What is the minimum pay for an oncologist in Australia?

For an oncologist who is not covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement, the legal minimum is the national minimum wage: $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week, or $33.05 per hour for casual work (from 1 July 2026). However, most oncologists are employed under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 or a hospital enterprise agreement, which set higher minimum rates. Always check the applicable award or agreement first.

Does the ABS publish a median salary for oncologists?

No. The ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours does not produce median weekly earnings for 6-digit ANZSCO occupations such as medical oncologists (253314). Jobs and Skills Australia also reports 'N/A' for median weekly earnings. The most recent Census data (2021) shows that 79% of medical oncologists work full-time, averaging 47 hours per week, but no dollar figure is available from those sources.

How does superannuation affect an oncologist's total pay?

Superannuation is paid on top of ordinary time earnings. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings. For example, if an oncologist's base salary is $150,000, the employer must contribute an additional $18,000 into super. This is not part of the take-home pay but is a compulsory retirement saving.

Oncologist Salary in Australia: Which Pay Floor Applies and What People Often Get Wrong

No official median weekly earnings are published for medical oncologists, but the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour (or $1,004.90 per week) applies as the legal floor for award-free employees, with higher rates set by awards or agreements.

What the 'oncologist salary' figure really means

When people search for an 'oncologist salary', they often expect a single number like $200,000 or $300,000. In reality, Australian pay data for medical oncologists is limited. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Jobs and Skills Australia do not publish a median weekly earnings figure for this occupation. The most recent Census (2021) tells us that 79% of medical oncologists work full-time, averaging 47 hours per week, and the median age is 43. But without a published median, any specific dollar figure you see online is likely a guess or an average from a small sample.

The legal minimum: the national minimum wage

The only guaranteed pay floor for any employee in Australia is the national minimum wage, set by the Fair Work Commission. From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 for a 38-hour week. Casual employees get a 25% loading, making it $33.05 per hour. This applies to award-free and agreement-free employees in the national system.

However, medical oncologists are highly skilled specialists. They are almost always covered by a modern award or an enterprise agreement. The most relevant modern award is the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020, which has classification levels for health professionals. The minimum rates in that award are higher than the national minimum wage. For example, a Health Professional Level 1 (graduate) rate from 1 October 2026 is around $35 per hour (exact figures vary by classification). Oncologists with more experience or in senior roles would be classified at higher levels, with correspondingly higher minimum rates.

The difference between minimum, award, and negotiated salary

It is important to separate three concepts:

Legal minimum: The national minimum wage or the applicable award minimum. This is the lowest amount an employer can legally pay.
Award rate: The minimum set by a specific modern award. For oncologists, this is typically the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 or a public hospital award.
Negotiated salary: The actual amount agreed between the employer and employee, which can be much higher than the award rate. Many oncologists work under enterprise agreements or individual contracts that pay well above the minimum.

Superannuation (12% from 1 July 2026) is paid on top of the base salary. It is not deducted from the advertised salary; it is an additional employer contribution.

What the data does show

Jobs and Skills Australia reports that there are about 930 medical oncologists employed in Australia (as of February 2026). The workforce is evenly split by gender (49% female) and has a median age of 43. Nearly half (49.7%) hold a postgraduate qualification. The average full-time hours are 47 per week, which is above the national average of 44 hours for all occupations.

These figures give context but not a dollar amount. For a reliable estimate of what oncologists actually earn, you would need to look at advertised positions, enterprise agreements, or industry surveys. The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database contains the minimum rates for health professionals under the relevant award, but those are floors, not typical earnings.

Common misconceptions

'Oncologist salary is $X': Without a published median, any specific number should be treated with caution. The ABS does not provide one.
'The national minimum wage applies to everyone': No. Most oncologists are covered by awards or agreements that set higher rates. The national minimum is only the fallback for award-free employees.
'Super is part of the salary': Super is an employer contribution on top of the salary. When comparing job offers, always compare base salary, then add super separately.

How to find the right pay floor for you

If you are an oncologist or an employer, start by identifying which modern award covers the role. The Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 is common for private practice. Public hospitals often have their own enterprise agreements. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides free advice and tools to check award coverage. For award-free employees, the national minimum wage applies.

For more detail on how minimum wages work in Australia, see our Which minimum wage applies guide and our Rate tables for current figures.

Summary

No official median salary exists for medical oncologists from the ABS or Jobs and Skills Australia.
The legal minimum is the national minimum wage of $26.44/h, but award rates are higher.
Superannuation of 12% is paid on top of ordinary time earnings.
Always check the applicable award or agreement before setting a pay rate.

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