Industry median · August 2025
Accommodation and food services
The median in this industry is $700 a week, about $36,400 if multiplied by 52. The national full-time average is $108,352. Keep those measures apart: one is a median for everyone in the industry, the other is a full-time average.
Guides
- Chef salary in Australia: award rates, take-home pay and how it compares to the national averageThe minimum award rate for a Level 2 cook under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award is $27.08 per hour, or about $53,500 per year, well below the national full-time average of $108,352, though many chefs earn more through experience, overtime or penalty rates.
- Sous chef salary: how it compares to the Australian full-time averageThe ABS does not publish a specific average for sous chefs, but the national full-time average is $108,352 a year and the Hospitality Award rate for a Level 2 cook is $27.08 an hour.
- Pastry chef salary: How awards and location shape your payA pastry chef's pay can range from the Hospitality Award minimum of around $53,500 a year to well above the national full-time average of $108,352, depending on experience, state, and employer.
- Chef salary in Australia: median weekly earnings, award rates, and how they compare to the national averageThe median full-time chef salary in Australia is about $1,423 per week, or roughly $73,996 per year before tax, based on the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025).
- Chef Salary Australia: How It Compares to the National AverageThe median full-time chef salary in Australia is about $74,000 a year, well below the national full-time average of $108,352.
- Hotel Manager Salary in Australia: Weekly, Hourly, and Annual PayThe minimum annual salary for managerial staff in hotels under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award is $63,617, but many hotel managers earn significantly more. The ABS does not publish a separate average for hotel managers, but for all managers the average weekly total cash earnings is $2,800.90 (about $145,647 per year).
- Head chef salary: how it compares to the national averageThere is no single published figure for a head chef salary, but the national full-time average is $108,352 per year. Award minimums for cooks range from $50,855 to $63,497 per year, while managerial staff in hotels have a minimum annual salary of $63,617.