The average full-time salary in Australia crossed $106,000 per year in early 2026 a symbolic six-figure milestone that immediately prompted the obvious question: why does payday not feel that way?The honest answer is that national averages hide more than they reveal. A surgeon in Sydney and a retail worker in Hobart both feature in that number. The figure most Australians actually live around is the median and that sits considerably lower.
This guide works through what Australian wages look like in practice: the real numbers from the ABS, what drives the gap between industries and states, which roles are genuinely well-paid, and what ‘a good salary’ actually means once cost of living enter the picture.
Average and Median Salary in Australia: The Key Figures
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, released in February 2026 and covering the November 2025 reference period, puts average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults at $2,051.10. Annualised, that is approximately $106,657.
The average is a mean and it is pulled upward by a small number of very high earners. Surgeons, specialist physicians, and senior mining executives sit at the top of the distribution, and their incomes skew the national figure well above what most employed Australians take home.
The median tells a more grounded story. According to ABS Employee Earnings data from August 2025, the median weekly earnings across all employees including part-time workers were $1,425 per week, or roughly $74,100 per year. For full-time workers specifically, the median sits at $1,741 per week, closer to $90,500 annually.
If you want one number that reflects where most people sit, the full-time median of around $90,000 is the better benchmark. The six-figure average is accurate as a statistical measure; it just describes the distribution, not the typical experience.
| Measure | Weekly | Annual (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Average full-time earnings (ordinary time) | $2,051.10 | $106,657 |
| Average full-time earnings (incl. overtime) | $2,086.30 | $108,488 |
| Median earnings all employees | $1,425.00 | $74,100 |
| Median earnings full-time workers | $1,741.00 | $90,532 |
| National minimum wage | $948.10 | $49,301 |
Sources: ABS Average Weekly Earnings, November 2025; ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025; Fair Work Commission 2025 minimum wage decision.
Average Salary by Industry
Industry choice is the single biggest driver of income in Australia. The gap between the top and bottom sectors now exceeds $90,000 per year for full-time workers. Where you work matters far more than where you live.
| Industry | Avg Weekly Earnings (Full-Time) | Approx Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Mining | $3,286.50 | $170,898 |
| Information Media & Telecommunications | $2,406.00 | $125,112 |
| Financial & Insurance Services | $2,116.00 | $110,032 |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $2,051.00 | $106,652 |
| Public Administration & Safety | $2,167.00 | $112,684 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $1,891.00 | $98,332 |
| Education & Training | $1,871.00 | $97,292 |
| Construction | $1,876.00 | $97,552 |
| Retail Trade | $1,539.00 | $80,028 |
| Accommodation & Food Services | $1,527.00 | $79,404 |
Source: ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, November 2025 (full-time adult ordinary time earnings by industry). Figures are rounded.
Mining’s position at the top reflects global resource demand, shift premiums, and the remote area conditions attached to most roles. Fly-in fly-out (FIFO) arrangements where workers rotate between site and home on a roster cycle, typically two weeks on and one week off are standard in the sector and are compensated accordingly.
The professional services and technology sectors have seen significant upward movement as roles involving AI systems implementation, cybersecurity, and data infrastructure command premiums that did not exist five years ago.
Health care and education sit mid-table by industry average, though both contain wide internal variation. A staff specialist physician and a hospital cleaner both fall under health care. The industry average smooths over those differences considerably.
Average Salary by State and Territory
State-level salary differences are driven almost entirely by industry mix. Western Australia and the ACT sit at the top for different reasons: WA because of mining, the ACT because of federal public service concentration.
| State / Territory | Approx Annual Full-Time Earnings | Key Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Western Australia | $110,000 | Mining and resources |
| Australian Capital Territory | $105,000 | Federal public service |
| New South Wales | $100,000 – $112,000 | Finance, professional services |
| Victoria | $95,000 | Diverse economy |
| Queensland | $90,000 | Mining regions, services in SEQ |
| Northern Territory | $90,000 | Mining, defence (small sample) |
| South Australia | $85,000 | Manufacturing, defence |
| Tasmania | $80,000 | Smaller economy, fewer high-pay industries |
Source: ABS Average Weekly Earnings (November 2025) and FairWorkMate state analysis. Figures are estimates rounded to the nearest $5,000.
One important caveat: capital cities within each state typically pay 10 to 20 percent above regional areas for equivalent roles. The WA average is heavily influenced by Perth metro salaries alongside the outsized FIFO mining incomes from regional centres like Karratha and Port Hedland.
For workers arriving from overseas, the ACT often gets overlooked. Canberra’s salary floor is high, housing costs are substantially lower than Sydney or Melbourne, and competition for professional roles is less intense. On a net-income basis, it performs better than its name recognition suggests.
