Where the Seek Salary Guide Fits In
If you have come looking for the Seek Salary Guide, you will not find that specific publication here. This site uses official data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Fair Work to show how your salary compares to the national full-time average. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 is the benchmark: full-time adult ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 a year. That is the line on the chart.
The National Average as Your Reference
The ABS publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year, for May and November. The May 2026 release shows that full-time adult average weekly total earnings (which includes overtime) are $2,160.00 per week, or about $112,320 a year. But the site uses ordinary time earnings because it strips out irregular overtime and gives a clearer picture of base pay. 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 figures are seasonally adjusted and come from the ABS.
Medians Tell a Different Story
Averages can be pulled up by high earners. The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey for May 2025 (the most recent available) gives medians. The full-time median weekly earnings are $1,887.00, or about $90,532 a year. For all employees (including part-time), the median is $1,436.00 per week, about $74,100 a year. These medians are lower than the averages, which is typical. If your salary is around the full-time median, you are earning more than half of full-time workers but less than the average.
The Minimum Wage Floor
Fair Work sets the National Minimum Wage. From 1 July 2026 it is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week. That works out to about $52,255 a year. Award minimums rose by 4.75% in the same review. If you are on the minimum wage, your pay is about half the national full-time average. The site shows the distance from the line, so you can see how far above or below the average you sit.
A Take-Home Pay Sketch
Gross pay is only part of the picture. For the 2026–27 income year, the resident tax rates are:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on the next $26,800 (up to $45,000)
- 30% on the next $90,000 (up to $135,000)
- 37% on the next $55,000 (up to $190,000)
- 45% on anything above $190,000
Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (before any reductions).
On the national full-time average of $108,352, the tax and Medicare levy would be roughly:
- Tax on $108,352: $18,200 tax-free, then $4,020 at 15% ($26,800 × 0.15), then $19,005.60 at 30% ($63,352 × 0.30) = total tax about $23,025.60
- Medicare levy: $2,167.04
- Total deductions: about $25,192.64
- Estimated take-home: about $83,159 per year, or $1,599 per week.
This is a rough calculation. It does not include the low-income tax offset, the tax-free threshold, or other offsets. Your actual take-home will depend on your specific circumstances.
State by State
The national average masks big differences across states. The ABS provides state-level full-time ordinary time earnings for May 2026. The on-site figures (derived from the same source) are:
- New South Wales: $109,658
- Victoria: $106,137
- Queensland: $106,064
- South Australia: $102,450
- Western Australia: $115,825
- Tasmania: $96,008
- Northern Territory: $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: $119,090
If you live in the ACT or WA, your local average is well above the national line. In Tasmania it is noticeably lower. The States and territories page shows how your salary compares to your state's average.
How the Figures Are Set
The data on this site comes from two main ABS surveys. Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) is a survey of employers and measures the level of earnings at a point in time. It is published twice a year. Employee Earnings and Hours (EEH) is a more detailed survey of employees, published annually, and includes medians and distributions. The minimum wage is set by the Fair Work Commission each year and enforced by Fair Work. The tax rates are from the ATO. For more on the methodology, see How the figures are set.
Using the Line Tool
You can Place a salary on the line to see how your annual, weekly, or hourly pay compares to the national full-time average. The tool shows the distance above or below the line, and also gives a weekly and hourly figure based on a 38-hour week. It does not ask for personal details or logins. It is a simple calculator.
Limitations of the Seek Salary Guide
If you were hoping for the Seek Salary Guide, note that it is a separate product published by Seek, typically showing salary ranges for advertised roles. This site does not reproduce that guide. Instead, it uses the official ABS and Fair Work sources that are publicly available and regularly updated. The advantage is that these figures are not based on job ads but on actual earnings reported by employers and employees. They give a more stable, economy-wide picture.
When to Use Medians vs Averages
If you are in a role that is common and not extremely high-paid, the median may be more relevant. For example, the full-time median of $90,532 is closer to what a typical full-time worker earns than the average of $108,352. The average is pulled up by high earners in management and professional roles. The Job medians page breaks down earnings by occupation, using the EEH survey. Similarly, Industry medians show how different sectors compare.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are checking your own salary or researching market rates, the national full-time average is a useful anchor. It is not the only measure, but it is the one this site uses. The Seek Salary Guide may offer role-specific ranges, but for a broad benchmark, the ABS data is the most authoritative. Use the tools on this site to see where you stand, and remember that take-home pay depends on tax, Medicare, and any deductions. For more reading, see the Guides section.
Note: All figures are before tax unless stated otherwise. The national average is from ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026. Medians are from ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. Minimum wage is from Fair Work, effective 1 July 2026. Tax rates are for 2026–27 residents.