How to Use the SEEK Salary Finder to Compare Job Offers

How to Use the SEEK Salary Finder to Compare Job Offers

When you’re reading a job ad and comparing offers, the SEEK Salary Finder is a handy tool to see what a salary actually means in your pocket. It takes the advertised gross figure and works out your weekly, fortnightly, or monthly take-home pay after tax and Medicare. But to really understand whether an offer is good, you need to measure it against the national line.

At Salary Index we set index 100 as the full-time adult ordinary-time earnings from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Average Weekly Earnings report for May 2026: $2,083.70 per week, or $108,352 a year. That’s the benchmark. If a job pays $108,352, it’s exactly average. If it pays $54,176, that’s index 50. The SEEK Salary Finder doesn’t show the index itself, but you can easily work it out: divide the offered annual salary by $108,352 and multiply by 100.

Reading a Job Ad with the SEEK Salary Finder

Let’s say you see two ads. One offers $90,000 a year, the other $120,000. Plug each into the SEEK Salary Finder. For $90,000, the tool shows take-home pay of about $1,260 per week (based on 2026-27 tax rates). For $120,000, take-home is about $1,590 per week. But what about the index? $90,000 is index 83 – below the national average. $120,000 is index 111 – above average. That context matters, especially if you’re moving industries or states.

For example, the industries page shows that professional, scientific and technical services have an index of 114.7, while retail trade is 75.9. A $90,000 offer in retail might be above the industry average; the same offer in professional services would be below. The SEEK Salary Finder helps you compare the take-home, but the index tells you where the role sits relative to its field.

What the SEEK Salary Finder Doesn’t Tell You

The tool is great for tax estimates, but it doesn’t include superannuation in the take-home figure. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12%, paid by your employer on top of your base salary. So a $90,000 salary actually costs the employer $100,800 including super. The SEEK calculator shows super separately, but your take-home is based on the base salary only.

Also, the tool assumes you’re a resident with the tax-free threshold and a flat 2% Medicare levy. It ignores HELP repayments, salary sacrifice, the Medicare levy reduction, and the Medicare levy surcharge. If you have a HELP debt, your actual take-home will be lower. If you salary sacrifice a car or super, your taxable income drops and your take-home changes. The SEEK Salary Finder is a starting point, not a final answer.

Using the Index to Compare Offers Across States

State matters too. The states page shows that the ACT has an index of 109.9, while Tasmania is 88.6. A $100,000 offer in Tasmania is actually above the state average (index 104), but the same offer in the ACT is below average (index 84). The SEEK Salary Finder doesn’t adjust for location, but you can use the index to see how an offer stacks up locally.

For example, if you’re considering a move from Victoria (index 98) to Western Australia (index 106.9), a $110,000 salary in WA is close to the state average, while in Victoria it’s above average. The SEEK tool will show the same take-home for both, but the real purchasing power difference depends on cost of living, but the index gives you the earnings benchmark.

Awards and Minimum Wages

If the job ad mentions an award or enterprise agreement, the SEEK Salary Finder won’t check if the pay meets the legal minimum. The Fair Work Ombudsman sets the National Minimum Wage at $26.44 per hour from 1 July 2026, but most employees are covered by a modern award with higher rates. For example, the Hospitality Industry (General) Award has different rates for different levels. You can find pay guides on the Fair Work Ombudsman website to check the correct minimum for your classification.

The SEEK tool is useful once you know your gross salary, but always verify that the advertised rate meets the award. If the ad says “$25 per hour” for a role that should be $28 under the award, the SEEK calculator will show take-home for $25, but you’re being underpaid.

How to Get the Most from the SEEK Salary Finder

Start by entering the annual salary from the job ad. The tool will show weekly, fortnightly, and monthly take-home. Compare that with your current take-home or another offer. Then calculate the index: divide the annual salary by $108,352 and multiply by 100. See where it sits on the how the index works page. If the index is below 100, the pay is below the national average; above 100, it’s above average.

You can also use the tool to estimate the impact of a pay rise. If you’re on $80,000 and considering a job at $95,000, the SEEK calculator shows the extra take-home per week. But also check the index: $80,000 is index 74, $95,000 is index 88. That’s a 14-point jump, which is significant.

Final Thoughts

The SEEK Salary Finder is a practical tool for comparing job offers, but it’s only part of the picture. Combine it with the salary index to understand where an offer sits nationally, by industry, and by state. Check award rates if you’re in a covered role. And remember that take-home estimates are approximate – your actual pay depends on your tax situation. Use the tool as a guide, not a guarantee.

For more context, explore the topics page for guides on negotiating salary, understanding super, and reading job ads. The index is your compass; the SEEK Salary Finder is your calculator. Together they help you make informed decisions.