Average Salary in Australia
Full-time adults earned $2,083.70 a week on average in May 2026, about $108,400 a year. The median employee earned $1,425 a week in August 2025. Both are Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.
Average and median earnings
The ABS publishes weekly earnings, not annual salaries. The annual column below multiplies the weekly figure by 52, so it is an annualised figure rather than something the ABS measured over a year. The average and the median answer different questions, so both are shown.
| Measure | Period | Per week | Annualised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average, full-time adults, ordinary time earnings | May 2026 | $2,083.70 | $108,352 |
| Average, full-time adults, total earnings | May 2026 | $2,156.50 | $112,138 |
| Average, all employees, total earnings | May 2026 | $1,579.20 | $82,118 |
| Median, full-time employees, main job | August 2025 | $1,741 | $90,532 |
| Median, all employees, main job | August 2025 | $1,425 | $74,100 |
The average is the mean: total earnings divided by the number of earners, so very high earners lift it. The median is the middle earner, with half of employees above and half below. The headline ABS average covers full-time adults while the all-employee median includes part-time and casual work, so the two do not describe the same group of people.
The average weekly earnings figures were released on 13 August 2026. The ABS notes that movements in average earnings can come from changes in the mix of full-time, part-time and casual employees, occupations and industries, not only from pay rises. The median series comes from the August 2025 Characteristics of Employment survey, which the ABS says was the last conducted in its current form.
Average salary by sex
| May 2026, average per week | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time adults, ordinary time | $2,181.00 | $1,934.50 |
| Full-time adults, total earnings | $2,282.60 | $1,963.40 |
| All employees, total earnings | $1,832.80 | $1,336.00 |
| Median, full-time employees (August 2025) | $1,841 | $1,631 |
| Median, all employees (August 2025) | $1,600 | $1,250 |
The ABS cautions that male and female averages do not allow for differences in occupation or hours worked, which can change the gap significantly.
Average salary by state and territory
Average weekly ordinary time earnings, full-time adults, May 2026.
| State or territory | Persons per week | Annualised | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACT | $2,290.20 | $119,090 | $2,331.90 | $2,244.20 |
| WA | $2,227.40 | $115,825 | $2,378.70 | $1,945.10 |
| NSW | $2,108.80 | $109,658 | $2,204.50 | $1,970.70 |
| Vic. | $2,041.10 | $106,137 | $2,140.90 | $1,889.60 |
| Qld | $2,039.70 | $106,064 | $2,122.00 | $1,908.20 |
| NT | $1,984.10 | $103,173 | $2,095.30 | $1,853.50 |
| SA | $1,970.20 | $102,450 | $2,043.20 | $1,858.00 |
| Tas. | $1,846.30 | $96,008 | $1,854.90 | $1,830.20 |
| Australia | $2,083.70 | $108,352 | $2,181.00 | $1,934.50 |
Public and private sector
| May 2026 | Full-time adults, per week | Annualised | All employees, per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private sector | $2,034.10 | $105,773 | $1,498.70 |
| Public sector | $2,263.10 | $117,681 | $1,928.00 |
Full-time ordinary time earnings are shown in the first two columns; the last is total earnings for all employees. For Commonwealth public servants see the APS pay calculator and the teacher salary scales by state.
Average salary by industry
Average weekly ordinary time earnings, full-time adults, May 2026, highest to lowest by persons.
