Cardiothoracic surgeon salary: legal floor and what the reference shows

Cardiothoracic surgeon salary: legal floor and what the reference shows

The keyword "cardiothoracic surgeon salary is a common search for anyone wanting to know how a specialist medical salary compares with the legal minimum. This guide explains the only figure available in our reference: the national minimum wage. Actual cardiothoracic surgeon salaries are negotiated and can be much higher, but we do not have a market average or survey figure here.

The legal minimum floor

For award-free and agreement-free employees in the national system, the adult national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week. Casual employees receive $33.05 per hour. This is the absolute legal floor set by the Fair Work Commission. The Fair Work Ombudsman enforces these rates.

Most cardiothoracic surgeons are not award-free; they work under enterprise agreements or individual contracts that pay far above this floor. However, if no agreement or award applies, the national minimum is the backstop. Junior rates do not apply because surgeons are adults.

Award rates and enterprise agreements

Some surgeons in public hospitals may be covered by a medical practitioner award or a state award. Modern awards can set higher minimum rates than the national minimum. Enterprise agreements can also set higher rates. The reference does not contain a specific award classification for cardiothoracic surgeons, so we cannot give a precise award rate. If an award applies, the lowest ongoing classification must be at least $26.44 per hour, but introductory rates for the first six months can be $25.74 per hour.

Negotiated salaries and the absence of a market rate

Cardiothoracic surgeons typically earn salaries that reflect their extensive training and skill. These are set by individual contracts, not by the national minimum. The on-site reference does not include any survey averages, median, or employer-reported figures for this occupation. Therefore, we cannot provide a market rate. For example, the ABS May 2026 full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week is a general economy-wide average, but it is not specific to surgeons. We do not invent a figure for cardiothoracic surgeons.

Super on top: the employer payment on top

When discussing any salary, remember that super is an employer payment on top of ordinary time earnings. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% on top. For a surgeon earning a negotiated salary, the employer must add 12% super. This is separate from the salary figure.

Tax and Medicare in the weekly packet

The angle of this guide is the weekly packet: tax, Medicare, and super on top. For the national minimum wage, the weekly gross is $1,004.90. After tax and Medicare (estimated 2% once annualised ordinary gross reaches $30,000), the net take-home is lower. But for a cardiothoracic surgeon, the gross salary is unknown from this reference, so we cannot calculate a net. The low-income tax offset and other adjustments apply to lower earners, not to high earners.

How to use this information

If you are a cardiothoracic surgeon or an employer, the legal floor is clear. But actual pay is set by negotiation or agreement. For more on which minimum applies, see Which minimum wage applies and Rate tables. For methodology, see How the figures work.

Summary

The only figure in the reference for a cardiothoracic surgeon salary is the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour. Actual salaries are far higher but not specified here. Always check your award or agreement for a higher rate. Super is paid on top.