Cardiac physiologist salary: what you take home after tax and Medicare

Cardiac physiologist salary: what you can expect

If you are looking into a cardiac physiologist salary in Australia, the first thing to know is that pay is not a single fixed figure. The Australian Bureau of Statistics classifies cardiac physiologists as skill level 1, but it does not publish a specific salary. Instead, most cardiac physiologists are covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award, which sets minimum rates for different levels.

Under that award, hourly rates range from $26.97 (Level 1) to $39.42 (Level 9, pay point 3) as of October 2026. A typical cardiac physiologist would likely be classified at Level 8 or 9, where the hourly rate is between $33.78 and $39.42. Many employers pay above the award, especially in private hospitals or specialist clinics. The national minimum wage is $26.44 an hour and $1,004.90 a week, so even the lowest award rate is above that.

Your actual cardiac physiologist salary will depend on your experience, the state or territory you work in, and whether you work in the public or private sector. Public hospital roles often follow enterprise agreements that can be higher than the award.

How tax and Medicare affect your take-home pay

Once you know your gross salary, the next step is working out what lands in your bank account after tax and the Medicare levy. The Australian Taxation Office publishes tax tables that employers use to withhold the right amount from each pay. For the 2026–27 income year, the tax rates are:

• Up to $18,200: nil
• $18,201 to $45,000: 15 cents for each dollar over $18,200
• $45,001 to $135,000: $4,020 plus 30 cents for each dollar over $45,000
• $135,001 to $190,000: $31,020 plus 37 cents for each dollar over $135,000
• Over $190,000: $51,370 plus 45 cents for each dollar over $190,000

You may also be eligible for the low-income tax offset (LITO), which reduces tax by up to $700 if your taxable income is $37,500 or less, then phases out. The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income, but if you earn below $28,011 (the latest published single-person threshold) you pay none, and between $28,011 and $35,013 you pay a reduced rate of 10 cents per dollar over the lower threshold. Full-time cardiac physiologists will almost always pay the full 2%.

Example take-home calculation for a cardiac physiologist

Let’s say you earn a cardiac physiologist salary of $70,000 a year (roughly equivalent to Level 8 pay point 2 at 38 hours a week). Here is how your annual take-home pay would look:

• Gross annual salary: $70,000
• Income tax: using the 2026–27 brackets, tax on $70,000 is $4,020 + 30% of ($70,000 – $45,000) = $4,020 + $7,500 = $11,520. Then subtract LITO: you get $325 (since your income is over $45,000, LITO is $325 minus 1.5c per dollar over $45,000, which is $325 – $375 = $0, so no LITO). So tax is $11,520.
• Medicare levy: 2% of $70,000 = $1,400
• Total deductions: $12,920
• Take-home pay: $57,080 per year, or about $2,195 per fortnight.

This is a simplified estimate. Your employer uses the ATO’s tax tables to withhold each pay period, so your fortnightly pay will be close to that figure. Superannuation of 12% is paid on top by your employer and does not reduce your take-home pay.

If you earn more, say $85,000, your take-home would be around $64,000 after tax and Medicare. Use the Take-home pay guide to run your own numbers.

Superannuation is on top

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of your ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. This is paid by your employer in addition to your salary. So if your cardiac physiologist salary is $70,000, your employer also contributes $8,400 to your super fund each year. That money is not accessible until retirement, but it is a valuable part of your total compensation.

For more on how salary packaging or other arrangements affect your take-home, see Salary packaging.