| Industry | Persons per week | Annualised | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining | $3,224.20 | $167,658 | $3,321.40 | $2,848.90 |
| Information media & telecommunications | $2,714.10 | $141,133 | $2,911.70 | $2,324.40 |
| Electricity, gas, water & waste services | $2,546.00 | $132,392 | $2,640.80 | $2,263.50 |
| Professional, scientific & technical services | $2,389.60 | $124,259 | $2,570.80 | $2,082.00 |
| Financial & insurance services | $2,341.30 | $121,748 | $2,569.60 | $2,083.00 |
| Education & training | $2,197.90 | $114,291 | $2,306.80 | $2,140.10 |
| Public administration & safety | $2,179.80 | $113,350 | $2,219.10 | $2,133.00 |
| Health care & social assistance | $2,037.20 | $105,934 | $2,474.10 | $1,875.50 |
| Transport, postal & warehousing | $2,032.30 | $105,680 | $2,073.10 | $1,886.10 |
| Construction | $1,985.30 | $103,236 | $1,994.20 | $1,932.20 |
| Wholesale trade | $1,982.90 | $103,111 | $2,041.70 | $1,840.10 |
| Rental, hiring & real estate services | $1,979.60 | $102,939 | $2,090.90 | $1,816.70 |
| Administrative & support services | $1,950.00 | $101,400 | $2,137.40 | $1,618.10 |
| Arts & recreation services | $1,877.40 | $97,625 | $2,020.80 | $1,680.80 |
| Manufacturing | $1,843.10 | $95,841 | $1,884.60 | $1,702.10 |
| Other services | $1,621.70 | $84,328 | $1,599.30 | $1,660.10 |
| Retail trade | $1,581.60 | $82,243 | $1,629.60 | $1,505.90 |
| Accommodation & food services | $1,509.90 | $78,515 | $1,580.00 | $1,413.50 |
Median household income
Household income adds up everyone's income in a home, so it is a different measure from a salary. The latest ABS release covers 2019-20.
| 2019-20 | Per week | Annualised |
|---|---|---|
| Median gross household income | $1,786 | $92,872 |
| Mean gross household income | $2,329 | $121,108 |
| Median equivalised disposable household income | $959 | $49,868 |
The ABS has said no outputs will be released from the Survey of Income and Housing 2023-24, so these are the latest ABS household figures.
From salary to take-home pay
Use the income tax calculator to turn a salary into tax, Medicare levy and take-home pay, the salary to hourly calculator to convert it to an hourly rate, and the minimum wage calculator to compare it with the legal floor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Australia?
The ABS puts average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults at $2,083.70 in May 2026, which is about $108,352 a year if the week is repeated 52 times. Across all employees, including part-time and casual workers, average weekly total earnings are $1,579.20, about $82,118 a year.
What is the median income in Australia?
The ABS median weekly earnings in the main job were $1,425 for all employees and $1,741 for full-time employees in August 2025, or about $74,100 and $90,532 a year. Half of employees earn less than the median, so it sits below the average.
Why is the average higher than the median?
The average adds every wage and divides by the number of people, so a smaller number of very high earners pulls it up. The median is the middle wage, so it is not moved by the top end. The two figures also cover different groups: the headline average is for full-time adults, while the all-employee median includes part-time and casual employees.
What is the median household income in Australia?
The latest ABS release, for 2019-20, puts median weekly gross household income at $1,786, about $92,872 a year, and mean weekly gross household income at $2,329. The ABS has said no outputs will be released from the 2023-24 Survey of Income and Housing, so this stays the latest ABS household income release for now. Household income is the income of everyone in the household together, not one person's salary.
Which state has the highest average salary?
ACT has the highest average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults in May 2026 at $2,290.20, and Tas. the lowest at $1,846.30. The full table is on this page.
Do public sector workers earn more than private sector workers?
On the ABS figures, yes. Full-time adults in the public sector averaged $2,263.10 a week in May 2026 against $2,034.10 in the private sector. The sectors employ different mixes of occupations, so the gap is not a like-for-like pay difference.
How much of the average salary do I keep after tax?
Put the salary into the income tax calculator to see income tax, the Medicare levy and take-home pay for the current year. The tax payable depends on your residency, deductions and offsets, so the ABS figure is only a starting point.
Tax Accuracy & Sources
Reviewed: 21 October 2026 · Tax year: 2026-27
Average and median earnings as published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Weekly figures are annualised by multiplying by the number of weeks in a year; the ABS does not publish an annual salary.