How to compare job offers: focus on take-home pay, not the jalen brunson salary

Introduction

When you receive a job offer in Australia, the headline figure can be misleading. What matters is the amount that actually reaches your bank account after income tax and the Medicare levy. You might hear about high-profile athletes like the jalen brunson salary, but that figure is not publicly available in Australian sources and is irrelevant to your own offer. Instead, focus on the after-tax take-home pay.

Understanding your take-home pay

Your take-home pay is your gross salary minus:

• Income tax (using the 2026–27 resident rates)
• Medicare levy (2% of taxable income for most full-time earners)

Superannuation is not deducted from your pay – it is paid by your employer on top. So your take-home is simply your salary less tax and Medicare.

Tax rates for 2026–27

The Australian Taxation Office sets these rates for residents:

Taxable income	Tax on this income
$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

For example, on a $60,000 salary, tax is $8,520 (excluding Medicare).

Medicare levy

Most residents pay 2% of taxable income as the Medicare levy. The latest published single-person thresholds are $28,011 (lower) and $35,013 (upper). If you earn below $28,011, you pay no levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, the levy is reduced by 10c per dollar over the lower threshold. Full-time salaries above $35,013 pay the full 2%.

Using benchmarks to compare offers

To evaluate an offer, compare it against national benchmarks. Fair Work sets the national minimum wage at $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week (annualised to $52,255). The ABS reports average full-time ordinary earnings at $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 annually) and all employee average total earnings at $1,579.20 per week ($82,118). These figures exclude overtime and employer super.

Use our Benchmarks page to see how an offer stacks up.

The jalen brunson salary comparison

You might be curious about the jalen brunson salary – the New York Knicks point guard reportedly earns tens of millions of US dollars per year. But that figure is not published in Australian sources and has no bearing on Australian job offers. What matters for you is the after-tax amount in Australian dollars. Even a high headline salary can shrink significantly after tax and Medicare. Always calculate your Take-home pay using the current rates.

Conclusion

When comparing job offers, ignore the hype around celebrity salaries. Focus on the amount that will land in your account each fortnight. Use the 2026–27 tax rates, factor in the Medicare levy, and check your award or agreement for minimum rates. For a detailed breakdown, visit our Tax and Medicare guide.