What Is the Median Salary in Australia? A Look at Awards and the National Line
Wondering what is the median salary in Australia? We explain how it compares to the national line, award wages, and the minimum wage using the Salary Index.
The median salary in Australia is not directly published, but it is likely below the national line of $108,352 (index 100) because the mean is pulled up by high earners.
What Is the Median Salary in Australia?
If you have asked yourself "what is the median salary in Australia", you are not alone. The median is a more realistic snapshot of typical earnings than the average, because it is not skewed by a handful of very high incomes. But finding a single official number is tricky. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes average weekly earnings, not a median for all workers. So where does that leave us?
The National Line: A Starting Point
At Salary Index we use a benchmark called the national line. It is set at index 100, which equals $108,352 per year (based on full-time adult ordinary-time earnings from the ABS, May 2026). This is a mean figure. The median is almost certainly lower. How much lower? We cannot be precise without an official median, but we can use the index to compare.
For context, the national minimum wage sits at index 48.2 ($52,255 per year). Award minima, which apply to many industries, start around $25.74 per hour for an adult entry-level role. After the 4.75% increase from 1 July 2026, award rates are higher than the minimum but still far below the national line.
Awards vs the National Minimum Wage: Where the Median Lives
The writing angle here is awards versus the national minimum wage. Why does that matter for the median? Because a large slice of Australian workers are covered by modern awards. These awards set minimum pay for specific jobs, from retail assistants to hospitality staff. The median salary is likely to sit somewhere between the award floor and the national line.
Take a typical retail worker. Under the General Retail Industry Award, a level 1 adult employee earns around $25–$27 per hour, or roughly $50,000–$55,000 per year full-time. That is below the median. A qualified electrician on the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award might earn $35–$40 per hour, or $70,000–$80,000 per year – still below the national line but closer to a plausible median.
In contrast, a professional in the mining industry (index 154.7) or a senior manager in professional services (index 114.7) will earn well above the national line and far above the median. That is why the median is a better measure of what a typical worker takes home.
State and Industry Differences
The median also varies by where you live and what you do. Our states page shows that the ACT has the highest index (109.9, annualised $119,090), while Tasmania is lowest (88.6, $96,008). The median in Tasmania is likely lower than the national median, and the median in the ACT is likely higher.
Industries tell a similar story. Industries like accommodation and food services (index 72.5) have many award-covered workers earning near the minimum, so the median in that industry is low. Mining (index 154.7) has high pay, but it employs fewer people, so it does not pull the national median up as much.
How the Index Helps
We use the index is simple: your yearly gross pay divided by the national line, times 100. If you earn $80,000, your index is 73.8. That tells you are below the national line. If you earn $120,000, your index is 110.8. The median is probably around index 75–85, but again, that is an estimate.
Tax and Super Considerations
When thinking about take-home pay, remember the 2026–27 tax rates: nil up to $18,200, then 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000, and 45% above. Plus a 2% Medicare levy. Super guarantee is 12% from 1 July 2026, but that is not included in the salary index. So a median earner on $85,000 would pay about $17,000 in tax and Medicare, taking home roughly $68,000. That is a useful reality check.
The Bottom Line
So what is the median salary in Australia? We cannot give you a single number, but we can say it is likely below the national line of $108,352 and well above the national minimum wage of $52,255. Award wages are a key factor: they set the lower bound for many workers. To get a clearer picture, check our [pay guides](/blog] for your specific role or industry. And remember, the index helps you see where you sit against the national line.
FAQs
See the FAQs above for direct answers.
Questions people ask
What is the median salary in Australia?
The median salary is the middle point where half of full-time workers earn more and half earn less. The Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a single median for all workers in this reference, but it is likely below the mean of $108,352 (index 100) because high incomes pull the average up. For a rough guide, the median might be around $80,000–$90,000, but this is uncertain without official data.
How does the median salary compare to the national minimum wage?
The national minimum wage is $52,255 per year (index 48.2), which is well below the likely median. Award-covered workers often earn more than the minimum but still less than the median. For example, a retail worker on a modern award might earn around $60,000–$70,000, still below the median. The median is closer to the national line of $108,352.
Do award wages affect the median salary?
Yes, because many workers are covered by awards that set minimum pay rates. If award wages rise, the lower end of the pay distribution shifts up, which can increase the median. The 4.75% increase to award minima from 1 July 2026 will likely push the median slightly higher over time, but the effect depends on how many workers are on awards versus enterprise agreements or individual contracts.