Your general manager salary: what changes the fortnight

Your general manager salary: what changes the fortnight

If you are a general manager in Australia, you know your pay is not a simple number. Official data from Jobs and Skills Australia shows that median weekly earnings for General Managers (ANZSCO 1112) are not published because the statistical error is too high. That reflects the huge variety in industries – from health care to manufacturing – and the different levels of responsibility.

What we do know is that for the broader Managers category, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports median hourly earnings of $69.20. Using that as a guide, a general manager working 38 hours a week would earn about $2,630 a week, or roughly $136,700 a year. But your actual salary may be higher or lower.

What really matters for your bank account is how tax, the Medicare levy and superannuation change that gross figure into your fortnightly take-home pay.

Tax brackets for 2026–27

The Australian Tax Office applies these resident tax rates for 2026–27:

• $0 – $18,200: Nil
• $18,201 – $45,000: 15c for each $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 – $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c for each $1 over $45,000
• $135,001 – $190,000: $31,020 plus 37c for each $1 over $135,000
• $190,001 and over: $51,370 plus 45c for each $1 over $190,000

You also get the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) if your taxable income is under $66,667. For a general manager earning above that, LITO phases out completely.

The Medicare levy

The Medicare levy is a flat 2% of your taxable income, but only if you earn above the single upper threshold of $35,013. The latest published single-person Medicare thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. Between those amounts a shading rate of 10 cents per dollar applies. Most general manager salaries will be well above $35,013, so you pay the full 2%.

Superannuation

From 1 July 2026 the super guarantee rate is 12% of your ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. How this affects your take-home depends on how your salary is quoted:

• Plus super: The 12% is paid on top of your salary. Your take-home is based on the quoted figure.
• Including super: The 12% is deducted from the quoted figure before you receive your pay.

Always check your employment contract. Super is not deducted from your take-home if the salary is advertised as plus super.

Putting it together: a worked example

Suppose your general manager salary is $136,700 (based on the manager hourly rate of $69.20 for 38 hours). Here is how the fortnight changes:

• Gross fortnightly: $5,257.69
• Income tax (using 2026–27 rates): about $1,476 per fortnight
• Medicare levy (2%): about $105 per fortnight
• Take-home after tax and Medicare: about $3,677 per fortnight

If your salary is quoted as plus super, your employer also pays an additional 12% super on top. If it is quoted as including super, the super component is deducted from the gross before you receive your pay.

Remember: this is an estimate only. It excludes HELP/HECS repayments, the Medicare levy surcharge, salary sacrifice arrangements and payroll tax-table rounding. Use the Take-home pay guide for a more personalised calculation.

Why the median figure is missing

The ABS does not publish median weekly earnings for General Managers because the data is too variable. That means you cannot rely on a single 'average' general manager salary. Instead, look at industry-specific surveys or your own employment contract. For more context, see our Average pay page.

Key takeaways

• General manager salaries vary; no single median figure is available.
• The manager hourly rate of $69.20 is a useful benchmark but not a guarantee.
• Tax brackets, the Medicare levy and super all affect your fortnightly take-home.
• Always check whether your salary is quoted as plus super or including super.

For a deeper dive into how tax and Medicare work, visit Tax and Medicare. To understand super better, see Super.