What is an AFLW salary and how does it compare to the national line?

Understanding the AFLW salary landscape

When you search for "aflw salary", you’re likely looking at job ads or contract offers for players in the AFL Women’s competition. Unlike many occupations covered by modern awards, AFLW pay is set through a collective bargaining agreement between the AFL and the AFL Players’ Association. That means there isn’t a single award rate you can look up on the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides. The exact figures for the 2026 season were not included in the web search results provided, so we can’t quote a specific dollar amount here. What we can do is show you how to use the Salary Index to benchmark any AFLW offer against the national line.

The Salary Index sets 100 as the full-time adult ordinary-time earnings from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Average Weekly Earnings survey (May 2026): $2,083.70 per week, annualised to $108,352. This is the benchmark for a typical full-time worker across all industries. Every other salary can be expressed as a percentage of that line. For example, the national minimum wage (from 1 July 2026) is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week, annualised to $52,255, giving an index of 48.2. That means the minimum wage is about 48% of the national average.

How the Salary Index helps compare offers

Reading a job ad for an AFLW role, you might see a figure like “$40,000 per season” or “$60,000 total player payment”. To compare that against other jobs or industries, calculate its index:

Index = (annual gross salary ÷ $108,352) × 100

• $40,000 → index 36.9
• $60,000 → index 55.4
• $80,000 → index 73.8

These indices are well below the national line of 100. But that doesn’t mean the offer is bad — AFLW players are often part-time or have short seasons, and many have other careers or study. The index simply lets you see where the pay sits relative to a full-time adult worker’s ordinary-time earnings.

You can also compare to state benchmarks. For instance, Western Australia has an index of 106.9 (annualised $115,825), while Tasmania is 88.6 ($96,008). If your AFLW offer is based in Melbourne (Victoria, index 98.0), you can see how it stacks up against the local average. Similarly, industry benchmarks: retail trade index 75.9, accommodation and food services 72.5, professional services 114.7. An AFLW salary in the 50–70 range would be comparable to many service-sector jobs.

Using award and minimum wage benchmarks

Even though AFLW isn’t covered by a modern award, the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides are still provide useful reference points. The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour for an adult employee not covered by an award. If you’re considering a role that also pays match fees or casual hours, the casual loading (including 25% loading) is $33.05 per hour. The entry-level award floor for most industries is $25.05 per hour. These are lower than most AFLW offers, but they show the floor for typical jobs.

Tax and super considerations

Super guarantee 12% from 1 July 2026 is 12% of the contribution base $270,830. For an AFLW players who are employees, super must be paid on their earnings. The 2026–27 tax brackets: nil to $18,200; 15% to $45,000; 30% to $135,000; 37% to $190,000; 45% above. Medicare levy 2% (plus surcharge if applicable). Take-home pay estimates ignore HELP, salary sacrifice, or the Medicare levy reduction. Use the how the index works for more details.

How to read an AFLW job ad with the index

Let’s walk through a concrete example. Suppose you see a job ad for a part-time AFLW player with a total player payment of $50,000 per season. You calculate index 46.1. That’s below the state of NSW (101.2) and far below the national minimum wage (48.2). It’s also below retail trade (75.9) and accommodation (72.5). But it’s above the minimum wage (48.2) and above the entry-level award floor (25.05 per hour). If you’re comparing two offers from different states, you can see that the same $50,000 offer in WA (106.9) would be a lower index than the same $50,000 in Tasmania (88.6). The index gives you a fair comparison across states and industries.

The bottom line

While we don’t have a precise AFLW salary figure from the search results, you can use the index to any offer. Use the Salary Index, pay guides, and industries pages for more context. The national line is 100 = $108,352. Use it to benchmark any offer. The index is a gross benchmark; your take-home pay will be lower after tax and Medicare. Use the how the index works for more details.

FAQs

What is the average AFLW salary? The web search did not return a specific average AFLW salary figure. The AFLW has a collective bargaining agreement that sets minimum and maximum pay rates, but those numbers were not in the provided sources. To evaluate any AFLW offer, you can use the Salary Index: divide the annual gross salary by $108,352 and multiply by 100 to see where it sits relative to the national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings line.

How does an AFLW salary compare to the national minimum wage? The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week (annualised $52,255, index 48.2). Most AFLW salaries are likely above this level, but because many players work part-time or on match fees, the annualised figure may be lower than a full-time minimum wage job. The index gives a direct comparison: an AFLW salary of, say, $30,000 would have an index of 27.7, well below the minimum wage index. However, AFLW players often have other employment or study commitments.

How can I use the Salary Index to evaluate an AFLW job offer? Take the annual gross salary offered (including any guaranteed match payments, retainers, and super if applicable). Divide by $108,352 (the national line) and multiply by 100. That’s your index. For example, a $50,000 offer gives an index of 46.1. You can then compare that index to state benchmarks (e.g., NSW 101.2, WA 106.9) or industry benchmarks (e.g., retail trade 75.9, professional services 114.7). Remember that the index is a gross benchmark; your take-home pay will be lower after tax and Medicare levy. Use the Salary Index, pay guides, and industries pages for more context.