What is the average salary in Australia?

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), full-time adult ordinary-time earnings averaged $2,083.70 per week in May 2026. This is a survey average, not a legal entitlement. The all-employees average total earnings were $1,579.20 per week. These figures are before tax and super.

How does the average salary compare to the minimum wage?

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for an adult award-free employee. The average full-time salary is roughly double that. However, many workers are covered by modern awards or enterprise agreements that set higher minimum rates than the national floor.

Does the average salary include superannuation?

No, the ABS average earnings figures are ordinary-time earnings before super. Employers must pay the super guarantee of 12% on top of ordinary time earnings. So total remuneration for the average full-time employee would be about $2,083.70 plus $250.04 in super, making $2,333.74 per week in total employment cost.

Average Salary Aus: How the Weekly Packet Compares with the National Minimum Wage

The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour ($1,004.90 per week), while the ABS average full-time adult weekly earnings are $2,083.70.

Average Salary Aus: Understanding the Weekly Packet

When people search for "average salary aus", they usually want a benchmark to compare their own pay against. The most common figure is the ABS full-time adult average weekly ordinary-time earnings, which stood at $2,083.70 per week in May 2026. That is a survey average, not a legal floor. The legal minimum is set by the Fair Work Commission and is much lower: $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for an adult award-free employee from 1 July 2026.

Legal Minimum vs Survey Average

The national minimum wage applies to employees who are not covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement. It is the absolute pay floor. The ABS average, by contrast, reflects what employers actually pay across the whole economy. Many workers earn above the minimum because they are covered by an award that sets higher rates, or because they have negotiated a higher salary. The Fair Work Ombudsman explains and enforces the legal minimum, but the Ombudsman does not set it—that is the role of the Fair Work Commission.

If you are award-free and agreement-free, your minimum is the national minimum. But if a modern award covers your job, the award rate will almost always be higher. The award backstop from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour for ongoing employees, but introductory rates (first six months) are $25.74 per hour. Juniors, apprentices, and trainees have their own percentages or award rates. For award-free juniors, the percentages range from 36.8% for under 16 to 97.7% for 20-year-olds.

The Weekly Packet: Tax, Medicare, and Super

The average salary aus figure of $2,083.70 per week is before tax and before super. Employers must pay super guarantee of 12% on top of ordinary time earnings. So the total employment cost for an average full-time employee is about $2,333.74 per week.

On the tax side, the average earner is well above the tax-free threshold. For the 2026-27 income year, resident rates apply with the full tax-free threshold. Medicare levy is estimated at 2% once annualised ordinary gross income reaches $30,000. So someone earning $2,083.70 per week ($108,352.40 annually) would pay income tax at marginal rates plus the Medicare levy on most of their income. The exact amount depends on tax brackets, which are not detailed in this reference, but the take-home pay would be significantly less than the gross figure.

How the Figures Work

The ABS average is a useful indicator, but it does not guarantee any individual's pay. The national minimum wage is the only legal floor. If you are covered by a modern award, check the rate tables for your classification. If you are award-free, the national minimum applies unless an enterprise agreement sets a higher rate.

Remember that the adult weekly national minimum is the published $1,004.90 figure. Multiplying $26.44 by 38 ordinary hours gives $1,004.72 due to rounding, but the official weekly rate is $1,004.90. Casual employees get a 25% loading, so the casual minimum is $33.05 per hour or $1,255.90 per week (38 hours).

What About State System Employees?

Most private-sector employees are in the national system. However, some state public sector and local government employees, and some Western Australian sole traders and partnerships, are covered by state awards. Those state awards may have different minimum rates, but they cannot be lower than the national minimum for national-system employees. If you are unsure which system applies, see Which minimum wage applies for guidance.

Conclusion

The average salary aus is a helpful benchmark, but your legal entitlement is the national minimum wage or the applicable award rate, whichever is higher. Always check your award or agreement. The figures on this site are for orientation only—they are not a pay determination or legal advice. For personalised information, consult the Fair Work Ombudsman or a qualified professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

See the FAQs above for common queries about the average salary, the minimum wage, and superannuation.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.