Understanding Your Support Worker Salary: Gross, Package, and Take-Home Pay

What Your Support Worker Salary Really Means

When you see a job ad for a support worker, the figure quoted is usually a gross annual salary or an hourly rate. But what lands in your bank account each fortnight is your take-home pay, which can be significantly less after tax, the Medicare levy, and other deductions. This guide explains the difference between gross salary, total package, and take-home pay, using the latest rates under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS Award).

The SCHADS Award: Your Minimum Entitlement

Most support workers in Australia are covered by the SCHADS Award. Fair Work publishes a pay guide with minimum hourly rates for each classification and pay point. For example, a Level 1 pay point 1 social and community services employee earns $27.55 per hour, while a Level 5 pay point 2 home care employee earns $40.58 per hour . From 1 December 2026, home care disability employees receive an initial increase of up to 15% to their minimum award rates.

These rates are gross – before any deductions. If you work 38 hours per week, your weekly gross pay at Level 2 pay point 1 ($36.22/hr) would be $1,376.36, or about $71,570 per year.

From Gross to Take-Home: Tax and Medicare

Your take-home pay is what remains after the Australian Taxation Office takes income tax and the Medicare levy. For the 2026–27 tax year, the tax brackets are:

• Up to $18,200: nil
• $18,201 to $45,000: 15c per $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 to $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c per $1 over $45,000
• $135,001 to $190,000: $31,020 plus 37c per $1 over $135,000
• Over $190,000: $51,370 plus 45c per $1 over $190,000

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income, but you may pay a reduced rate if your income is below the single thresholds of $28,011 or $35,013. For full-time support workers, the full 2% applies.

Using the Level 2 example above ($71,570), the estimated tax would be about $11,000 and Medicare about $1,430, leaving a take-home of roughly $59,000 per year, or $2,269 per fortnight. This is before any salary packaging or HELP/HECS repayments.

Package vs Gross: Don't Be Misled

Some employers advertise a "total package" that includes your gross salary plus employer superannuation contributions. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12% on earnings up to $270,830 per year. So a $70,000 package might actually be a $62,500 gross salary plus $7,500 super. Your take-home is based on the gross salary, not the package. Always ask for the gross salary when comparing offers.

Salary Packaging: A Way to Boost Take-Home

Many support workers, especially in not-for-profit organisations, can salary package up to $15,900 per year for living expenses (like rent or mortgage) plus up to $2,650 for meal entertainment. This reduces your taxable income, meaning you pay less tax and Medicare. For example, packaging $15,900 could save you around $4,770 in tax (at the 30% marginal rate). However, it reduces your superannuation guarantee base. See our Salary packaging guide for more.

The National Minimum Wage Benchmark

Even if you're not covered by an award, you must be paid at least the national minimum wage: $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week (from 1 July 2026). Most support worker award rates are higher, but this is the legal floor.

Key Takeaways

• Your support worker salary is determined by the SCHADS Award classification and pay point.
• Gross pay is before tax, Medicare, and other deductions.
• Take-home pay is what you actually receive – use our Take-home pay calculator to estimate yours.
• Total package includes employer super – always compare gross salaries.
• Salary packaging can increase your take-home pay if your employer offers it.

For more on tax and Medicare, see our Tax and Medicare page. Remember, this is an estimate only and not a tax assessment.