Solicitor salary: what you can expect to earn in Australia

What is a solicitor salary?

A solicitor salary is the gross pay you earn as a qualified legal practitioner providing advice, drafting documents and negotiating on behalf of clients. In Australia, the best public benchmark comes from the Australian Bureau of Statistics via Jobs and Skills Australia. Their May 2025 survey of employee earnings and hours puts the median full-time weekly earnings for solicitors at $2,070 before tax. That annualises to roughly $107,640.

On the Salary Index, where 100 equals the national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $108,352, a solicitor salary sits at about index 99. That is almost dead on the national line – slightly below the all-occupations median of $1,852 per week, but above the national minimum wage index of 48.2.

How the solicitor salary compares to the national line

The index is calculated by dividing the annual gross salary by the national benchmark and multiplying by 100. For a solicitor on $107,640:

107,640 ÷ 108,352 × 100 = 99.3

That means the typical solicitor earns almost exactly what the average full-time worker earns. But note: solicitors work longer hours. The average full-time solicitor works 46 hours a week, compared to 44 hours for all occupations. So on an hourly basis, the median hourly median is $56 per hour, which is above the all-occupations median of $47 per hour.

By states, the national index varies from 88.6 in Tasmania to 109.9 in the ACT. A solicitor salary may be higher in Sydney or Melbourne, but the national median already reflects that mix.

Award coverage and minimum rates

The Legal Services Award 2020 sets minimum pay for legal support roles, not for solicitors themselves. For example, a law graduate (Level 5) gets a minimum weekly rate of $1,291.80 from 1 July 2026, or $33.99 per hour. A law clerk (Level 6) gets $1,369.20 per week. These are floors – most solicitors earn well above.

Solicitors are professional employees and are usually not covered by a modern award. Their minimum entitlement is the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour (index 48.2). In practice, starting salaries for graduate solicitors are often around $70,000 to $80,000, rising with experience.

Superannuation and tax considerations

Superannuation is paid on top of your gross solicitor salary. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. On $107,640, that adds about $12,917 in super, making total remuneration around $120,557. The Salary Index uses gross ordinary-time earnings only, so super is not included in the index figure.

For tax, a resident solicitor earning $107,640 in 2026–27 would pay:

• Nil on the first $18,200 tax-free threshold
• 15% on the next $26,800 to $45,000 bracket, then 30% on the next $90,000 to $135,000 bracket. The total tax before Medicare levy is about $24,492, plus 2% Medicare levy ($2,153), leaving a take-home of about $80,995. This ignores HELP or other deductions. The pay guides can help you estimate your net.

Where to find more detail

For the most current data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Jobs and Skills Australia are the official sources. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides award summaries. For your own situation, use the Salary Index to compare by industry – the professional, scientific and technical services sector index is 114.7, which includes many solicitors.

Remember that the median is a midpoint. Some solicitors earn much more, especially partners in large firms or those with specialised expertise. The index is a benchmark, not a quote for your job offer.