Police officer salary and the national average
This page looks at police officer salaries in Australia, using the AFP’s published pay rates and comparing them against the national full-time average earnings. The national benchmark is the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026: $2,083.70 per week for full-time adults in ordinary time, or about $108,352 a year. This is the line on Place a salary on the line. For context, the full-time median is about $90,532, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 (ABS Employee earnings, August 2025). The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.26 per hour, $1,004.90 a week, about $52,052 a year.
AFP police officer base pay
The AFP publishes its salary structure in its Enterprise Agreement, as shown on. Police officer base salaries start at $69,698 for a college recruit (Band 2.3) and rise incrementally to $84,597 after four years of service (Band 3.4). Protective service officers start at $64,754 and reach $75,233 after four years. The AFP states that the overall base salary range for sworn officers is $64,754 to $111,861, with further advancement into leadership roles.
Potential earnings with allowances
Base pay is only part of the picture. The AFP includes a 22% composite allowance and a Use of Force allowance of $3,500 per year in its “average potential earnings” estimate. For a probationary police officer (Band 2.4), that gives about $91,727. After four years, average potential earnings reach $106,708. That is just $1,644 below the national full-time average of $108,352. Officers at remote Defence sites can earn an extra $20,208 to $55,970, pushing total pay well above the average.
Take-home pay sketch
Using the four-year police officer average potential earnings of $106,708, and applying 2026–27 resident tax rates (nil to $18,200; 15% to $45,000; 30% to $135,000) plus the 2% Medicare levy, the estimated tax is about $26,342. That leaves a take-home of roughly $80,366 per year, or $1,545 per week. This is before any work-related deductions, which the ATO guides for police officers (see ) can reduce taxable income. Common deductions include protective clothing, equipment, union fees, and study expenses.
State and territory comparisons
The national average masks differences across states. The ABS publishes state full-time averages for May 2026. For example, the ACT average is $119,090, while Tasmania is $96,008. A police officer on $106,708 would be above the Tasmanian average but below the ACT average. See States and territories for a full breakdown. The AFP salary structure is national, but allowances may vary by location.
How the figures are set
The national average comes from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, released twice a year (May and November). The median figures are from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, most recently August 2025. The minimum wage is set by Fair Work and updated each July. The AFP Enterprise Agreement is negotiated between the AFP and its employees. For more on methodology, see How the figures are set.
Summary
A police officer salary in Australia starts below the national full-time average but, with allowances and overtime, can match or exceed it. The AFP’s published potential earnings for a four-year officer are $106,708, very close to the $108,352 average. Take-home pay after tax is around $80,000, and work-related deductions can improve that. For more on how different occupations compare, see Job medians or Industry medians.