Minimum wage for 14 year old: $9.73 per hour

What is the minimum wage for a 14 year old?

The minimum wage for a 14 year old in Australia is set by the national minimum wage order. Under the junior national minimum wage, a 14-year-old (classified as under 16) is entitled to at least $9.73 per hour. This rate is a percentage of the adult national minimum wage, which is $26.44 per hour from 1 July 2026. The junior rate for under 16 works out to about 36.8% of the adult rate.

This floor applies unless a modern award or enterprise agreement says otherwise. Many awards have their own junior pay scales, which can be higher or lower than the national minimum. Always check the relevant award or agreement for the exact rate.

Gross pay and the salary index

The Salary Index measures gross annual earnings against the national line of 100, which is full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $108,352 per year. For a 14-year-old, full-time work is rare, but if they worked 38 hours a week all year at $9.73 per hour, their annualised gross pay would be about $19,230. That would give an index of roughly 17.7 – far below the national average.

In reality, most 14-year-olds work part-time, often in retail or hospitality. The industries with many young workers, like retail trade (index 75.9) and accommodation and food services (index 72.5), have lower average earnings than the national line. But the minimum wage for a 14-year-old is still the junior floor, not the industry average.

Superannuation for young workers

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary earnings. This applies to all employees, including 14-year-olds. If a 14-year-old earns $97.30 in a week (10 hours at $9.73), the employer must contribute $11.68 in super. There is no minimum earnings threshold for super from 1 July 2022, so even small amounts attract super.

Super is paid on top of gross pay. It does not reduce the take-home amount, but it is an important part of total compensation. For a young worker, that super can grow over decades thanks to compound returns.

Tax considerations

A 14-year-old is a resident for tax purposes if they live in Australia. The tax-free threshold is $18,200. If their total annual earnings are below that, they pay no income tax. However, if their employer withholds tax (because they didn't claim the tax-free threshold), they may need to lodge a tax return to get a refund.

Medicare levy of 2% applies, but low-income earners may be exempt or pay a reduced amount. For 2026–27, the low-income threshold for Medicare levy is around $24,276 for singles. So a 14-year-old earning under that would not pay the levy.

State and industry context

State average earnings vary, but the minimum wage is national. For example, states like New South Wales have an index of 101.2, while Tasmania is 88.6. But a 14-year-old in any state gets at least the junior national minimum wage. Some states have their own laws on working hours for under-16s, but pay rates are set federally.

If you are looking at a specific job, check the pay guides for the relevant award. Awards often have junior rates that differ from the national minimum. For instance, the General Retail Industry Award has junior percentages that may be higher or lower than the national minimum percentages.

How the index works

The how the index works page explains that the index is a benchmark for full-time adult ordinary-time earnings. It is not designed for part-time or junior workers. For a 14-year-old, the index is not a meaningful comparison because their earnings are so low. But it helps to see how far below the national average the junior minimum sits.

In summary, the minimum wage for a 14 year old is $9.73 per hour. Gross pay is low, super is still payable, and tax is unlikely if earnings are under $18,200. Always check the specific award or agreement for the correct rate.