Average Super Balance at 30 in Australia

You have 37 years of compounding ahead.

ATO median for the 30-34 age band is $33,000.00. Projected to 67 at band-average salary: $2,000,340.00. ASFA single comfortable target: $595,000.00.

01 —INPUTS

Between 18 and 80. ASFA Retirement Standard anchors on age 67.

Sum of all your super accounts. Check myGov for an up-to-date total.

Used for SG projection. Defaults to ABS average for your age band.

ASFA Retirement Standard Dec 2025 quarter. Assumes home-owner and partial Age Pension.

02 —RESULTS
Projected at 67 (37 yrs to go)$2,000,340.00
Single comfortable target$595,000.00
Surplus above target$1,405,340.00
03 —BREAKDOWN
Peer median (30-34)$33,000.00
Vs peer median$0.00 above the median for 30-34
Assumptions: nominal growth 7% p.a. (≈4.5% real after 2.5% inflation), SG 12% from 1 Jul 2025, contributions through to age 67. Does not model concessional cap ($30,000.00 in 2025-26).
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Where 30 sits in the life-stage map

At 30, most Australians are juggling housing-deposit goals (HECS/HELP loans often still outstanding), possibly first-baby planning, and mortgage qualification. Super feels distant. But 37 years at 7% p.a. turns every $1,000 today into about $13,000 at 67 — the highest-leverage decade you will ever have.

Why the balance at 30 matters: Every $100/month you add at 30 becomes roughly $190,000 at 67 in nominal terms. The same $100/month started at 50 becomes $32,000. Time is the single biggest input you control.

Biggest lever at 30

First Home Super Saver (FHSS) — divert up to $15,000/year of voluntary contributions (capped at $50,000 lifetime) and pull them back out for a deposit, paying only 15% contributions tax instead of your marginal rate. Effectively boosts deposit savings by 10-25% depending on marginal rate.

Common traps at 30

  • Treating super as 'locked money for later' — it's taxed at 15% going in, which can be cheaper than your marginal rate right now.
  • Not consolidating multiple accounts from different employers — duplicate fees over 37 years destroy balance.
  • Ignoring insurance defaults — many 30-year-olds pay ~$400/yr premiums on TPD/life inside super they don't need yet.

The numbers at 30 — how the projection works

Your current age 30
Years to age 67 (ASFA anchor) 37
Peer median (30-34) $33,000.00
Band-average salary (ABS) $83,000.00
SG contribution at 12% (annual) $9,960.00
Projected at 67 (median + SG only, 7% p.a.) $2,000,340.00
ASFA single comfortable target at 67 $595,000.00
Surplus $1,405,340.00

Compare adjacent ages

All ages + hub Super balance at 35 →

Next tools for 30

Retirement (FIRE) Planner

When can you retire — super + non-super modelled together.

Carry-forward cap

5-year unused concessional — catch up in a high-income year.

Contribution optimizer

Salary sacrifice vs non-concessional vs co-contribution.

FHSS — First Home Super Saver

Use super to save a deposit, taxed at 15% not marginal rate.

How long will my super last

Drawdown runway from a given balance at 67.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average super balance at 30 in Australia?
For the 30-34 age band, the ATO Taxation Statistics 2021-22 median member balance is 33,000.00. The mean is 55,000.00, but this is skewed upward by a minority of very high balances — median is the honest peer benchmark.
How much super should I have at 30?
No single answer — it depends on your target retirement lifestyle. To hit the ASFA single comfortable target of 595,000.00 at 67, someone at 30 with the band-average salary ($83,000.00) would need to already have around 33,000.00 — adjusting for extra contributions of roughly $0.00 per month between now and 67.
Is 33,000.00 enough at 30?
For the 30-34 band, 33,000.00 is exactly median — half of Australians your age have less, half more. Projected forward to 67 at the band-average salary of $83,000.00, SG alone at 12% grows it to approximately $2,000,340.00. That's above the ASFA single comfortable target of 595,000.00 by $1,405,340.00. You are tracking above target.
How do I catch up super at 30?
First Home Super Saver (FHSS) — divert up to $15,000/year of voluntary contributions (capped at $50,000 lifetime) and pull them back out for a deposit, paying only 15% contributions tax instead of your marginal rate. Effectively boosts deposit savings by 10-25% depending on marginal rate.
Should I salary sacrifice at 30?
Generally yes if your marginal tax rate is above 15%. With 37 years of compounding at 7% nominal, every $100 per month extra at 30 becomes roughly $192,405.00 at 67. Against a 15% contributions tax vs your likely 30-32.5% marginal rate, the pre-tax math alone saves $15-17.50 per $100 contributed, before compounding.
Is the calculator projection realistic?
The 7% nominal / 4.5% real p.a. growth assumption is middle-of-the-road. APRA MySuper long-run returns over 10 years to Dec 2025 averaged 6.5-8.5% for Growth options, net of fees. 7% is a sensible planning anchor; stress-test with 5% for a pessimistic scenario. The projection does not model market volatility, fee drag beyond what's already embedded, or the concessional cap.

Sources: ATO Taxation Statistics 2021-22, ASFA Retirement Standard Dec-2025 quarter, ABS Average Weekly Earnings 6302.0.

Last updated 23 April 2026 Tax year 2025-26

Data sources: ATO (ato.gov.au), Services Australia

This tool is general information only, not financial advice.

Reviewed by AusTax Tools Editorial Desk

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