Quant Salary: How State and Industry Differences Affect Your Pay

What is a quant salary?

A quant salary is simply a salary figure that can be measured and compared using quantitative data – in Australia, the most common benchmark is the full-time adult ordinary-time earnings for full-time adults, as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The Salary Index expresses your yearly gross salary divided by that national line (currently $108,352) multiplied by 100. So a quant salary of 100 means you earn exactly the national average; above 100 means above average, below means below average.

This article looks at how state and industry differences affect your quant salary. The data comes from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Average Weekly Earnings report for May 2026, the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides, and the Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database.

State differences in quant salary

State indices show how average full-time adult ordinary-time earnings vary across Australia. The on-site reference gives these indices:

• ACT: 109.9 (annualised $119,090)
• WA: 106.9 ($115,825)
• NSW: 101.2 ($109,658)
• VIC: 98.0 ($106,137)
• QLD: 97.9 ($106,064)
• NT: 95.2 ($103,173)
• SA: 94.6 ($102,450)
• TAS: 88.6 ($96,008)

This means a typical full-time adult in the ACT earns about 24% more than one in Tasmania, before considering industry or occupation. These differences reflect the mix of industries, cost of living, and labour demand in each state. For example, Western Australia’s high index is driven by the mining industry, while Tasmania’s lower index reflects a higher proportion of lower-paying industries like tourism and retail.

Your own quant salary will be influenced by where you work. If you’re in a high-index state like WA or the ACT, your pay is likely to be above the national line. If you’re in Tasmania or South Australia, it may be below. But remember: these are averages – your individual pay depends on your occupation, award, and employer.

Industry differences in quant salary

Industry indices show even larger gaps. The on-site reference gives these industry indices:

• Mining: 154.7
• Professional, Scientific and Technical: 114.7
• Education and Training: 105.5
• Health Care and Social Assistance: 97.8
• Retail Trade: 75.9
• Accommodation and Social Assistance: 72.5

Mining has an index of 154.7 – meaning typical full-time adult earnings in mining are about 55% above the national average. At the other end, Accommodation and Food Services has an index of 72.5, about 27% below. Retail Trade (75.9) and Health Care and Social Assistance (97.9) also sit below the national line, while Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (114.7) and Education and Training (105.5) are above.

Your quant salary depends heavily on your industry. Combining a high-index industry with a high-index state can push your pay well above the national benchmark. For example, a miner in Western Australia could have a quant salary well above 160, while a retail worker in Tasmania might be below 70.

How awards and the minimum wage affect quant salary

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, annualised $52,255, index 48.2. This is the floor – most employees are covered by a modern award that sets higher minimum rates. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes pay guides with the minimum pay rates for each award. For example, the Health Professionals and Support Services Award has specific rates for health professionals, and the Mining Industry Award has its own classifications.

Award minima rose by 4.75% from 1 July 2026, as per the Annual Wage Review 2026. The Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database includes all these rates, including wage-related allowances, expense-related allowances, and penalty rates. These can increase your gross pay, but the salary index is based on ordinary-time earnings, not including overtime or penalties.

What about take-home pay?

The salary index is gross ordinary-time earnings. Your actual take-home pay is affected by tax and the Medicare levy. For 2026–27, resident tax rates are: nil up to $18,200, then 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000, 45% above. Plus 2% Medicare levy. Superannuation guarantee is 12% from 1 July 2026, but that’s on top of your salary, not included in the index.

Using the Salary Index

To find your own quant salary, divide your yearly gross ordinary-time earnings by $108,352 and multiply by 100. Compare your index to the state and industry benchmarks. For example, if you earn $80,000 a year in retail in Victoria, your index is about 74 – below the national line, but close to the retail industry index of 75.9. If you earn $150,000 as a professional in mining in Western Australia, your index is about 138 – above the national line, but above the mining industry index of 154.7.

Remember that these are benchmarks, not a quote for a specific job. Awards and enterprise agreements can pay more. The states and industries pages on Salary Index give more detail on specific state and industry indices.

Summary

A quant salary is a useful way to understand where your pay sits against the national average. State and industry differences are large – from Tasmania’s 88.6 to the ACT’s 109.9, and from accommodation’s 72.5 to mining’s 154.7. Use the Salary Index to compare your own pay, and check the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides for your award’s minimum rates.