The average salary Australia workers earn crossed a symbolic milestone in 2026: full-time average earnings passed A$106,000 a year for the first time, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). But most Australians don’t feel like six-figure earners — because the median full-time salary is closer to A$90,500, and because the number on your contract isn’t what you’re actually paid. This guide breaks down what Australians really earn, what lands in the bank after tax, and the two things that make Australian pay work differently from almost anywhere else.
What Is the Average Salary in Australia?
The ABS reports full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings of A$2,051.10 (November 2025 reference period, published February 2026) — roughly A$106,600 a year, up 3.8% over the year. But that average is dragged upward by mining and senior professional salaries. The median full-time worker earns about A$90,500, and once part-time and casual workers are included, the median for all employees drops to around A$74,100.
Which number should you use? If you’re weighing a job offer or planning a move, the median is your benchmark — the average tells you how big the top end has grown, not what a typical worker takes home. The ABS also puts the full-time gender pay gap at 11.5%, the equal lowest on record, though it widens considerably once bonuses and super are counted.
The package, not the salary: superannuation and casual loading
Here’s what catches out every newcomer, and it’s the single most important thing to understand about Australian pay. The figure on your contract is rarely the whole story, because two mechanisms sit outside it.
Superannuation is compulsory retirement saving that your employer pays on top of your wage — currently 12% of ordinary earnings. On a A$100,000 salary, your employer also puts A$12,000 into your super fund, making the true cost of employing you A$112,000. It never appears in your monthly take-home, but it’s real money accumulating in your name. Always check whether a quoted salary is “plus super” or “package including super” — the difference is thousands a year.
Casual loading works the other way. Casual employees have no paid leave or sick pay, so they’re compensated with a 25% loading on their hourly rate. A casual on paper earns far more per hour than a permanent colleague doing the same job — but takes home nothing when they’re sick or on holiday. Comparing a casual rate to a salaried one without adjusting for that is the most common mistake made by workers arriving in Australia.
Average Salary After Tax in Australia
Australia has a progressive tax system with a generous tax-free threshold of A$18,200 — you pay nothing on the first chunk of income — plus a 2% Medicare levy that funds public healthcare. For someone on the median A$90,500, the effective rate lands around 22–24%, leaving take-home pay of roughly A$5,750 a month (about A$70,000 a year on a A$90,000 salary).
Compared with much of Europe, that’s a moderate tax burden for a country with universal healthcare — and remember the 12% super sitting on top, which functions as a forced savings scheme most countries don’t have.
Minimum Wage and Cost of Living in Australia
Australia has one of the highest minimum wages in the world, and it just hit a landmark. From 1 July 2026, the Fair Work Commission raised the national minimum wage to A$26.44 an hour, or A$1,004.90 a week — the first time it has ever crossed A$1,000 weekly, and roughly A$52,255 a year full-time. Casual workers on the minimum receive around A$33 an hour once the 25% loading is applied. Most Australians are actually covered by a Modern Award, an industry-specific agreement that sets rates above the national floor.
But a high wage doesn’t automatically mean a comfortable life. Housing is the biggest expense by far, and rents in Sydney and Melbourne rank among the steepest globally. A single person typically needs A$4,000–A$5,000 net per month to live comfortably in a major city, while Adelaide, regional Queensland and smaller cities stretch the same salary considerably further. The ACT often delivers the best combination of high pay and manageable costs.
Average Salary Australia by State
Earnings vary sharply across the country. Western Australia consistently tops the rankings thanks to mining and resources, closely followed by the Australian Capital Territory, where well-paid federal government roles concentrate. Tasmania and South Australia sit at the bottom. The table below shows approximate average annual full-time salaries by state.
| State | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Western Australia | A$100,000 |
| Australian Capital Territory | A$97,000 |
| New South Wales | A$92,000 |
| Victoria | A$89,000 |
| Tasmania | A$82,000 |
Read it against local housing costs, though: WA’s mining premium and the ACT’s public-sector pay both translate into real purchasing power, whereas a higher NSW salary is often absorbed entirely by Sydney rent.
Which Industries Pay the Most in Australia?
Industry is the single biggest driver of Australian pay — the top sector earns more than double the bottom one. Mining leads by a wide margin, with full-time earnings around A$171,000, lifted further by fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) rosters that pay premiums for remote rotations. Technology, finance, engineering and medicine follow, where specialists comfortably clear six figures. At the other end, accommodation and food services sit under A$80,000, because the sector runs largely on award rates and casual labour. Age matters too: earnings peak in the 35–54 bracket before tapering as workers move toward part-time roles and retirement.
How Does the Average Salary in Australia Compare?
Australian salaries sit in the upper tier globally — converted at mid-2026 rates, the average lands near US$69,000, and on the OECD’s purchasing-power measure closer to US$67,000. That’s higher than the United Kingdom and Canada, though below the United States. But the comparison flatters Australia in one way and punishes it in another: free healthcare through Medicare and compulsory 12% super are benefits many countries lack, while Sydney and Melbourne housing costs erode purchasing power faster than almost any developed city.
With a median around A$90,500 and an average above A$106,000, Australia offers some of the world’s highest wages alongside a strong quality of life. Before judging an Australian offer, check three things: whether the figure includes super, whether the role is casual or permanent, and what housing costs in that city. Together they decide what the salary is really worth. For official figures, consult the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).