AFL Coach Salary: What Coaches Earn in 2026

What is the AFL coach salary?

When people ask about the afl coach salary, they are usually referring to the pay of professional coaches in the Australian Football League. These roles range from development coaches working with young players to senior head coaches who lead entire clubs. The AFL Coaches Association (AFLCA) conducts an annual salary benchmarking survey that provides the most detailed picture of what coaches earn. The latest survey, reported by, breaks coaching staff into seven categories and shows significant variation.

Average salaries by role

• Senior coach: The AFLCA withholds the exact average, but it is understood to be around $800,000–$900,000 per year. With bonuses for success or experience, many senior coaches earn over $1 million.
• Director of coaching or senior assistant: Average $250,000 per year.
• Assistant coach: Average $200,000 per year, up 20% over four years after pandemic-era cuts.
• Head of development: $175,000–$200,000 per year.
• Development coach, academy manager, or academy coach: Average $125,000 per year.

These figures are gross salaries before tax and superannuation. They do not include performance bonuses or marketing agreements, which can add substantially for senior coaches.

How does the AFL coach salary compare to the national line?

The Salary Index uses full-time adult ordinary-time earnings as the benchmark, set at $108,352 per year (index 100) based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics Average Weekly Earnings for May 2026. An AFL assistant coach on $200,000 therefore has an index of 185 – nearly double the national average. A senior coach on $850,000 has an index of 785, more than seven times the benchmark. Even a development coach on $125,000 sits at index 115, above the national line.

For context, the national minimum wage from July 2026 is $52,255 per year (index 48.2). The median full-time earnings for all occupations is $1,852 per week, or about $96,300 annualised (index 89). AFL coaching salaries clearly sit in the top tier of Australian earnings.

Superannuation and tax considerations

From 1 July 2026, the superannuation guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. For an assistant coach on $200,000, the employer must contribute $24,000 into super. For a senior coach on $850,000, the maximum base applies, so the super contribution is capped at $32,500 (12% of $270,830).

Tax on these salaries uses the 2026–27 resident rates:

• Nil on the first $18,200
• 15% on $18,201–$45,000
• 30% on $45,001–$135,000
• 37% on $135,001–$190,000
• 45% on amounts over $190,000 Plus a 2% Medicare levy.

An assistant coach on $200,000 would pay roughly $59,870 in tax and Medicare, leaving about $140,130 take-home. A senior coach on $850,000 would pay around $339,870 in tax and Medicare, taking home about $510,130. These estimates ignore HELP repayments, salary sacrifice, or the Medicare levy surcharge.

Job security and working conditions

Despite the high pay, the AFLCA survey reveals a significant concern: 65% of assistant and development coaches have termination periods of three months or less. This lack of job security affects mental health and deters former players from entering coaching. The association is pushing for standard termination payouts of up to 12 months for in-contract coaches who are sacked. The gap between average player wages ($506,000) and assistant coach wages ($200,000) is also widening, which may affect recruitment.

Broader context: all sports coaches

The Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for Sports Coaches, Instructors and Officials reports median weekly earnings of $1,442, annualised to about $75,000. However, this category includes many part-time and casual roles across all sports, not just elite AFL. Only 21% work full-time, and the median age is 21. AFL coaching is a specialised, high-paying subset within this occupation.

How the soft cap affects pay

The AFL's soft cap limits total football department spending. In 2026 the cap increased by $750,000, and in 2027 by another $350,000. Additionally, senior coaches can earn up to $100,000 outside the cap via marketing service agreements, and 20% of the salary of the most senior assistant or director of coaching sits outside the cap. These changes, reported by, give clubs more capacity to pay coaches.

State and industry comparisons

Using the Salary Index, we can compare AFL coach pay to state benchmarks. For example, an assistant coach on $200,000 has an index of 185, well above the highest state index (ACT at 109.9). Even a development coach on $125,000 (index 115) exceeds all state averages. In industry terms, the AFL coach salary far outstrips the retail trade index (75.9) and accommodation and food services (72.5), and is higher than professional services (114.7) and mining (154.7) for assistant coaches and above.

For more on how the index works, see how the index works. To compare pay across states, visit states. For industry benchmarks, see industries. The pay guides page offers further context on award rates and minimum wages.

Key takeaways

The afl coach salary varies widely by role, from $125,000 for development coaches to over $1 million for senior coaches with bonuses. All full-time AFL coaching roles pay above the national average earnings. However, job security remains a major issue, with short termination periods affecting coach wellbeing. The AFL has responded with soft cap increases and marketing concessions, but the coaching pathway still faces challenges in attracting and retaining talent.