Calculators
- Pay calculatorTake-home pay per week, fortnight, month and year after tax withheld, the Medicare levy and HELP, for residents, foreign residents and working holiday makers, with super guarantee shown.
More Australian calculators are being added; the /changelog lists each one.
How pay is taxed in Australia
Employees in Australia pay tax through PAYG withholding (Pay As You Go): your employer takes tax from each pay and sends it to the ATO, and the final amount for the year is settled when you lodge your tax return.
Income tax. Australian residents who claim the tax-free threshold pay no tax on the first $18,200 of income a year. Above that, resident rates run from 15% to 45% on income above $190,000 (ATO tax tables 2026–27, Schedule 1 – Statement of formulas for calculating amounts to be withheld). Foreign residents and working holiday makers are taxed at their own rates, with no tax-free threshold for foreign residents. You claim the tax-free threshold on the Tax file number declaration you give your employer, usually from one employer at a time.
Medicare levy. Most residents pay a Medicare levy of 2% of taxable income, reduced for low incomes below $28,011 (ATO Medicare levy). On a payslip it is included in the tax withheld. The separate Medicare levy surcharge, for some people without private hospital cover, is not taken from pay; it is worked out on your tax return.
HELP and other study loans. If you have a HELP, VSL, SFSS, SSL or AASL debt, your employer withholds an extra amount once your repayment income is above the minimum repayment threshold, using the ATO study and training loan repayment thresholds for 2026–27. The compulsory repayment is finalised on your tax return.
Super. Your employer pays super guarantee of 12% of your ordinary time earnings into your super fund, on top of your pay unless your contract is a package that includes super (ATO, super guarantee percentage 2026–27). It does not come out of your take-home pay. Salary sacrifice to super is taken from your pay before tax, and counts towards the yearly concessional contributions cap (ATO, super contribution caps 2026–27).
Pay by state. Income tax, the Medicare levy and HELP repayments are federal, so the same pay leaves the same take-home pay in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin or Canberra. Minimum wages and award pay rates are set by the Fair Work Commission, not the tax system. For award rates, penalty rates and allowances, the Fair Work Ombudsman's Fair Work pay calculator looks them up by award and job.
Frequently asked questions
How much tax do I pay on my wage in Australia?
It depends on your pay, your residency for tax purposes and whether you claim the tax-free threshold. Residents claiming it pay no tax on the first $18,200, then resident rates from 15% above that, plus the Medicare levy of 2% (ATO tax tables 2026–27; ATO Medicare levy); the pay calculator shows it for your own figures.
Is income tax different in each state?
No. Australia has no state income tax, so income tax, the Medicare levy and HELP repayments are the same in every state and territory. Minimum wages and award pay rates in the national workplace relations system are set by the Fair Work Commission and differ by industry and job rather than by state.
Is super included in my salary?
It depends on your contract. "Plus super" means your employer pays super guarantee of 12% on top of the salary; "including super" or "package" means the salary figure already contains it (ATO, super guarantee percentage 2026–27). The pay calculator handles both.
What is the difference between the pay calculator and the Fair Work pay calculator?
The pay calculator on this site starts from the pay you are on and shows what is left after tax. The Fair Work pay calculator, run by the Fair Work Ombudsman, shows the minimum pay rates, penalty rates and allowances an award sets for a job, before tax.
Estimate for tax year 2026–27 based on ATO tax tables 2026–27 (Schedule 1, Schedule 8). Not tax, legal or financial advice. Your employer's payroll may differ.