Average salary in Australia: where you really sit
What counts as a good salary in Australia? Here is the median, the average, income by percentile, and pay by industry — plus a quick check of where your salary ranks.
"What is the average salary in Australia?" sounds simple, but the honest answer is: it depends which average you mean, and whether you count everyone or just full-time workers. Here is where real Australian incomes actually sit, and how to find your own place in the picture.
Find where you rank
Enter your salary below to see your approximate percentile among Australian taxpayers.
Income by percentile
These are approximate gross (before-tax) incomes across all Australian taxpayers, based on ATO and ABS data. Most people sit lower than they expect, because we tend to compare ourselves to our immediate peers rather than the whole country.
| Where you sit | Approx. gross income |
|---|---|
| Bottom 25% | under $38,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | about $56,000 |
| 60th percentile | about $74,000 |
| Upper quarter (75th) | about $90,000 |
| Top 20% (84th) | about $120,000 |
| Top 10% | about $150,000 |
| Top 5% | about $180,000 |
| Top 1% | about $420,000 |
Median vs average — why they differ
The median (the middle earner) is around $56,000 across all taxpayers, closer to $62,000 for employees, and about $84,000 for full-time workers. The average full-time salary is higher — roughly $100,000 — because a small number of very high earners pull the mean up. That is why the median is usually the more honest guide to what a typical Australian earns.
Average salary by industry
Pay varies enormously by sector. These are full-time average earnings, so they sit above the median for each field.
| Industry (full-time average) | Approx. per year |
|---|---|
| Mining | about $165,000 |
| Finance & insurance | about $104,000 |
| Electricity, gas & water | about $104,000 |
| All industries average | about $107,000 |
| Health care & social assistance | about $90,000 |
| Retail trade | about $80,000 |
| Accommodation & food | about $78,000 |
What it means for your take-home
A higher salary does not translate dollar-for-dollar into your bank account, because Australia's progressive tax system taxes each slice of income at a higher rate. Someone on $100,000 sits in the 30% bracket but pays an average rate closer to 20% — so their take-home is higher than the headline rate suggests.
See your real take-home
Enter your salary in our pay calculator for your exact take-home, tax breakdown, and how you compare — visually.
Sources: ATO Taxation Statistics and ABS Employee Earnings and Average Weekly Earnings. Figures are approximate and rounded to avoid false precision; they shift as new data is published. General information only.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary in Australia?
The average full-time salary is around $100,000 a year, but that is pulled up by high earners. The median (middle) full-time salary is closer to $84,000, and across all taxpayers the median is about $56,000 — a better guide to what a typical person earns.
What salary puts me in the top 10%?
Roughly $150,000 a year puts you in about the top 10% of Australian earners. The top 5% starts near $180,000, and the top 1% around $420,000. These are approximate figures from ATO income data.
Is the median or the average more useful?
The median, in most cases. Because incomes are skewed by a small number of very high earners, the average overstates what a typical person earns. The median — the middle value — better reflects a normal income.
How does my salary compare after tax?
Take-home is what matters, and Australia's progressive tax means your effective rate is lower than your top bracket. Use our pay calculator to turn any salary into a take-home figure and see your exact percentile.