Optometrist Salary Australia: The Weekly Packet – Tax, Medicare, and Super on Top

Optometrist Salary Australia: What You Actually Take Home

When searching for an optometrist salary Australia, you’ll find figures that mix legal minimums, award rates, and market averages. This guide cuts through the noise to show you the pay floor, how the Health Professionals and Support Services Award (HPSS Award) may apply, and what your weekly packet looks like after tax, Medicare, and the super guarantee.

The Legal Minimum: National Minimum Wage vs Award Rates

Every national‑system employee is entitled to at least the national minimum wage. From 1 July 2026, that is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a full‑time adult. Casual employees get a 25% loading, making it $33.05 per hour. However, most optometrists are covered by a modern award or enterprise agreement that sets a higher rate.

The HPSS Award is the most relevant modern award for health professionals. It was updated on 1 October 2026 after a Fair Work Commission review found that health professional wages had been undervalued due to gender‑based assumptions. The Award now uses the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level and years of experience to set minimum rates.

Optometrists are not explicitly listed in the Award’s classification schedule. The Fair Work Commission has not formally decided coverage. Optometry Australia’s guidance, as of late 2026, is to provisionally classify optometrists at AQF Level 9 – reflecting the master’s degree required for registration. Under that classification, the minimum hourly rates are:

• First year: $38.02
• Second to third year: $40.66
• Fourth to sixth year: $43.67
• Seventh year onwards: $46.18

These are the minimums if the Award applies. Many optometrists earn more through enterprise agreements or individual contracts. The Award also has higher classifications (Levels 2–4) for those with supervisory, specialist, or management duties, with rates up to $65.77 per hour.

Separating the Award Rate from a Survey Average

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) collects earnings data for occupations, but for optometrists and orthoptists the median full‑time earnings are not published due to high standard error. The ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) shows that for all occupations the median full‑time weekly earnings were $1,852, but optometrist‑specific figures are unavailable.

Jobs and Skills Australia reports that 59% of optometrists work full‑time, with average full‑time hours of 40 per week. Without a reliable median, you cannot compare a “typical” optometrist salary to the Award floor. The Award rate is a legal minimum; actual salaries are negotiated and often higher, especially in private practice.

The Weekly Packet: Tax, Medicare, and Super

Let’s take the Award minimum for an optometrist with four to six years of experience: $43.67 per hour, or $1,659.30 per week (38 hours). This is your gross ordinary pay. On top, your employer must pay super guarantee of 12% – that’s an extra $199.12 per week into your super account, not part of your take‑home pay.

From your gross weekly pay, you’ll pay:

• Income tax at resident rates (2026‑27). For $1,659.30/week ($86,283.60 annualised), the tax is roughly $16,400 per year, or about $315 per week.
• Medicare levy of 2% once your income exceeds $30,000. That’s about $33 per week.

After tax and Medicare, your weekly take‑home is approximately $1,311. This is an estimate; the actual amount depends on your total income, tax offsets, HELP repayments, and salary sacrifice arrangements.

If you are casual, you receive a 25% loading instead of paid leave. The Award casual loading for health professionals is 25% on the minimum rate, so $54.59 per hour. Your weekly gross would be $2,074.42, but you forgo sick leave and annual leave.

How to Use This Information

• If you are an employee: Check your pay slip against the Award rates. If you are covered by an enterprise agreement, it must leave you no worse off than the Award. Use our Rate tables to see the full Award classification structure.
• If you are an employer: Ensure you classify optometrists correctly. The provisional AQF Level 9 is a starting point, but seek professional advice. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides guidance on the HPSS Award.
• If you are negotiating a contract: The Award rate is the floor. Your experience, location, and practice type will influence your market rate. See our Guides on how to benchmark your salary.

Remember: the national minimum wage ($26.44/h) is a backstop. A modern award or enterprise agreement can require a higher rate. Juniors, apprentices, and trainees may be paid less under specific rules.

Key Takeaways

• The legal minimum for optometrists is uncertain; the HPSS Award provides a provisional floor of $38.02–$46.18 per hour.
• Super guarantee (12%) is paid on top of your ordinary time earnings.
• After tax and Medicare, a full‑time optometrist on the Award rate takes home roughly $1,311 per week.
• Actual salaries vary widely; the ABS does not publish a reliable median for this occupation.

For more detail on how these figures are calculated, see How the figures work. If you have questions about which award applies to you, visit Which minimum wage applies.