How Salary Changes with Age and Experience
Australian earnings follow a predictable career arc. Entry-level workers under 25 earn well below the national median, and earnings rise sharply through the late twenties and thirties as people accumulate qualifications, experience, and management responsibility. Peak earnings typically land in the 45 to 54 age bracket.
| Age Group | Approx Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | $55,000 | Entry-level, many part-time or casual |
| 25 – 34 | $82,000 | Early career, credential-building years |
| 35 – 44 | $100,000 | Mid-career, often moving into senior roles |
| 45 – 54 | $105,000 | Peak earning years, senior management |
| 55 – 64 | $95,000 | Some shift to part-time approaching retirement |
| 65+ | $80,000 | Those still working, typically consulting or professional |
Source: FairWorkMate analysis of ABS earnings data by age cohort, 2025.
The jump from under-25 to 35-44 is striking earnings nearly double over roughly a decade. Most modern awards and enterprise agreements (formal workplace agreements negotiated between employers and employee representatives, often with union involvement) include annual incremental pay steps tied to years of service, which automate some of that progression.
What Is a Good Salary in Australia in 2026?
The definition of a good salary depends entirely on where you live and what you are trying to do with the money. But some concrete benchmarks are worth having.
Earning above the median full-time salary of $90,500 puts you in the top half of full-time workers. Reaching $100,000 places you in roughly the top 30% of full-time earners nationally. At $150,000, you are comfortably in a high-income bracket by any standard Australian benchmark.
As a rough guide for single people:
- $70,000 – $80,000: Manageable in regional cities or lower-cost capitals. Tight in Sydney or Melbourne, particularly with rent.
- $90,000 – $110,000: Comfortable in most Australian cities. Savings are possible, lifestyle is reasonable.
- $120,000 – $140,000: Strong single income. Mortgage servicing becomes feasible in most cities except prime Sydney.
- $150,000+: High income by national standards. Top 15 to 20% of full-time earners.
For families, the dynamics shift. A combined household income of $180,000 to $200,000 is generally considered the threshold for financial comfort in a major capital city defined as covering housing, childcare, transport, and modest savings without sustained pressure.
One figure that surprises many people: roughly 25% of Australian taxpayers now report taxable income above $100,000. That number has grown substantially over the past decade and reflects both real wage growth and the long-term effects of bracket creep where inflation pushes nominal wages into higher tax brackets even when real purchasing power has not changed.
Is $70,000 or $60,000 a Good Salary in Australia?
Both figures sit below the median full-time salary of around $90,500, which means statistically they represent below-average full-time pay. Whether they are adequate depends on location.
$70,000 in Adelaide or regional Queensland is a workable income. Rents are lower, lifestyle costs are manageable, and the gap between income and basic expenses is navigable. The same $70,000 in inner-city Sydney, where a one-bedroom apartment regularly runs $550 to $650 per week, creates a significantly tighter financial position.
$60,000 is below the threshold where comfortable single living in any major capital city is straightforward without financial trade-offs. It sits close to median earnings for all workers including part-time, which contextualises the number many people on $60,000 are working part-time or in entry-level roles where that income is understood as transitional.
The more useful question than ‘is this good?’ is whether the salary is competitive for the specific role and location. Award minimum rates set a legal floor, and many roles pay substantially above them.
Is $100,000 a Good Salary in Australia?
A $100,000 salary is above average and puts you comfortably in the top 30% of full-time earners nationally. In most Australian cities, it supports a reasonable standard of living.
After income tax and the Medicare levy, $100,000 gross becomes approximately $71,700 in annual take-home pay around $1,379 per week. From that figure, rent, transport, food, and general expenses need to be covered. In Adelaide, Brisbane, or Canberra, this is genuinely comfortable. In Sydney’s inner suburbs, it is more constrained.
Superannuation adds another layer. From 1 July 2025, the Superannuation Guarantee rate increased to 12 percent meaning your employer contributes an additional $12,000 per year to your super fund on a $100,000 salary. That does not appear in your take-home pay, but it represents real compensation that many people undercount when evaluating total remuneration.
Highest Paying Jobs in Australia
The top of Australia’s income distribution is dominated by medical specialists, followed by senior finance and legal roles, then the resource sector. These are average figures from ATO data individual salaries vary significantly based on practice volume, seniority, and location.
| Occupation | Average Annual Income | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | $472,475 | ATO data (2022-23) |
| Anaesthetist | $447,193 | ATO data (2022-23) |
| Financial Dealer | $355,233 | ATO data (2022-23) |
| Internal Medicine Specialist | $330,000+ | ATO/industry estimates |
| Senior Mining Site Manager (FIFO) | $270,000 – $310,000 | Industry data |
| Corporate Lawyer (Partner) | $260,000+ | Industry data |
| Senior AI / Data Architect | $220,000 – $260,000 | Tech sector reports 2025 |
| General Practitioner | $180,000 – $250,000 | Medicare Benefits Schedule / industry |
| Senior Executive (ASX-listed) | $250,000+ | ASIC remuneration reports |
Note: ATO occupation income figures are from 2022-23 tax data, the most recent year published. Senior tech and mining roles reflect 2025 industry benchmarks.
