"What is the average salary in Australia?" sounds like a simple question, but the answer depends on which number you use. The average and the typical worker are a long way apart, and neither tells you what actually lands in your bank account. Here is what the latest figures say and what they mean for your take-home pay.
Average vs typical: two very different numbers
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults were about $2,051 a week in late 2025 — roughly $106,700 a year.
But that average is pulled up by very high earners. The median — the worker right in the middle — is a better picture of "typical". Median employee earnings sit around $1,425 a week, or about $74,000 a year, across all workers.
So when someone says "the average salary is over $100k", that is the mean for full-time workers. Most people earn meaningfully less than that, which is why the median is the more honest benchmark.
What those salaries take home
Gross salary is not what you keep. After income tax and the 2% Medicare levy, the picture for 2025-26 looks roughly like this:
- On a $74,000 salary (around the median), take-home is about $60,000 a year. See the full breakdown at $75,000 after tax.
- On a $106,000 salary (around the full-time average), take-home is about $81,000 a year. See $105,000 after tax.
Your own number depends on HELP/HECS, private health cover and salary sacrifice, so the most accurate answer comes from the Salary Tax Calculator, where you can enter your pay by year, week or hour.
Is it a "good" salary?
A good salary is relative. The same pay goes much further in a regional town than in inner Sydney, and a single person's budget looks nothing like a family's. Rather than chase a headline number, it is more useful to know your take-home pay and what it has to cover. Compare common salaries side by side with the take-home pay calculator and the $X after tax pages.
Take-home pay at different salaries (2025-26)
Gross is not what you keep. Here is roughly what common salaries leave after income tax and the 2% Medicare levy (resident, no HELP/HECS):
| Salary | Take-home (approx) | Per week |
|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | ~$50,000 | ~$960 |
| $75,000 | ~$60,200 | ~$1,160 |
| $90,000 | ~$70,400 | ~$1,355 |
| $106,000 | ~$81,300 | ~$1,565 |
| $120,000 | ~$90,800 | ~$1,745 |
See any of these in detail on the $X after tax pages, or enter your own figure in the Salary Tax Calculator.
How earnings vary
The averages hide big differences:
- Men vs women: full-time median earnings are higher for men (about $1,841 a week) than women (about $1,631 a week), reflecting both hours and occupation mix.
- Full-time vs all workers: the full-time average ($106,700) sits well above the all-employee median (about $74,000), because part-time and casual work pulls the middle down.
- Industry and location: mining, finance and professional services sit well above the average, while hospitality and retail sit below, and capital cities generally pay more than regional areas.
Comparing a job offer
When you weigh up an offer, look past the headline:
- Convert it to take-home with the Salary Tax Calculator — a $10,000 raise is worth far less after tax at higher incomes.
- Check the super rate (12% is the minimum) and whether it sits on top of or inside the quoted figure.
- Factor in the cost of living where the job is based.