Comparing job offers? Understand median salary Australia and your take-home pay

How to compare job offers using your take-home pay

When you receive a job offer in Australia, the headline salary can be misleading. What really matters is the amount that lands in your bank account after tax, the Medicare levy, and any other deductions. This guide helps you compare offers by focusing on your take-home pay, using the latest 2026–27 tax rates and official benchmarks.

Understanding the numbers

First, know the key figures from our Take-home pay guide. The national minimum wage from Fair Work Ombudsman is $26.44 per hour and $1,004.90 per week (annualised to $52,255). That is the legal floor. For a more typical full-time role, the ABS reports average weekly ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70, or $108,352 per year. While the median salary Australia is not explicitly listed in our benchmarks, the average full-time figure gives you a useful reference point when evaluating offers.

Calculating your take-home

To estimate your take-home, you need to apply the 2026–27 resident tax rates. Here is a quick summary:

• Income up to $18,200: no tax
• $18,201 to $45,000: 15c for each dollar over $18,200
• $45,001 to $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c for each dollar over $45,000
• $135,001 to $190,000: $31,020 plus 37c for each dollar over $135,000
• Over $190,000: $51,370 plus 45c for each dollar over $190,000

You may also be eligible for the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO), which reduces your tax by up to $700 at incomes up to $37,500, then phases out gradually. The Medicare levy adds another 2% for most full-time workers. The latest published single-person Medicare thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. If your taxable income is between these, you pay a shade rate of 10c per $1 over $28,011. Above $35,013, the full 2% applies.

For example, a $100,000 salary would have tax of about $22,967 plus Medicare of $2,000, leaving around $75,033 per year, or $2,886 per fortnight. Use our Tax and Medicare page for a more precise estimate.

Superannuation matters

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12% on earnings up to $270,830. Many job ads state a salary 'plus super' – meaning the advertised figure is your base, and super is paid on top. In that case, your take-home is calculated on the base only. If the ad says 'including super', the total package includes super, so you need to back out the super to find the base salary. Always compare base salaries when estimating take-home.

Putting it all together

To compare two offers:

1. Note the base salary (exclude super if it's 'plus super').
2. Estimate annual tax and Medicare using the rates above.
3. Subtract to get annual take-home.
4. Divide by 26 for fortnightly pay (common in Australia) or by 52 for weekly.
5. Consider other factors like salary packaging, which can reduce tax, but that is beyond this guide.

Remember, the median salary Australia is a useful benchmark but not a precise figure in our data. Use the average full-time earnings of $108,352 as a rough guide. Your take-home will vary based on your exact income, offsets, and deductions.

For a custom calculation, try our Clearance tool or review the Benchmarks page for more context. Always check with the Australian Taxation Office for your personal situation.