 a week, $58,193 a year
Level 2 – Year 2: $30.00 an hour, $1,139.90 a week, $59,275 a year
Level 3: $31.11 an hour, $1,182.10 a week, $61,469 a year
Level 4: $32.67 an hour, $1,241.40 a week, $64,553 a year
Level 5: $33.99 an hour, $1,291.80 a week, $67,174 a year

A casual payroll officer receives a 25% loading on top of the hourly rate. For Level 3, that is $38.89 an hour.

These rates come from the Clerks Award as consolidated to 1 July 2026. The award applies to private-sector employees wholly or principally engaged in clerical work, unless their employer is covered by an industry award with its own clerical classifications (for example, health, hospitality, or aged care). Public-sector payroll officers are paid under enterprise agreements or public service determinations.

Market Median for Payroll Clerks

Jobs and Skills Australia reports median full-time earnings for Payroll Clerks (ANZSCO 5513) at $1,606 a week, based on ABS Employee Earnings and Hours data from May 2025. That works out to about $83,512 a year before tax. This is a market figure, not a legal minimum, and reflects what employers actually pay for experienced payroll officers.

The median for all full-time non-managerial adults is about $90,532 a year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025), so payroll officers on the median earn about $7,000 less than the typical full-time worker.

Comparing to the National Full-Time Average

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings is $2,083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). This is the line on Place a salary on the line.

The Level 3 award minimum ($61,469) is 43% below the national average.
The median payroll clerk salary ($83,512) is 23% below the national average.

Even the Level 5 award minimum ($67,174) is well below the national average. Most payroll officers earn less than the typical full-time Australian worker.

State and Territory Variations

Full-time average earnings vary by state. The national average of $108,352 is a composite of all states. For example:

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

A payroll officer in Western Australia or the ACT may be closer to the national average, while Tasmania’s average is lower. See States and territories for a full breakdown.

Tax and Take-Home Pay

Using 2026–27 resident tax rates (nil to $18,200, 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000, 45% above, plus 2% Medicare levy), a Level 3 payroll officer earning $61,469 takes home about $51,357 a year, or $988 a week. The median payroll clerk on $83,512 takes home about $65,800 a year, or $1,265 a week (approximate, no HECS-HELP).

Superannuation is paid on top of the gross salary. The minimum super guarantee rate is 11.5% from 1 July 2026.

How the Figures Are Set

The national average comes from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, published twice a year (May and November). The award minimums are set by the Fair Work Commission after annual wage reviews. The median earnings come from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, published every two years. For more detail, see How the figures are set.

Summary

A payroll officer salary in Australia ranges from about $61,469 (award minimum) to $83,512 (market median). Both are below the national full-time average of $108,352. The award provides a legal floor, but most payroll officers earn above it. Use the Job medians page to see how other occupations compare.