How does the Seek Salary Finder work?

The Seek Salary Finder is a free online tool that lets you enter a job title and location to see typical advertised salary ranges. It draws on job ads posted on Seek, so it reflects market rates for new hires. It does not include bonuses, superannuation, or non-salary benefits. For a broader benchmark, the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey measures what all employees actually earn, including long-tenure workers.

What is the national average salary in Australia?

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings are $2,083.70, according to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. That works out to about $108,352 a year (multiplied by 52). The full-time median is lower at about $90,532, and the all-employees median is about $74,100. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, or $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week.

How much tax will I pay on the average salary?

On a salary of $108,352, the 2026–27 tax rates apply: nil on the first $18,200, 15% on the next $26,800, 30% on the next $90,000 (up to $135,000), plus a 2% Medicare levy. The estimated tax is about $24,467 plus Medicare levy of $2,167, leaving roughly $81,718 after tax and Medicare. This is a rough guide; your actual tax depends on deductions and offsets.

Seek Salary Finder: Compare Your Pay Against the National Average

What is the Seek Salary Finder?

The Seek Salary Finder is a popular online tool that helps job seekers and employees see typical salary ranges for specific roles and locations. By entering a job title and a city or region, you get a band of advertised salaries – usually a low, median, and high figure. It is based on real job ads posted on Seek, so it reflects what employers are offering right now for new hires. However, it does not capture bonuses, superannuation, or the earnings of people already in a role for several years.

To get a complete picture, it helps to compare the Seek results against official national benchmarks. The most authoritative measure is the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, which tracks what all full-time adults actually earn, not just what is advertised. The latest release (May 2026) puts the national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings at $2,083.70 – that is about $108,352 a year (multiplied by 52 weeks). This is the line used on this site to show how your salary compares.

The National Average and Medians

The ABS also publishes medians, which are less affected by very high earners. The full-time median weekly earnings are about $1,741 (roughly $90,532 a year), and the all-employees median (including part-time) is about $1,436 ($74,100 a year). These figures come from the Employee Earnings and Hours survey for August 2025, the most recent available. The average is higher than the median because a relatively small number of high incomes pull the average up.

For men, the full-time ordinary-time average is about $2,181 a week ($113,412 a year); for women, it is about $1,934.50 a week ($100,594 a year). The gender pay gap persists, though it has narrowed slightly.

Minimum Wage and Awards

If you are on the national minimum wage, your pay is set by Fair Work. From 1 July 2026, the minimum is $26.44 an hour, or $1,004.90 a week on a 38-hour week, which comes to $52,255 a year. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from the same date. Many occupations covered by awards have higher minimum rates than the national minimum. The Seek Salary Finder will often show ranges above award rates because it reflects market rates.

A Take-Home Pay Sketch

Let’s sketch what a resident earning the national average looks like after tax. Using the 2026–27 tax brackets:

Nil tax on first $18,200
15% on the next $26,800
30% on the next $90,000 (up to $135,000)
37% on the next $55,000 (up to $190,000
45% above that

Plus a 2% Medicare levy (with no reductions assumed).

On $108,352, you fall into the 30% bracket. Estimated tax: about $24,467 plus Medicare levy of $2,167, leaving roughly $81,718 after tax and Medicare. This is a rough guide; your actual tax depends on deductions, offsets, and family situation.

State by State

Full-time averages vary significantly by state. The highest is the ACT at about $119,090 a year, followed by Western Australia at $115,825. Tasmania is lowest at about $96,008. You can explore all states on the States and territories page.

How the Figures Are Set

The ABS surveys employers to collect earnings data twice a year (May and November). The Seek Salary Finder uses a different method – it scrapes job ads. For the most reliable benchmarks, always refer to the ABS. Learn more on How the figures are set.

Using the Seek Salary Finder with Confidence

When you use the Seek Salary Finder, you can enter your current salary or a target. The site will show you where your weekly and hourly equivalent (based on a 38-hour week) and how far you are from the national full-time average. If your salary is above $108,352, you are above the line; if below, you are below. The tool also shows the median for all employees and the minimum wage for context.

For job seekers, the Seek Salary Finder is a great starting point. But remember it reflects advertised salaries, which can be lower than what current employees earn due to pay rises and tenure. Combine it with industry guides on Industry medians and Job medians for a fuller picture.

Final Thoughts

The Seek Salary Finder is a useful tool for salary comparisons, but it is not the whole story. The national average from the ABS gives you a stable benchmark. Use both to negotiate with confidence.