How the Hays Salary Guide Helps You Benchmark Your Pay Against the National Index

What Is the Hays Salary Guide?

The Hays Salary Guide is an annual publication that provides typical salary ranges for over 1,000 roles across 25 industries in Australia. It is based on a survey of more than 12,000 respondents, with a strong mix of age, gender, and geography. The guide shows a bold typical salary and a range for each role, all exclusive of superannuation. It is widely used by employers and employees to benchmark pay and understand recruitment trends.

For the FY25/26 edition, the survey found that 58% of respondents earned between $100,000 and $150,000, and 19% earned between $150,000 and $200,000. The most valued benefits were flexible working (58%) and additional annual leave (45%), far ahead of health insurance (18%) or company cars (16%). This tells you that the guide is not just about raw salary numbers — it reflects what workers actually prioritise.

How the Salary Index Relates to the Hays Guide

The Salary Index measures where a pay figure sits against the national line. Index 100 equals full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $108,352 per year (based on ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). The Hays guide gives you a market salary; the index tells you how that salary compares to the national average.

For example, if the Hays guide says a typical salary for a role is $120,000, that gives an index of 110.8 — above the national average. If it says $80,000, the index is 73.9, below average. But remember: the Hays figure is exclusive of super. To compare apples with apples, add the 12% super guarantee (from 1 July 2026) to the Hays figure, giving $134,400 for the first example (index 124.1) and $89,600 for the second (index 82.7).

Gross Pay, Super, and Tax Considerations

When you see a salary in the Hays guide, it is gross pay before tax and before super. Your employer must pay super on top of that at 12% (from 1 July 2026) up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. So if your Hays typical salary is $100,000, your total remuneration including super is $112,000.

Tax on that gross pay depends on your residency and tax-free threshold. For 2026–27, the resident tax rates (excluding Medicare) are:

• Nil up to $18,200
• 15% from $18,201 to $45,000
• 30% from $45,001 to $135,000
• 37% from $135,001 to $190,000
• 45% above $190,000

Plus a 2% Medicare levy. For a $100,000 salary, tax would be about $24,967 plus $2,000 Medicare, leaving about $73,033 take-home. That is before any HELP repayments or salary sacrifice.

Award Minimums vs Market Rates

The Hays guide shows market rates, which can be higher or lower than award minimums. Fair Work Ombudsman pay guides set the legal floor. For example, the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHADS) Award will see increases of up to 15% from December 2026 for home care disability employees. If your award rate is higher than the Hays typical, your award classification likely sets a higher minimum. Always check your award first.

State and Industry Benchmarks

The Salary Index varies by state and industry. For instance, Western Australia has an index of 106.9 ($115,825 annualised), while Tasmania is 88.6 ($96,008). The Hays guide provides salary data by state, so you can see how your location affects pay. Similarly, industries like mining (index 154.7) pay well above the national average, while retail (75.9) and accommodation (72.5) pay below. The Hays guide covers all these industries, but its typical salaries may not perfectly match the index because the index uses ordinary-time earnings across all full-time adults, not just surveyed roles.

Using the Hays Salary Checker

Hays also offers an online Salary Checker tool that lets you enter your job title and location to see highest, typical, and lowest salaries. It covers 1,000+ roles and 25 industries. This is a quick way to see where you stand. But remember: the tool uses the same survey data as the guide, so it is a benchmark, not a guarantee.

Putting It All Together

The Hays Salary Guide is a useful starting point for understanding your market worth. Combine it with the Salary Index to see how your pay compares nationally. Factor in super and tax to understand your real take-home pay. And always check your award or enterprise agreement for minimum entitlements. The guide is one tool among many — use it alongside state and industry data for a full picture.

Key Takeaways

• The Hays guide shows typical salaries exclusive of super.
• The Salary Index benchmarks against $108,352 (index 100).
• Add 12% super to Hays figures for total remuneration.
• Award rates from Fair Work Ombudsman are the legal minimum.
• Use the Hays Salary Checker for a quick personalised benchmark.