Store manager salary: award rates and what the data shows

Store manager salary: award rates versus the national minimum wage

When you search for "store manager salary" in Australia, the answer depends on whether the role is covered by a modern award or sits outside one. The General Retail Industry Award 2020 is the most common award for retail employees, but it doesn't list "store manager" as a separate classification. Instead, store managers are typically placed at Retail Employee Level 7 or Level 8, the highest levels in the award. These levels cover employees who supervise others, manage a department, or have significant responsibility for store operations.

Award minimum rates for store managers

According to the Fair Work Ombudsman, the minimum rates for Level 7 and Level 8 from 1 July 2026 are:

• Level 7: $32.67 per hour, $1,241.40 per week, annualised to $64,553 (salary index 59.6)
• Level 8: $33.99 per hour, $1,291.80 per week, annualised to $67,174 (salary index 62.0)

These are the legal floors. A store manager paid at Level 8 earns about 62% of the national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings benchmark of $108,352 (index 100). That's above the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour (index 48.2) but still well below the all-occupations median of $1,852 per week.

What the data says about real store manager pay

Jobs and Skills Australia provides a broader picture for the occupation Retail Managers (ANZSCO 1421), which includes store managers, department managers, and specialty retail managers. Their occupation profile shows:

• Median weekly earnings: $1,620 (full-time non-managerial employees paid at adult rate)
• Median hourly earnings: $42 per hour
• Average full-time hours: 45 hours per week
• Annualised median: $84,240 (salary index 77.7)
• Female share: 48% of retail managers are women
• Median age: 42 years

That $84,240 annual pay gives a salary index of 77.7, meaning the typical retail manager earns about 78 cents for every dollar of the national line. This is significantly higher than the award minimums, suggesting many store managers are paid above award—either because they are classified above Level 8 or are award-free.

When is a store manager not covered by the award?

A store manager may be **award-free if they have genuine managerial duties and are not subordinate to another manager. The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database notes that award data must be read with the award provisions; if there is inconsistency, the award prevails. In practice, large retail chains often use their own classification structures that pay above the award.

How the salary index helps you compare

The salary index divides a worker's yearly gross pay by the national line ($108,352) and multiplies by 100. For a store manager earning $80,000, the index is 73.8. For one earning $95,000, it's 87.7. The national line comes from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Average Weekly Earnings (May 2026).

State and industry context

Retail trade as an industry has a salary index of 75.9, meaning the typical retail worker earns about 76% of the national average. That aligns with the retail manager median of 77.7. State indices vary: a store manager in Western Australia (index 106.9) might earn more than one in Tasmania (index 88.6), but these are state-wide averages, not specific to retail.

Superannuation and tax

All store managers, whether award-covered or not, are entitled to the superannuation guarantee of 12% from 1 July 2026, on earnings up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. For a store manager earning $84,240, that's about $10,109 in super contributions per year.

For tax, a resident store manager earning $84,240 in 2026–27 would pay:

• $0 on the first $18,200
• 15% on the next $26,800 ($4,020)
• 30% on the next $39,240 ($11,772)
• Plus 2% Medicare levy ($1,685)
• Total tax and Medicare: about $17,477, leaving a take-home of $66,763 (excluding HELP, salary sacrifice, or surcharges).

Where to find more

If you're comparing store manager salaries across different states, see our states page. For other retail roles, check industries. To understand how the index is calculated, read how the index works. For a broader look at pay in retail, browse our pay guides.

The bottom line

A store manager salary in Australia can range from the award minimum of around $67,000 (index 62) to well above $90,000 (index 83+) depending on the employer, location, and experience. The median sits at $84,240 (index 77.7), which is below the national average but above the national minimum wage. If you're negotiating a store manager role, knowing the award floor and the median benchmark gives you a solid starting point.