Where does a store manager salary sit against the Australian full-time average?
If you're looking up a store manager salary in Australia, the most reliable sources are the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Fair Work Australia. However, neither publishes a single, official figure for the job title 'store manager'. Instead, we can use the closest occupation category — Managers — and the minimum rates set by the General Retail Industry Award to get a clear picture.
The national full-time average as a benchmark
This site uses the ABS Average Weekly Earnings report for May 2026. The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (multiplied by 52). This is the line on the chart. For comparison, the full-time median (from the ABS Employee Earnings survey, August 2025) is about $1,741 per week ($90,532 per year), and the all-employees median is about $1,436 per week ($74,672 per year).
What the ABS says about manager pay
The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours report for May 2025 gives average weekly total cash earnings for the occupation Managers as $2,800.90 for all employees (full-time and part-time). For full-time managers only, the average is $2,688.70 per week. That's well above the national full-time average of $2,083.70. The hourly rate for non-managerial managers (a subset that excludes owner-managers) was $69.20 per hour.
But 'Managers' is a broad group. It includes chief executives, general managers, and specialist managers in every industry. A retail store manager is likely to earn less than the average for all managers, especially if the store is small or part of a chain with award-based pay.
The General Retail Industry Award minimums
Fair Work's General Retail Industry Award (MA000004) sets minimum weekly pay rates for retail employees. The highest classification in the award is Retail Employee Level 8, with a weekly rate of $1,291.80 (as of 1 July 2026). That's about $67,174 per year. However, store managers are often classified above Level 8 or are covered by an enterprise agreement or individual contract. The award itself notes that it covers 'retail employees' and that higher-level roles may not fall within its scope.
Many store managers are paid under individual arrangements. The ABS reports that 38.5% of all employees have their pay set by individual arrangement, and this is common for management roles. So the actual store manager salary can vary widely depending on the employer, location, and experience.
Putting it together
If you're a store manager, your salary is likely to be above the national full-time average of $108,352, but possibly below the average for all managers ($145,647). The median full-time earnings for all employees ($90,532) is a lower benchmark. A reasonable estimate for a typical store manager might fall somewhere between $80,000 and $120,000, but this is not an official figure.
For a more precise comparison, you can place a salary on the line to see how it stacks up against the national average. You can also explore job medians for other roles or check industry medians for retail.
State-by-state differences
The full-time average varies by state. For example, the average in New South Wales is about $109,658, while in Western Australia it's $115,825 and in Tasmania it's $96,008. A store manager in a high-wage state like WA might earn more than one in Tasmania. See the states and territories page for details.
Tax considerations
For the 2026–27 financial year, resident tax rates are: nil on the first $18,200, 15% on income up to $45,000, 30% up to $135,000, 37% up to $190,000, and 45% above that. Plus a 2% Medicare levy. A store manager earning $100,000 would pay about $24,867 in tax plus Medicare, leaving about $75,133 after tax.
How the figures are set
The national average comes from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, released twice a year (May and November). The medians come from the Employee Earnings and Hours survey, released annually. The minimum wage is set by Fair Work and updated each July. Learn more on the How the figures are set page.
Summary
While there is no single 'store manager salary' published by the ABS or Fair Work, the available data shows that store managers typically earn above the national full-time average. The Manager occupation average of $2,800.90 per week is a useful guide, but actual pay depends on the specific role, award coverage, and individual agreement. For more information, see the Guides section.