Medicine’s dominance at the top is structural, not incidental. A surgeon or anaesthetist requires 12 to 16 years of training and assessment. Supply is constrained by the number of specialist training places, which the relevant medical colleges control. The combination of genuine scarcity and high complexity of service sustains those income levels.
The fastest-growing segment near the top is senior technology specifically roles involving large-scale AI infrastructure and enterprise cybersecurity. Compensation for these roles has moved sharply upward since 2023 and continues to do so.
Planning your move? > Calculate your potential take-home pay and budget with our Comprehensive Cost of Living Guide and see which Australian Job Sites are best for your industry.
What Jobs Pay $300,000 or More in Australia?
Reaching $300,000 in individual income requires either specialist medical credentials, senior financial or legal roles at the partnership or executive level, or significant resource-sector seniority. The jobs that reliably land above this threshold in Australia are:
- Surgeons and specialist physicians the most consistent $300,000+ cohort by volume
- Anaesthetists comparable earnings to surgeons with a different procedural focus
- Financial dealers and senior investment banking professionals
- Senior partners at top-tier law firms (Allens, Herbert Smith Freehills, King & Wood Mallesons)
- Chief Financial Officers and Chief Executive Officers at ASX 200-listed companies
- Head of Treasury or Head of Tax roles at major corporations Hays salary data puts these at $400,000 to $410,000 in Sydney
- Senior FIFO mining managers and project directors on major resource projects
What Is the Top 1% and Top 10% Income in Australia?
Based on ATO data analysed by the Grattan Institute for the 2022-23 financial year, the income threshold for Australia’s top 1% of earners sits at approximately $375,000 in individual taxable income per year. The top 1% income threshold grew 19% between 2019 and 2023, faster than wages for the broad workforce.
The top 10% begins at roughly $137,000 to $161,000 depending on the specific dataset and methodology used. ABS data from late 2025 puts median top-decile household income at $286,500 per year, though this reflects household rather than individual earnings.
One figure worth anchoring this: the top marginal income tax rate of 45 cents in the dollar applies to taxable income above $190,000. A person earning $375,000 pays that marginal rate on everything above $190,000, with an effective rate (total tax as a share of gross income) of approximately 43 to 45 percent after the Medicare levy.
Superannuation: The Component Most Salary Comparisons Ignore
Superannuation is Australia’s mandatory employer-funded retirement savings system. Under the Superannuation Guarantee (SG), employers must contribute a percentage of your ordinary time earnings to a compliant superannuation fund in addition to your salary not deducted from it.
From 1 July 2025, the SG rate is 12 percent. On a $90,000 salary, that is an additional $10,800 per year in employer contributions that never appears in your pay slip but represents real compensation. On $150,000, it is $18,000 per year.
Many job advertisements quote salary figures that do not include super, and many people comparing Australian incomes to overseas alternatives make comparisons on the gross salary figure alone. Including employer superannuation contributions changes the picture materially.
Income Tax in Australia: What You Actually Take Home
Australia uses a progressive income tax system, meaning higher income brackets attract higher marginal rates. The marginal rate is the percentage paid on each additional dollar earned above a threshold it does not apply to your entire income.
The 2025-26 income tax brackets for Australian residents are:
| Taxable Income | Tax Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $18,200 | Nil | Tax-free threshold |
| $18,201 – $45,000 | 16% | Stage 3 rate from 1 July 2024 |
| $45,001 – $135,000 | 30% | Largest bracket by income range |
| $135,001 – $190,000 | 37% | |
| $190,001+ | 45% | Plus 2% Medicare levy on all income |
Source: ATO 2025-26 income tax rates. Medicare levy of 2% applies to most residents in addition to income tax. Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) of up to $700 applies for incomes below $66,667.
In practical terms, a person earning $90,000 gross takes home approximately $67,500 to $68,000 per year after income tax and the Medicare levy. The marginal rate on that income is 30%, but the effective rate total tax as a proportion of gross income is considerably lower, around 24 to 25 percent.
One change taking effect from 1 July 2026: the 16% rate on the first bracket above the threshold will reduce to 15%, with a further reduction to 14% planned for July 2027. This provides modest relief for low and middle income earners in the years ahead.
Real Wages vs Nominal Wages: Where Things Stand in 2026
Nominal wages are what appears on your pay slip. Real wages measure what that figure actually buys after inflation is factored in.
Through much of 2022 and 2023, real wages fell in Australia despite nominal pay rises, because the Consumer Price Index (CPI) the standard measure of inflation was outrunning salary growth. Housing, groceries, and energy costs were rising faster than most workers’ pay.
