Data analyst salary Melbourne: awards versus the national minimum wage

Data analyst salary Melbourne: awards versus the national minimum wage

When you search for a data analyst salary Melbourne, the first thing to understand is how that figure compares to the national benchmark. The Salary Index sets 100 as the full-time adult ordinary-time earnings, which from May 2026 is $108,352 per year (or $2,083.70 per week). That number comes from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Average Weekly Earnings survey. It is not a quote for any job, but a line you can use to measure your own pay.

Where does a data analyst sit on the index?

Public data on data analyst salaries in Melbourne is scarce. The Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database does not list a classification called ‘data analyst’. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides cover awards like the Health Professionals and Support Services Award and the Clerks Award, but neither defines a data analyst role. The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey groups occupations by ANZSCO codes, and data analyst may fall under ‘ICT Business Analysts’ or ‘Analysts and Programmers’, but the provided search results do not give a Melbourne-specific figure.

What we do know is that data analysts are often employed in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry. That industry has an industries index of 114.7, meaning average earnings there are about $124,300 annualised. That is above the national line. In contrast, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $52,255 annualised, giving an index of 48.2. A data analyst salary in Melbourne would almost certainly sit well above that floor.

Awards versus the national minimum wage

The writing angle here is awards versus the national minimum wage. Many people assume that if a job is not covered by an award, the national minimum wage applies. That is true only as a safety net. In practice, most data analysts are paid under enterprise agreements or individual contracts that far exceed the minimum. Even if an award did apply—say the Clerks Award for a data entry role—the minimum rates are still low. For example, a Level 1 clerk under the Clerks Award might earn around $25.74 per hour (the entry-level award floor from July 2026). That is barely above the national minimum wage of $26.44. A genuine data analyst role would command much more.

How to use the index for your own pay

If you are a data analyst in Melbourne and want to know where you sit, take your gross annual salary and divide it by $108,352, then multiply by 100. For instance, a salary of $90,000 gives an index of 83.1. A salary of $120,000 gives 110.8. The index does not tell you if you are underpaid—that depends on your skills, experience, and employer—but it does show how you compare to the average full-time worker.

What about super and tax?

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% on earnings up to $270,830. That is on top of your salary. For a data analyst earning $100,000, the employer contributes $12,000 to super. Tax for 2026–27 (resident, excluding Medicare) is 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 on $100,000 would be roughly $74,000 after tax and Medicare, ignoring HELP or other deductions.

State and industry context

Melbourne is in Victoria, which has a state index of 98 (annualised $106,137). That is slightly below the national line. But within Victoria, the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry index is 114.7, so data analysts in that sector tend to earn above the state average. Other industries like Retail Trade (index 75.9) or Accommodation and Food Services (72.5) pay much less. If you are a data analyst in mining, the industry index is 154.7, but that is rare in Melbourne.

Why the public data is thin

The Fair Work Ombudsman and Fair Work Commission focus on minimum rates and awards. They do not publish typical salaries for professional roles like data analyst. The ABS does publish earnings by occupation, but the most recent Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025) does not break out ‘data analyst’ as a separate category. You would need to access microdata via TableBuilder to get that detail. For now, the best public hint is the industry index.

Key takeaways

• No single public figure exists for a data analyst salary in Melbourne.
• The national line is $108,352 (index 100).
• The national minimum wage is $52,255 (index 48.2).
• Data analysts typically earn above the award floor and often above the national line.
• Use the Salary Index to benchmark your own pay.
• Check pay guides if you suspect an award applies, but most data analysts are award-free.
• See states and industries for more context.

The bottom line

A data analyst salary in Melbourne is not pinned down by public data, but the role sits comfortably above the national minimum wage and likely near or above the national line. The index gives you a way to measure that gap. If you are negotiating pay, knowing where the national line sits can help you argue for a fair figure.