The average salary in Australia is $108,352 a year. That is the figure most people quote, and it is also the figure most people misunderstand. It is an average of full-time adult earnings, before tax, without overtime — and the typical full-time worker actually earns about $18,000 less than it.
This guide explains the average salary in Australia properly: what the number measures, what the typical worker earns instead, how pay differs by state, industry and sector, what the average salary is worth after tax in 2026–27, and how to compare your own pay against it.
Important: All figures in this guide come from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Average Weekly Earnings release for May 2026, published 13 August 2026, and the ABS Employee Earnings survey for August 2025. The ABS publishes weekly earnings, not annual salaries — yearly figures here are the weekly figure × 52. All tax figures use 2026–27 resident rates. Superannuation is not included in any salary figure.
Table of Contents
What Is the Average Salary in Australia?
The headline measure is called full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings (AWOTE). In May 2026 it was $2,083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year. Three words in that name matter. Full-time adult means workers aged 21 and over, or paid at adult rates, on a full-time roster. Ordinary time means the figure excludes overtime. Average means it is a mean — every wage added up and divided by the number of workers — so a small number of very high earners pulls it upward.
The ABS also publishes two wider measures. Full-time total earnings, which include overtime, were $2,160.00 a week ($112,320 a year). Average earnings across all employees, including part-time and casual workers, were $1,579.20 a week ($82,118 a year).
| Measure | Per week | Per year (× 52) |
|---|---|---|
| Average, full-time adults, ordinary time | $2,083.70 | $108,352 |
| Average, full-time adults, total earnings | $2,160.00 | $112,320 |
| Average, all employees, total earnings | $1,579.20 | $82,118 |
| Median, full-time employees | $1,741 | $90,532 |
| Median, all employees | $1,425 | $74,100 |
The average salary in Australia is a benchmark, not a payslip. It describes the whole full-time workforce at once. Your own pay depends on your industry, your state, your occupation and your hours — the sections below break each of those apart.
Average vs Median: Why the Typical Worker Earns Less
The most useful number in this guide is not the average. It is the median. The median is the middle earner: half of workers earn more, half earn less. Because it is not moved by the very top end, it describes the typical worker far better than the average does.
The ABS Employee Earnings survey for August 2025 puts the median at $1,741 a week for full-time employees, or about $90,532 a year. That is $17,820 below the average of $108,352 — the median is only 83.6% of the average. Across all employees, including part-time and casual workers, the median is $1,425 a week, or about $74,100 a year.
The gap exists because pay is skewed. A small number of surgeons, senior mining executives and finance directors earn several times the average, and they drag the mean upward. The median ignores them. So if you earn $90,000, you are not below average in the sense that matters — you are almost exactly the typical full-time worker.
Two warnings before you compare. First, never mix the two surveys: the average comes from May 2026, the median from August 2025, and they measure different groups. Second, the ABS notes that movements in average earnings can come from changes in the mix of full-time, part-time and casual workers — not only from pay rises.
Read more: How to Calculate Your Take-Home Pay in Australia: Salary, Tax and Deductions Explained
Average Salary by State and Territory
Where you live changes the average salary in Australia by more than $23,000 a year. The Australian Capital Territory pays the most and Tasmania the least. The table shows full-time adult ordinary time earnings for May 2026.
| State or territory | Per week | Per year (× 52) |
|---|---|---|
| ACT | $2,290.20 | $119,090 |
| WA | $2,227.40 | $115,825 |
| NSW | $2,108.80 | $109,658 |
| Vic. | $2,041.10 | $106,137 |
| Qld | $2,039.70 | $106,064 |
| NT | $1,984.10 | $103,173 |
| SA | $1,970.20 | $102,450 |
| Tas. | $1,846.30 | $96,008 |
The ACT leads because of its concentration of public service and professional roles. Western Australia follows on mining pay. Tasmania sits $443.90 a week below the ACT — $23,083 a year — which reflects a smaller, more service-based economy with fewer high-paying industries.
But the state ranking is not a ranking of living standards. Sydney and Melbourne pay more than their state averages suggest, and regional areas pay less. Rent and housing costs also rise with pay, so a higher state average does not always mean more money left over.
Average Salary by Industry
Industry matters more than the state for most workers. Mining pays more than double what accommodation and food services pay. The table shows the five highest- and five lowest-paying industries for full-time adults in May 2026.
| Industry | Per week | Per year (× 52) |
|---|---|---|
| Mining | $3,224.20 | $167,658 |
| Information media & telecommunications | $2,714.10 | $141,133 |
| Electricity, gas, water & waste services | $2,546.00 | $132,392 |
| Professional, scientific & technical services | $2,389.60 | $124,259 |
| Financial & insurance services | $2,341.30 | $121,748 |
| Arts & recreation services | $1,877.40 | $97,625 |
| Manufacturing | $1,843.10 | $95,841 |
| Other services | $1,621.70 | $84,328 |
| Retail trade | $1,581.60 | $82,243 |
| Accommodation & food services | $1,509.90 | $78,515 |
The gap between the top and the bottom is $1,714.30 a week — $89,144 a year. Mining pays 2.14 times what hospitality pays. But industry averages hide as much as they reveal: a mining camp cook and a mine engineer are both counted under mining, and a retail store manager earns far more than the retail average.
