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Salary Guide: How Your Pay Compares to the Australian Full-Time Average

The salary guide compares your pay to the national full-time adult ordinary-time average of $108,352 per year, based on ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026.

This sits on the Australian full-time average.

Week, hour, and a tax sketch

$2,084 a week · $54.83 an hour if spread over 38 hours

About $83,159 after resident income tax and a 2% Medicare levy.

2026–27 resident rates and a 2% Medicare levy. Not a tax assessment.Open the full line

What is a salary guide?

A salary guide helps you understand where your yearly pay sits against official benchmarks. This guide uses the most recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Fair Work Ombudsman to show how your salary compares to the national full-time average, the median earnings of all employees, and the minimum wage.

The key figure is the national full-time adult ordinary-time average: $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, multiplied by 52). This is the line the guide draws. When you enter your salary, the tool calculates your weekly and hourly rate on a 38-hour week and shows the distance from this average.

How the average is calculated

The ABS surveys employers to produce Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) twice a year – for May and November. The May 2026 release shows that full-time adult ordinary-time earnings rose 3.7% annually to $2,083.70 per week. This is the figure used for the salary guide. It covers ordinary time (excluding overtime) for full-time adults in both the public and private sectors.

Men's full-time ordinary-time average is about $113,412 per year; women's is about $100,594. These are averages, not medians, so they can be pulled higher by very high incomes.

Medians and the minimum wage

Averages can be skewed, so the guide also shows medians. The full-time median is about $90,532 per year, and the all-employees median (including part-time) is about $74,100 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). Half of all full-time workers earn less than $90,532; half earn more.

At the bottom of the scale, the National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week, which works out to about $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week. Award minimums rose by 4.75% in the same review. If you are covered by an award or enterprise agreement, your minimum pay may be higher.

Using the guide

Enter your yearly salary before tax. The tool converts it to a weekly and hourly rate assuming a 38-hour week. It then shows:

  • How your weekly pay compares to the national full-time average of $2,083.70
  • How your hourly rate compares to the minimum wage of $26.44
  • Where you sit relative to the full-time median and all-employees median

You can also see how your pay compares by state. For example, the full-time average in New South Wales is about $109,658, in Victoria about $106,137, and in Western Australia about $115,825. The guide uses the ABS state-level averages from the same May 2026 release.

State comparisons

The salary guide includes a breakdown by state and territory. The highest full-time average is in the Australian Capital Territory at about $119,090, followed by Western Australia at $115,825. Tasmania has the lowest at about $96,008. These are averages; your industry and occupation also matter.

For more detail on specific occupations and industries, see the job medians and industry medians pages. You can also place a salary on the line to see the exact comparison.

Limitations

The guide uses gross earnings before tax and does not account for salary sacrifice, overtime, or bonuses. It is a snapshot based on official surveys. For personalised tax estimates, refer to the ATO. The guide is updated when new ABS or Fair Work data is released – typically twice a year for the average, annually for medians, and each July for the minimum wage.

For more about how the figures are set, see How the figures are set. If you have questions about the methodology, visit About this site.

Additional resources

Remember: the salary guide is a tool for understanding where you stand. It does not replace professional advice for contract negotiations or tax planning.

Questions

What is the difference between the average and the median in the salary guide?

The average (mean) is the total earnings divided by the number of employees; the national full-time average is $108,352 per year. The median is the middle value when all earnings are lined up – half earn more, half earn less. The full-time median is about $90,532, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). The guide shows both so you can see where you sit relative to the typical worker.

How often is the salary guide updated?

The national full-time average is updated twice a year, following the ABS Average Weekly Earnings releases for May and November. The medians are updated annually from the ABS Employee Earnings survey. The minimum wage is updated each July after the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The guide reflects the latest available figures.

Does the salary guide include tax or superannuation?

No. The guide uses gross salary before tax, as reported in the ABS surveys. It does not deduct tax, the Medicare levy, or superannuation. For tax rates, refer to the ATO; for the 2026–27 year, the tax-free threshold is $18,200, with marginal rates from 15% to 45% plus a 2% Medicare levy.

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