Paralegal salary: what you take home after tax and Medicare in 2026–27

Understanding the paralegal salary under the Legal Services Award

If you work as a paralegal in Australia, your minimum pay is set by the Legal Services Award 2020. Fair Work publishes classification rates that apply from 1 July 2026. While the award does not use the job title "paralegal", the classifications for legal clerical and administrative employees cover the role. A Level 3 employee – common for paralegal work – earns $31.11 per hour or $1,182.10 per week for a 38‑hour full‑time week. More experienced staff may be classified at Level 4 ($32.67 per hour) or Level 5 ($33.99 per hour). These are the minimum rates; many employers pay above award.

Your paralegal salary is the starting point for working out what lands in your bank account. The award rate is before tax and before the Medicare levy. It also does not include superannuation, which your employer pays on top.

Calculating your take-home pay

To estimate your take-home pay, you need to apply the 2026–27 income tax brackets and the Medicare levy. The Australian Taxation Office sets the tax rates for residents. For a Level 3 paralegal earning $61,469.20 a year ($1,182.10 × 52 weeks), the tax works out as:

• First $18,200: nil
• Next $26,800 (up to $45,000): 15 cents per dollar = $4,020
• Remaining $16,469.20 (up to $61,469.20): 30 cents per dollar = $4,940.76
• Gross tax: $8,960.76
• Less Low Income Tax Offset (LITO): $77.96 (reduced from $325 because your income is above $45,000)
• Tax after offset: $8,882.80

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income because you earn above the single upper threshold of $35,013. That adds $1,229.38. Total deductions: $10,112.18. Your annual net pay is $51,357.02, which is about $1,975 per fortnight.

Remember, this is an estimate. 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.

The role of super and Medicare levy

Your employer must pay superannuation guarantee of 12% on top of your base salary from 1 July 2026. For a Level 3 paralegal, that is an extra $7,376.30 per year paid into your super fund. Super is not deducted from your take-home pay – it is an additional cost to your employer. When you see job ads quoting a salary "plus super", the advertised figure is before super, and your take-home is based on that figure.

The Medicare levy is a flat 2% for most full‑time workers. The latest single‑person thresholds are $28,011 (lower) and $35,013 (upper). If your taxable income is between those amounts, you pay a reduced rate (10 cents per dollar over the lower threshold). Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. A Level 3 paralegal is well above that, so the full levy applies.

Fortnightly take-home example

Let’s put it together for a Level 3 paralegal paid fortnightly:

• Fortnightly gross: $1,182.10 × 2 = $2,364.20
• Tax withheld: approximately $341.65 (based on annual tax of $8,882.80 divided by 26)
• Medicare levy withheld: approximately $47.28 (annual $1,229.38 ÷ 26)
• Net fortnight: $2,364.20 – $341.65 – $47.28 = $1,975.27

This is the amount that reaches your bank account. If you are paid above the award rate, your take-home will be higher, but the same tax and Medicare rules apply. For more on how tax brackets affect your pay, see Tax and Medicare.

Final thoughts

Your paralegal salary under the award gives you a solid base. Understanding the gap between gross and net helps you budget and plan. Super is extra wealth you don’t see in your bank account today, and the Medicare levy is a fixed cost for most full‑time workers. Use the Clearance tool to check your own numbers, and always confirm your classification with your employer or union.