Two limits apply to this table. The ABS survey excludes agriculture, forestry and fishing, so those industries do not appear. And the figures are averages within each industry, not the pay for any single job — use them to compare industries, not to judge one offer.
Men vs Women: The Gender Pay Gap
Full-time men averaged $2,181.00 a week ($113,412 a year) in May 2026. Full-time women averaged $1,934.50 a week ($100,594 a year). The gap between them is $246.50 a week, or $12,818 a year.
The ABS expresses the gap as a percentage: 11.3% in May 2026, the lowest recorded, down from 11.5% in November 2025. The gap is calculated on average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults.
The ABS cautions against reading the gap as a like-for-like pay difference. It does not allow for differences in occupation, industry or hours worked — men and women are distributed differently across industries, and the high-paying industries in the table above employ more men. The gap is a real measure of average earnings, not proof that two people in the same job are paid differently.
Public vs Private Sector
Full-time adults in the public sector averaged $2,263.10 a week ($117,681 a year) in May 2026. In the private sector the figure was $2,034.10 a week ($105,773 a year). The public sector pays $229.00 a week more — $11,908 a year, or 11.3% more.
Public sector pay also grew faster over the year: up 4.4% against 3.5% in the private sector. But the same caution applies as with the gender gap. The two sectors employ different mixes of occupations — the public sector has more professionals and fewer retail and hospitality workers — so the gap is not a like-for-like pay difference for the same job.
Average Salary After Tax in 2026–27
Example 1: What the average salary is worth after tax
A $108,352 salary sounds like a lot until tax takes its cut. Here is the 2026–27 calculation for a single Australian resident with no deductions, no HELP debt and no offsets. At this income no low income tax offset applies — it phases out entirely above $66,667 — and the full 2% Medicare levy applies.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Gross salary | $108,352.00 |
| Income tax | $23,025.60 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | $2,167.04 |
| Total tax | $25,192.64 |
| Take-home pay | $83,159.36 |
| Take-home per week | $1,599.22 |
| Take-home per fortnight | $3,198.44 |
| Take-home per month | $6,929.95 |
The income tax is worked out across the brackets: 15% on the slice from $18,201 to $45,000 ($4,020.00), then 30% on the $63,352 above $45,000 ($19,005.60). The marginal rate is 30% — that is the rate on the next dollar, not on the whole salary. The effective rate is 23.3%: $25,192.64 of total tax on $108,352 of income.
Superannuation sits on top of the salary, not inside it. At the 12% super guarantee rate, the average salary attracts $13,002.24 a year in super, or $1,083.52 a month — paid by the employer into the fund, not into the bank account.
Read more: Best Income Tax Calculator Australia 2025–26: Complete Guide
The Average Salary in Hourly Terms
Example 2: The average salary as an hourly rate
Divide the weekly figure by a 38-hour week and the average salary in Australia becomes $54.83 an hour. That is the number to use when comparing against hourly job offers.
The legal floor sits far below it. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, or $1,004.90 a week for a 38-hour week — $52,254.80 a year. The average full-time salary is 2.07 times the minimum wage. A casual on the minimum wage earns $33.05 an hour with the 25% loading, still well below the $54.83 average.
The hourly gap between industries is even wider. A mining worker averages $84.85 an hour ($3,224.20 ÷ 38). A hospitality worker averages $39.73 an hour ($1,509.90 ÷ 38). Same 38 hours, $45.12 an hour apart — $1,714.30 a week, or $89,144 a year.
Read more: Best Minimum Wage Calculator Australia – Pay Calculator 7
How Fast Is the Average Salary Growing?
Full-time average earnings rose 3.7% in the year to May 2026 — the lowest annual increase since November 2022. Growth over the six months to May 2026 was 1.6%, the lowest six-monthly growth since May 2022.
In dollars, the average rose from $2,051.10 a week in November 2025 to $2,083.70 in May 2026 — $32.60 a week more, or about $1,695 a year if the week were repeated 52 times. The ABS releases new figures every six months, usually in February and August, so the next update will show whether the slowdown continued. For workers, the practical effect of the slowdown is smaller than the headline suggests: a 3.7% rise on $2,083.70 is $77.10 a week before tax, and the six-month rise added only $32.60 a week.
How to Check Your Own Salary Against the Average
Start by comparing the right numbers. If you work full-time, compare your ordinary-time pay — before overtime — with $2,083.70 a week. If you work part-time or casually, compare with the all-employees average of $1,579.20 a week, or better, with the median of $1,425 a week, since the median includes part-time and casual workers.