By 2025 and into 2026, that trend reversed. ABS data shows average weekly earnings grew 3.8% in the year to November 2025, while headline inflation has eased considerably from its 2022 peak. For most workers, real purchasing power is recovering, though the losses from the high-inflation period have not been fully made up.
One structural factor remains: housing costs in Sydney and Melbourne have not followed inflation downward to the same degree as other consumer goods. For workers in those cities, the improvement in real wages feels less decisive than the national data suggests.
The Gender Pay Gap
The national gender pay gap in Australia sits at approximately 14.5% based on full-time ordinary time earnings, according to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). Male full-time workers average around $105,000 per year; female full-time workers average around $90,000.
The gap is widest in financial and insurance services (23%), mining (20%), and professional services (18%). It narrows significantly in health care (8%), education (5%), and public administration (6%). These variations reflect both occupational concentration and differences in industry-level bargaining outcomes.
WGEA now requires employers with 100 or more employees to publish gender pay gap data a transparency obligation that did not exist before 2023 and is beginning to produce measurable accountability pressure on larger organisations.
FAQ
Q. What is the average salary in Australia in 2026?
A. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for November 2025 puts average full-time ordinary time earnings at $2,051.10 per week, or approximately $106,657 per year. The median full-time salary a more representative figure for most workers is closer to $90,500 per year.
Q. Is $70,000 a good salary in Australia?
A. $70,000 is below the median full-time salary of $90,500. It is workable in lower-cost cities like Adelaide or regional Queensland, but creates a tight financial position in Sydney or Melbourne where rent and housing costs are significantly higher.
Q. Is $100,000 a good salary in Australia?
A. Yes $100,000 is above average and places you in roughly the top 30% of full-time earners nationally. After tax and Medicare levy it becomes approximately $71,700 per year in take-home pay. Employer superannuation contributions of 12% add a further $12,000 that does not appear in take-home pay but forms part of total compensation.
Q. What is the top 1% salary in Australia?
A. Based on ATO data and Grattan Institute analysis of 2022-23 figures, the income threshold for Australia’s top 1% of earners is approximately $375,000 in individual taxable income per year. Medical specialists surgeons and anaesthetists in particular make up the largest occupational group within that cohort.
Q. What jobs earn $300,000 or more a year in Australia?
A. Surgical and anaesthetic specialists consistently earn above $300,000. Senior financial dealers, law firm partners, CFOs and CEOs of major listed companies, and senior resource-sector project managers also reach this threshold. Outside medicine, reaching $300,000 typically requires either deep specialist expertise at the executive level or significant commercial and leadership responsibility.
Q. What is the top 10% salary in Australia?
A. The top 10% of individual income earners in Australia begins at roughly $137,000 to $161,000 depending on the data source and methodology. ABS household data from late 2025 puts the top decile of household income at over $286,500 per year, though that figure reflects combined household earnings rather than individual salaries.
Q. Which state pays the highest salaries in Australia?
A. Western Australia consistently tops the state rankings for full-time earnings, driven by the mining and resources sector. The Australian Capital Territory comes second due to the high concentration of senior public service roles. NSW ranks third but carries a significantly higher cost of living that offsets some of the salary advantage.
Q. Is $5,000 AUD per month enough to live in Australia?
A. $5,000 per month gross is $60,000 per year below the median full-time salary. After tax, take-home pay is approximately $3,920 per month. That is manageable in regional cities or lower-cost capitals with careful budgeting. In Sydney or Melbourne, it covers basic expenses but leaves limited margin for savings or discretionary spending.
Summary
Australia’s average full-time salary crossed $106,000 in 2026, but the median full-time salary the figure that reflects where most workers actually sit is around $90,500. Industry is the largest single driver of earnings: mining workers average close to $171,000 per year, while accommodation and food services workers average under $80,000.
A $100,000 salary is above average and puts you in the top 30% of full-time earners, though its practical value depends heavily on where you live. Sydney and Melbourne compress purchasing power significantly. The ACT, Adelaide, and regional Queensland offer a better return on equivalent salaries.
Superannuation matters. The 12% employer contribution that sits alongside every Australian salary is real income that most comparisons with overseas salaries ignore. Add it before drawing conclusions about whether Australian pay is competitive.
For anyone moving to Australia for work, understanding the industry you are entering, the state you are going to, and the award or enterprise agreement covering your role gives a far more accurate picture than any national average.
Disclaimer: Salary figures in this article are drawn from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Average Weekly Earnings survey (November 2025), ABS Employee Earnings data (August 2025), and ATO published data. Figures represent gross income before tax and do not include superannuation unless stated. Pay rates change over time always verify current figures with the ABS, Fair Work Ombudsman, or a registered migration agent before making financial or visa decisions.
