Does a 14-year-old get the adult minimum wage?

No. The adult national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour from 1 July 2026. For a 14-year-old who is award-free, the rate is 36.8% of that, which is $9.73 per hour (or $12.16 casual). If a modern award or enterprise agreement covers the job, the award rate applies and may be higher.

What if a 14-year-old works under an award?

Many 14-year-olds work in retail, hospitality, or fast food, which are covered by modern awards. Those awards have their own junior rates, often higher than the award-free percentage. You must check the specific award for the correct pay rate.

Is superannuation paid on a 14-year-old's wages?

Yes, in some cases. The super guarantee requires employers to pay 12% of ordinary time earnings into a super fund for employees aged 18 and over, and for those under 18 who work more than 30 hours per week. For a 14-year-old working fewer hours, super may not be required, but if they work over 30 hours in a week, super applies. Always check the ATO rules.

Minimum Wage Australia 14-Year-Old: Legal Pay Floor and What You Need to Know

For a 14-year-old award-free employee, the legal minimum is $9.73 per hour (or $12.16 casual), with super guarantee of 12% on top.

Minimum Wage Australia 14-Year-Old: Which Pay Floor Applies?

If you are 14 years old and working in Australia—or you are an employer hiring a 14-year-old—the first question is: what is the legal minimum wage? The answer depends on whether you are covered by a modern award, an enterprise agreement, or no award at all. This guide explains the minimum wage for a 14-year-old in Australia, how it compares with the adult national minimum, and what extra payments like superannuation you must consider.

The Legal Minimum for Award-Free 14-Year-Olds

For a 14-year-old who is award-free and agreement-free, the Fair Work Commission sets a junior percentage of the adult national minimum wage. From 1 July 2026, the adult national minimum is $26.44 per hour (or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week). For employees under 16, the junior rate is 36.8% of that adult rate. That gives:

$9.73 per hour (ordinary time)
$12.16 per hour for casual employees (including the 25% casual loading)

These rates apply to national-system employees who are not covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement. Most private-sector employees are in the national system. If you work in a state public sector or local government role, or in Western Australia as a sole trader or partnership, different state awards may apply.

It is important to note that the adult national minimum wage is not the floor for everyone. Juniors, apprentices, trainees, and employees on introductory award rates or supported wages can legally be paid less. The figures above are the minimum for a 14-year-old award-free worker.

How Awards and Agreements Can Change the Rate

Many 14-year-olds work in industries covered by modern awards—for example, retail, fast food, or hospitality. Those awards often have their own junior pay scales, which may be higher than the award-free percentage. For instance, the General Retail Industry Award 2020 sets specific junior rates that increase with age and experience. If a modern award covers your job, the award rate is the legal minimum, and it may be more than $9.73 per hour.

Enterprise agreements can also set higher rates. If your employer has a registered agreement, the pay must be at least as high as the award rate (or the national minimum if no award applies). Always check the applicable award or agreement before assuming the award-free junior rate is correct.

Superannuation: An Employer Payment on Top

When discussing pay, remember that superannuation is an employer payment on top of wages. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings. For a 14-year-old, the obligation depends on hours worked. If the employee works 30 hours or more in a week, super must be paid. If they work fewer hours, the employer is not required to pay super (though some choose to). The super contribution is separate from the hourly wage and must be paid into a complying super fund.

Comparing the Legal Minimum with Other Figures

The legal minimum for a 14-year-old award-free worker is far below average earnings. According to the ABS May 2026 data, full-time adult ordinary-time earnings were $2,083.70 per week, and all employees averaged $1,579.20 per week. These averages include many experienced adults and are not relevant to a 14-year-old’s pay. The legal floor is set to protect young workers from exploitation, not to match market rates.

It is also important to distinguish the legal minimum from a survey average, an award rate, or a negotiated salary. The figures on this page are the legal floor. If you are negotiating pay, you can ask for more, but the employer cannot pay less than the applicable minimum.

What the Fair Work Commission and Ombudsman Do

The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage and modern award rates. The Fair Work Ombudsman explains and enforces these laws. If you have a dispute about underpayment, contact the Ombudsman. They can investigate and recover unpaid wages.

Internal Resources

For more detail on which pay floor applies to your situation, see our guide Which minimum wage applies. You can also browse Rate tables for award-free junior percentages and award rates.

Summary

For a 14-year-old award-free employee, the legal minimum is $9.73 per hour (ordinary) or $12.16 per hour (casual).
If a modern award or enterprise agreement covers the job, the award rate is the floor and may be higher.
Superannuation of 12% applies on top of ordinary time earnings if the employee works 30+ hours per week.
The adult national minimum of $26.44 per hour does not apply to 14-year-olds unless they are in a classification that requires it (rare).

Always verify the correct award or agreement for your industry. This site provides orientation only; it is not a pay determination or legal advice.

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