Then add the two adjustments that change what a salary is worth. First, run your salary through the take-home pay guide to see the after-tax figure — a $108,352 salary is $83,159 in the bank. Second, check the super: 12% on top of the salary is $13,002 a year on the average, and a job quoted “including super” pays less cash than one quoted “plus super” at the same headline number.
Finally, compare within your industry and state, not against the national figure alone. A retail worker on $85,000 is above the retail average of $82,243. A mining worker on $120,000 is below the mining average of $167,658. The national average is a starting point, not a verdict.
Read more: Best Super Calculator Australia: Complete Guide 2026
Practical Tips
- Compare medians, not just averages. The typical full-time worker earns $90,532, not $108,352 — use the median when judging your own pay.
- Use ordinary time, not total pay. Overtime inflates the total-earnings figure; compare your base pay with $2,083.70 a week.
- Compare inside your industry. The $89,144 gap between mining and hospitality makes the national average meaningless for a single job.
- Convert to after-tax pay. A $108,352 salary is $83,159 after tax and Medicare in 2026–27 — check the take-home figure before judging an offer.
- Check whether super is on top. 12% on the average salary is $13,002 a year; “including super” and “plus super” are different offers.
- Wait for the next ABS release. New figures arrive every six months — the May 2026 numbers will be replaced, usually in February.
What is the average salary in Australia?
The average salary in Australia is $108,352 a year for a full-time adult, based on ABS Average Weekly Earnings of $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. It is ordinary time earnings — before tax, without overtime, and without superannuation. Across all employees, including part-time and casual workers, the average is $82,118 a year.
What is the median salary in Australia?
The median salary is $90,532 a year for full-time employees ($1,741 a week) and $74,100 a year across all employees ($1,425 a week), from the ABS Employee Earnings survey for August 2025. The median is the middle earner, so it describes the typical worker better than the average, which is pulled up by very high earners.
What is the average salary in Australia after tax?
On the average salary of $108,352, a single resident pays $23,025.60 in income tax and $2,167.04 in Medicare levy in 2026–27, keeping $83,159.36 a year — $1,599.22 a week. No low income tax offset applies at this income. The marginal rate is 30% and the effective rate is 23.3%.
Which state has the highest average salary in Australia?
The ACT has the highest average salary in Australia at $2,290.20 a week ($119,090 a year) for full-time adults in May 2026, followed by Western Australia at $2,227.40 a week. Tasmania is the lowest at $1,846.30 a week ($96,008 a year).
Which industry pays the most in Australia?
Mining pays the most, at $3,224.20 a week ($167,658 a year) for full-time adults in May 2026. Information media and telecommunications is second at $2,714.10 a week. Accommodation and food services pays the least at $1,509.90 a week ($78,515 a year).
What is the average salary in Australia per hour?
The average salary in Australia works out to $54.83 an hour on a 38-hour week ($2,083.70 ÷ 38). The national minimum wage is $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026, so the average is 2.07 times the minimum wage.
What is the gender pay gap in Australia?
The gender pay gap is 11.3% on average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults — the lowest recorded — down from 11.5% in November 2025. Full-time men averaged $2,181.00 a week and full-time women $1,934.50 a week in May 2026, a gap of $246.50 a week.
Do public sector workers earn more than private sector workers?
Yes, on average. Full-time adults in the public sector averaged $2,263.10 a week in May 2026 against $2,034.10 in the private sector — $229.00 a week more. The sectors employ different mixes of occupations, so the gap is not a like-for-like pay difference for the same job.
How much super do you get on the average salary?
At the 12% super guarantee rate, the average salary of $108,352 attracts $13,002.24 a year in superannuation, or $1,083.52 a month. Super is paid on top of the salary, not counted inside it, and it is not included in the ABS earnings figures.
How fast is the average salary growing?
Full-time average earnings rose 3.7% in the year to May 2026 — the lowest annual increase since November 2022 — and 1.6% over the six months to May 2026, the lowest six-monthly growth since May 2022. The ABS releases new figures every six months.
Final Takeaway
The average salary in Australia is $108,352 a year — $2,083.70 a week for a full-time adult, before tax, without overtime. But the typical full-time worker earns $90,532, the median, and the gap between the two is the first thing to understand. Where you work matters more: $119,090 in the ACT against $96,008 in Tasmania, and $167,658 in mining against $78,515 in hospitality.
Average salary = $2,083.70 a week (May 2026, full-time adults, ordinary time)
Annualised = $2,083.70 × 52 = $108,352 a year
Median full-time salary = $1,741 a week = $90,532 a year
Take-home on the average = $108,352 − $23,025.60 tax − $2,167.04 Medicare = $83,159.36 a year ($1,599.22 a week)
Average hourly rate = $2,083.70 ÷ 38 = $54.83 an hour
Super on the average = $108,352 × 12% = $13,002.24 a year
Check your pay against the median for your situation, the average for your industry and state, and the after-tax figure — not against a single national number. The average salary in Australia is a useful benchmark only when you know which average you are looking at.
