How the take-home pay calculator works
The on-site tool accepts a yearly salary before tax and returns a weekly and hourly figure based on a 38-hour week, plus the distance from the national full-time average. That average is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year, taken from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings for May 2026. The calculator does not deduct tax or the Medicare levy; it compares gross salaries. If you want an estimate of your net pay, the ATO provides its own take-home pay calculator on the government website.
Your distance from the national line is a useful starting point, but two factors can move your pay off that line: the state you work in and the award or agreement that covers your job.
State differences
Full-time average earnings differ by state. According to the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours data for August 2025, state full-time averages are:
- New South Wales: about $109,658
- Victoria: about $106,137
- Queensland: about $106,064
- South Australia: about $102,450
- Western Australia: about $115,825
- Tasmania: about $96,008
- Northern Territory: about $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: about $119,090
If you earn the national average of $108,352, you sit above the state average in Tasmania (where the state average is lower) but below the state average in Western Australia or the ACT. The on-site tool shows your distance from the national line, not from your state line. To see how your salary compares locally, visit the States and territories page.
State differences reflect industry mix, cost of living, and local labour demand. For example, Western Australia has a high proportion of mining jobs, which push the average up. Tasmania has a larger share of lower-paid industries such as hospitality and retail. Your take-home pay may also be affected by state taxes, but the calculator does not account for those.
Award and minimum wage effects
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% from that date. Many employees are covered by an award that sets a higher minimum than the national minimum wage. For example, the General Retail Industry Award might set a higher rate for a sales assistant than the minimum wage.
If you are paid under an award, your salary may be above the minimum wage but still below the national full-time average of $108,352. The on-site calculator compares your salary to the national average, not to your award rate. To understand how award rates are set and how they relate to the national line, see How the figures are set.
Award rates also vary by classification and experience. A junior or apprentice may be paid a percentage of the adult rate. The calculator does not adjust for these factors; it simply compares your entered salary to the national full-time average.
Tax and take-home pay
The on-site tool shows gross salary only. For the 2026–27 financial year, resident tax rates are: nil up to $18,200; 15% from $18,201 to $45,000; 30% from $45,001 to $135,000; 37% from $135,001 to $190,000; and 45% above $190,000. The Medicare levy of 2% applies before any reductions. If you use the ATO's take-home pay calculator, you enter your gross salary and it deducts tax and the Medicare levy to show your net pay. That net figure will be lower than the gross salary you enter in the on-site tool.
Your take-home pay also depends on whether you have a HELP debt, private health insurance, or other adjustments. The on-site tool does not model these. It is designed to show where your gross salary sits relative to the national full-time average, not to calculate your exact net income.
Putting it together
When you use the take-home pay calculator on this site, you get a clear picture of how your salary compares to the national line. But remember: the national line is an average across all full-time adult workers. Your state and your award can move your pay off that line. If you work in a high-paying state like the ACT or Western Australia, the national average may be below your local average. If you work under an award that sets a low minimum, your salary may be below the national average even if you are above the minimum wage.
For a deeper look at how your occupation or industry compares, see the Job medians and Industry medians pages. For more on the methodology behind the figures, visit About this site.
Conclusion
The take-home pay calculator is a simple tool to benchmark your gross salary against the national full-time average. But your actual take-home pay and how it compares to others in your area or industry depends on state and award factors. Use the on-site tool as a starting point, then explore the state and award pages to understand where you really sit.