Average Annual Salary Australia: How State and Industry Differences Shape Your Pay

What is the average annual salary in Australia?

When people ask about the average annual salary Australia, they usually want a single number that sums up what a typical full-time worker earns. The most reliable benchmark comes from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which reports that full-time adult ordinary-time earnings were $2,083.70 per week in May 2026. That works out to $108,352 a year before tax. On the Salary Index, that figure is set at 100 – the national line. Every other salary can be compared to this line: a number above 100 means you earn more than the average full-time worker; below 100 means less.

But a national average only tells part of the story. Where you live and what industry you work in can shift that number dramatically. Let's look at the state and industry differences that really shape your pay packet.

State differences: from Tasmania to the ACT

The Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes average weekly earnings by state. When we annualise those figures and compare them to the national line, clear winners and losers emerge.

• Australian Capital Territory leads with an annualised average of $119,090 (index 109.9). The ACT's strong public sector and professional services base push earnings well above the national average.
• Western Australia comes next at $115,825 (index 106.9), driven by the mining and resources sector.
• New South Wales sits just above the national line at $109,658 (index 101.2).
• Victoria and Queensland are close to the national average at $106,137 (index 98.0) and $106,064 (index 97.9) respectively.
• South Australia ($102,450, index 94.6) and the Northern Territory ($103,173, index 95.2) fall below.
• Tasmania has the lowest average at $96,008 (index 88.6), nearly 12 points below the national line.

These state indexes show that your location alone can mean a difference of more than $23,000 a year between the highest and lowest states. For a deeper dive into each state's figures, see our states page.

Industry differences: mining versus retail

Industry is an even bigger factor than state. The ABS breaks down earnings by 18 industry divisions. Here are the extremes:

• Mining tops the list with an index of 154.7 – that's an annualised average of about $167,700. Workers in mining earn more than one and a half times the national line.
• Electricity, gas, water and waste services (index 122.2) and Information media and telecommunications (index 130.3) also pay well above average.
• Professional, scientific and technical services (index 114.7) and Financial and insurance services (index 112.4) are strong performers.
• Education and training (index 105.5) and Public administration and safety (index 104.6) sit slightly above the line.
• Health care and social assistance (index 97.8) is just below the national average, despite being Australia's largest employing industry.
• Retail trade (index 75.9) and Accommodation and food services (index 72.5) are the lowest-paying industries, with annualised averages around $82,200 and $78,600 respectively.

These industry indexes help you see where your field sits relative to the national line. Visit our industries page for more detail.

How to use the Salary Index

The Salary Index is simple: take your gross annual salary (before tax and super), divide it by the national line of $108,352, and multiply by 100. For example, a salary of $80,000 gives an index of about 74. A salary of $130,000 gives an index of about 120. You can use this to compare your pay to the average, or to see how your state or industry stacks up. Learn more on how the index works.

Awards, super and tax considerations

The figures above are gross ordinary-time earnings. They don't include overtime, bonuses, or salary sacrifice. They also don't reflect the national minimum wage, which from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour ($52,255 annualised, index 48.2). Most workers are covered by a modern award that sets a higher minimum. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from 1 July 2026.

Superannuation guarantee is 12% from 1 July 2026, paid on top of your salary up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. For tax, the 2026–27 resident rates (excluding Medicare) start at nil up to $18,200, then 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000, and 45% above that. Add the 2% Medicare levy. Take-home pay will be less than the gross figures quoted here.

For a practical guide on how awards set minimum pay, see our pay guides. And if you want to explore more topics around Australian salaries, check our topics page.

The bottom line

The average annual salary in Australia is $108,352, but that number is just a starting point. Your actual earnings depend heavily on where you live and what industry you work in. A miner in Western Australia will earn far more than a retail worker in Tasmania. The Salary Index gives you a consistent way to compare any salary to the national line, whether you're negotiating a raise, changing jobs, or just curious about where you stand.