What is a Good Salary in Australia?
Deciding what counts as a good salary depends on where you live, what you do, and who you ask. The most useful starting point is the national full-time adult ordinary-time average, published by the ABS in its Average Weekly Earnings survey. For May 2026, that figure was $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 a year. This is the line this site uses to compare any salary.
The National Full-Time Average
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, reports that full-time adult ordinary-time earnings rose 3.7% annually to $2,083.70 per week. This is the average for all full-time employees before tax. It is not a median or a minimum; it is the mean of what full-time workers earn. The site multiplies by 52 weeks to get the yearly figure of $108,352. This is the benchmark against which you can place a salary on the line to see how it compares.
How the Average Compares to Medians and Minimums
The average is higher than the typical full-time worker earns. The ABS Employee Earnings survey for August 2025 found the median weekly earnings for full-time employees was $1,741, or about $90,532 a year. For all employees (including part-time), the median was $1,425 per week, about $74,100 a year. So a salary above $90,532 puts you ahead of half of all full-time workers.
At the other end, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week, which works out to $52,255 a year. Award minimums rose 4.75% in the same Annual Wage Review. A salary well above the minimum but below the average might still be considered good depending on your circumstances.
What Moves Pay Above or Below the Average
State and Territory Differences
Where you work has a big impact. The ABS state-level averages for full-time adult ordinary-time earnings (May 2026) 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
The ACT and Western Australia sit well above the national average, while Tasmania and South Australia are below. If your salary is close to the national average but you live in Tasmania, you are earning above the state average. See how your state compares on our states and territories page.
Industry and Occupation
Your job matters even more. The ABS Employee Earnings survey shows that Managers had a median weekly earnings of $2,072 and Professionals $1,900 in August 2025. Both are above the full-time median and close to the average. Sales workers had a median of $742 and Labourers $940. These are well below. The gap is partly about hours, but also about skill demand and bargaining power. Explore job medians for more detail.
Public vs Private Sector
In May 2026, the public sector full-time ordinary-time average was $2,263.10 per week ($117,681 a year), while the private sector was $2,034.10 ($105,773). Public sector workers tend to be more concentrated in professional roles and have stronger award coverage, which pushes the average higher.
Gender
Men's full-time ordinary-time average was $2,181.50 per week ($113,438 a year) and women's was $1,934.50 ($100,594). The gap persists across industries and occupations. A good salary for a woman might be closer to the male average, but the national average is a blended figure.
The Role of Tax
Take-home pay matters. For 2026–27, the 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 that. Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (with reductions for low incomes). A salary of $108,352 falls in the 30% bracket, so after tax and Medicare, take-home is roughly $80,000–$85,000 depending on deductions. That after-tax figure is what you actually live on, and it can shift your sense of what is good.
Using the Average Line Tool
The simplest way to see if your pay is good is to place a salary on the line. Enter your yearly pre-tax salary and the tool shows your weekly and hourly equivalents (based on a 38-hour week) and how far you are from the national full-time average. It also shows where you sit relative to the median and minimum.
Conclusion
A good salary in Australia is not a single number. It depends on your location, occupation, experience, and personal needs. But the national full-time average of $108,352 is a powerful reference point. If you earn above it, you are ahead of the typical full-time worker in dollar terms. If you earn below, you are still above the median for all employees ($74,100) and well above the minimum ($52,255). Use the tools on this site to see exactly where your pay sits and what would move it above or below the line.