Median Salary Australia 2025: How It Compares to the Legal Pay Floor

Understanding the median salary in Australia for 2025

If you are searching for the median salary in Australia for 2025, you are likely trying to gauge where your pay sits relative to the middle of the market. This site does not have a precise median figure for that year, but we can explain the legal pay floor and how it compares with other benchmarks such as award rates and average earnings.

The legal minimum wage in 2025

From 1 July 2025, the national minimum wage was $24.95 per hour, or $948.00 per week for a 38‑hour week. This rate applies to employees who are not covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement. Casual employees received a 25% loading, making the casual minimum $31.19 per hour. These figures are set by the Fair Work Commission and enforced by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

How the weekly packet breaks down

On a weekly minimum wage of $948.00, an employee who is a resident for tax purposes and claims the tax‑free threshold would pay roughly $0 in tax if their annualised ordinary gross income is below $18,200. Above that, the marginal rate applies. Medicare levy of 2% begins once annualised ordinary gross income exceeds $30,000. For a full‑year worker on the 2025 minimum, annual earnings would be about $49,296, resulting in an estimated tax of $4,267 plus Medicare of $986, leaving a net weekly amount of approximately $748. This is a simplified model that excludes the low income tax offset, HELP repayments, and salary sacrifice.

Award and agreement rates

Many employees are covered by a modern award, which sets minimum pay rates higher than the national minimum. For example, the lowest ongoing classification in a modern award cannot fall below $24.95 per hour from July 2025. Introductory rates for the first six months are capped at $24.30 per hour. If you are covered by an award, your employer must pay at least the award rate. Enterprise agreements can also set higher rates. To find out which pay floor applies to you, see Which minimum wage applies and browse the Rate tables for award classifications.

The ABS average earnings comparison

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported that full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings were $2,083.70 per week in May 2026. The average total earnings for all employees (including part‑time and casual) was $1,579.20 per week. These averages are higher than the minimum wage, but they are not medians. The median—the middle point where half earn more and half earn less—is typically lower than the average because high incomes pull the average up. Without a published median for 2025, we cannot give a direct comparison, but you can use the average as a rough upper bound.

Super guarantee on top

Employers must pay super guarantee of 12% on top of ordinary time earnings. For the 2025 minimum wage of $948 per week, the employer contributes an additional $113.76 in super, making the total cost to the employer $1,061.76 per week. This super is not deducted from the employee’s wage; it is an extra payment into the employee’s super fund.

Summary

While the exact median salary for Australia in 2025 is not available in this reference, the legal minimum wage provides a clear floor. Most workers are entitled to more than the minimum through awards or agreements. For a personalised assessment, consult the Fair Work Ombudsman or a workplace relations professional. For more details on how pay floors are set, see How the figures work.