What a cybersecurity salary looks like in Australia: gross pay, super and tax

What does a cybersecurity salary look like in Australia?

If you’re looking at a cybersecurity salary in Australia, you won’t find a single number stamped by the Fair Work Ombudsman or the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Cybersecurity isn’t a single classification in the award system, and the public data doesn’t break out ‘cybersecurity analyst’ or ‘security architect’ as a separate line. That doesn’t mean you can’t get a clear picture. By using the Salary Index, the industry benchmarks and the award framework, you can work out where a cybersecurity salary sits against the national line.

The national line and the industry index

The Salary Index sets 100 as full-time adult ordinary-time earnings. As of May 2026, that’s $2,083.70 per week, or $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings). Men average $2,181 per week, women $1,934.50. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, annualised $52,255 – that’s index 48.2.

Cybersecurity roles are typically professional, technical positions. The closest industry grouping is Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, which has an index of 114.7. That means average full-time ordinary-time earnings in that industry are about 14.7% above the national line. In dollar terms, roughly $124,300 per year. That’s a solid benchmark, but it’s an average across all roles in that industry – lawyers, accountants, engineers, IT consultants. A cybersecurity specialist might sit above or below that depending on experience, location and the specific job.

Awards and minimums

Most cybersecurity employees are covered by the Professional Employees Award 2020, though some may fall under the Clerks Award or an enterprise agreement. The Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database (2026 data) includes minimum rates for classifications like ‘IT professional’ but doesn’t list cybersecurity separately. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides show the minimum award rates for each classification. For example, the entry-level award floor is $25.74 per hour. Award minima rose 4.75% from 1 July 2026.

If you’re early in your career, your cybersecurity salary will almost certainly be above the award minimum. The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, but a graduate cybersecurity analyst might start around $60,000 to $70,000 – that’s index 55 to 65. As you gain experience, earnings climb. A senior cybersecurity engineer or manager could earn $150,000 to $180,000, which is index 138 to 166.

Gross pay, super and tax

Let’s take the industry average of $124,300 as a working example. That’s gross pay before tax and before super.

Super guarantee from 1 July 2026 is 12% of your ordinary-time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. On $124,300, your employer pays $14,916 into your super fund each year. That’s on top of your salary. So your total remuneration is $139,216.

Tax for 2026–27 (resident rates, excluding Medicare):

• Nil on the first $18,200
• 15% on the next $26,800 (up to $45,000)
• 30% on the next $90,000 (up to $135,000)
• 37% on the next $55,000 (up to $190,000)
• 45% above $190,000

Plus a flat 2% Medicare levy. On $124,300, the tax estimate is roughly $29,500 including Medicare. That leaves take-home pay of about $94,800. Remember, this ignores HELP repayments, salary sacrifice, the Medicare levy reduction and the Medicare levy surcharge.

State and location differences

Where you work matters. The states page shows how average earnings vary. For a cybersecurity salary, the ACT index is 109.9 ($119,090 annualised), NSW is 101.2 ($109,658), WA is 106.9 ($115,825). Tasmania is 88.6 ($96,008). If you’re in Canberra, working for a federal government department or a defence contractor, your cybersecurity salary could be well above the national average. In Sydney or Melbourne, private sector roles in finance and tech also push higher.

Industries that hire cybersecurity professionals

Cybersecurity isn’t just in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry. It’s also in:

• Financial and Insurance Services – index around 120
• Information Media and Telecommunications – index around 110
• Public Administration and Safety – index around 105
• Mining – index 154.7, but fewer cybersecurity roles

Each industry has its own pay structure. A cybersecurity analyst at a bank will likely earn more than one at a small retailer. The industries page gives you the full picture.

The bottom line

There’s no official ‘cybersecurity salary’ figure from the Fair Work Ombudsman or the ABS. But using the industry index of 114.7 and the award framework, you can estimate that a typical full-time cybersecurity professional earns around $124,300 gross, plus 12% super. That’s about 15% above the national line. Your actual pay will depend on your role, experience, location and employer. The Salary Index helps you compare any pay figure against the national benchmark.

If you want to check award rates or minimums, the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides are the place to start. For a deeper dive into how the index works, see how the index works.