The highest AFL salary compared to Australia's pay index by state and industry
The exact highest AFL salary is not publicly disclosed, but we compare it to national pay benchmarks by state and industry using the Salary Index.
The exact highest AFL salary is not available from public sources, but it would far exceed the national index of 100, likely surpassing even the highest industry index of 154.7 for Mining.
What is the highest AFL salary?
The term highest AFL salary refers to the top annual pay of a player in the Australian Football League, a professional sport competition. Unlike most Australian workers, AFL players are not covered by a modern award. The Fair Work Ombudsman and Fair Work Commission do not publish pay guides for professional athletes. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) groups sports under **Arts and recreation services, but that industry includes many low-paid workers, with average weekly total cash earnings of $999.90 for all employees and $1,841.70 for full-time non-managerial adult employees. The highest AFL salary is not disclosed in any public dataset from these bodies.
How the Salary Index helps
The Salary Index sets 100 as the national line: full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week, annualised to $108,352. The index is calculated as yearly gross pay divided by that line, times 100. For example, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, annualised $52,255, giving an index of 48.2. The highest AFL salary, if known, would likely produce an index well above 500.
State differences
State indices vary. The Australian Capital Territory has the highest at 109.9 (annualised $119,090), followed by Western Australia at 106.9 ($115,825). Victoria, where most AFL clubs are based, has an index of 98 ($106,137). Even the highest state index is far below the likely index of a top AFL earner. The states page shows all state benchmarks.
Industry differences
Industry indices also vary widely. Mining leads at 154.7, followed by Professional, scientific and technical services at 114.7. The Arts and recreation services industry, which includes professional sport, has an average weekly total cash earnings of $999.90 for all employees (index about 48) and $1,841.70 for full-time non-managerial adult employees (index about 88). These averages are pulled down by many low-paid workers. The highest AFL salary would sit far above any industry average. See industries for more.
How AFL salaries are set
AFL players are employed under individual contracts, not awards. The Fair Work Ombudsman's pay guides apply only to award-covered employees. The ABS reports that individual arrangement is the most common method of setting pay in Australia (38.5%), with average weekly total cash earnings of $1,876.50 for all employees. For top athletes, earnings are negotiated privately and are not published by any government agency. The Australian Taxation Office may have aggregate data, but individual salaries are not disclosed.
Comparing to the national minimum wage
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, index 48.2. Even the highest award classification in any modern award would be below $2,000 per week. The highest AFL salary, reported in media to be over $1 million per year, would have an index above 900. This shows how far professional sports earnings sit from the typical Australian pay distribution.
Caveats
No official source provides a precise figure for the highest AFL salary. The ABS does not break out professional athletes in its Employee Earnings and Hours survey. The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database covers only award-covered employees. The ATO publishes tax statistics by occupation but not at the individual level. Therefore, any comparison to the Salary Index is approximate and based on industry and state benchmarks.
Understanding the index
The how the index works page explains the calculation: yearly gross ordinary-time earnings divided by the national line ($108,352) times 100. For a top AFL earner on $1 million, the index would be 923. For a player on $500,000, the index would be 461. These figures are illustrative only.
Related topics
For more on how pay compares across Australia, see topics. The pay guides page lists award minimum rates. The states and industries pages provide detailed benchmarks.
Questions people ask
What is the highest AFL salary in Australia?
The exact highest AFL salary is not publicly disclosed by the Fair Work Ombudsman, Fair Work Commission, Australian Bureau of Statistics, or the Australian Taxation Office. Professional sport is not covered by modern awards, and individual contracts are private. Media reports suggest top players earn well over $1 million per year, but no official government source confirms a specific figure.
How does the highest AFL salary compare to the national pay index?
The national pay index is set at 100, representing full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $108,352 per year. Even the highest industry index (Mining at 154.7) and state index (ACT at 109.9) are far below likely top AFL earnings. A player earning $1 million per year would have an index of approximately 923, showing how far above the average they sit.
Which state or industry has the highest average earnings in Australia?
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the highest average weekly earnings by industry are in Mining ($3,177.70 for all employees, index 154.7). By state, the Australian Capital Territory has the highest average at $1,820.50 per week (index 109.9). These are far below the likely highest AFL salary, which is set by individual arrangement.