How does the salary converter calculate weekly and hourly figures?

The tool takes your yearly salary before tax and divides it by 52 to get a weekly amount. That weekly amount is then divided by 38 (the standard full-time hours per week) to give an hourly rate. These figures are before tax and do not include superannuation or other deductions.

What is the difference between the average and the median?

The average (mean) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of employees. The median is the middle value when all salaries are lined up from lowest to highest. The median is less affected by very high or very low salaries. For full-time employees, the median weekly earnings are $1,887 (about $98,124 a year), while the average is $2,083.70 ($108,352 a year).

How does the national minimum wage compare to the full-time average?

As of 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week. On a 38-hour week that works out to about $52,255 a year. That is roughly 48% of the full-time average ordinary-time earnings of $108,352. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from the same date.

Salary Converter: Compare Your Pay to the National Average and Estimate Take-Home Pay

How the Salary Converter Works

Our salary converter is a simple tool that lets you enter your yearly salary before tax and see what that means on a weekly and hourly basis. It uses a standard 38-hour week and 52 pay periods per year. The converter then shows how your pay compares to the national full-time adult ordinary-time average, which is the benchmark used across this site.

To get started, just type in your annual salary. The tool will instantly show:

Your weekly equivalent (salary ÷ 52)
Your hourly rate (weekly ÷ 38)
The dollar difference between your weekly pay and the national average
The percentage difference above or below the line

All figures are before tax. For an after-tax estimate, see the section on take-home pay below.

Comparing to the National Average

The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 per week, according to the Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. That works out to $108,352 a year (multiplying by 52). This is the figure we use as the line on our salary index.

If your salary is above this, you are earning more than the typical full-time worker. If it is below, you are below the average. Keep in mind that the average is pulled up by higher earners; the median full-time salary is lower.

For men, the full-time ordinary-time average is $2,181.00 per week ($113,412 a year). For women, it is $1,934.50 per week ($100,594 a year). These are from the same ABS release.

Estimating Take-Home Pay

While the salary converter shows before-tax figures, you can get a rough idea of your take-home pay using the 2026–27 resident tax rates and the Medicare levy. The tax brackets are:

Nil on the first $18,200
15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000
45% on income above $190,000

Plus a 2% Medicare levy on taxable income (some reductions apply for low-income earners).

For example, on the full-time average of $108,352, the estimated tax would be about $24,867 plus Medicare levy of $2,167, leaving roughly $81,318 after tax. This is a simplified estimate and does not include the low-income tax offset or other deductions.

You can use the converter to see how your own salary stacks up after tax by mentally applying these rates. The tool itself does not calculate tax, but the weekly and hourly figures give you a clear before-tax picture.

State and Territory Averages

Full-time ordinary-time earnings vary across Australia. The ABS provides state-level averages for May 2026. Here they are converted to annual figures (×52):

New South Wales: $2,108.80 per week ($109,658 a year)
Victoria: $2,041.10 per week ($106,137 a year)
Queensland: $2,039.70 per week ($106,064 a year)
South Australia: $1,970.20 per week ($102,450 a year)
Western Australia: $2,227.40 per week ($115,825 a year)
Tasmania: $1,846.30 per week ($96,008 a year)
Northern Territory: $1,984.10 per week ($103,173 a year)
Australian Capital Territory: $2,290.20 per week ($119,090 a year)

If you live in a state with a higher average, your salary might be closer to the local norm. The converter uses the national average, but you can compare your salary to your state's average using our States and territories page.

Medians and Minimum Wage

The average is not the only benchmark. The median gives a better sense of what a typical worker earns. According to the Employee Earnings and Hours survey for May 2025, the median weekly earnings for all employees was $1,436 ($74,672 a year). For full-time employees, the median was $1,887 ($98,124 a year).

At the lower end, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week, as set by. On a 38-hour week that is about $52,255 a year. Award minimums increased by 4.75% from the same date.

If your salary is near the minimum wage, the converter will show a large gap below the average. If you are above the median but below the average, you are in the middle range of full-time earners.

Using the Converter for Planning

The salary converter is useful for job negotiations, budgeting, or simply understanding where your pay sits in the broader market. Because it uses the same national average as our salary index, you can see your position on the line instantly. You can also Place a salary on the line to see a visual representation.

Remember that the figures are before tax and do not include superannuation (which is an additional 11.5% of ordinary time earnings from 1 July 2026). For a deeper dive into how we calculate these figures, see How the figures are set.

Whether you are above or below the average, the converter gives you a clear, standardised way to measure your earnings against the national benchmark.