$30 an Hour Is How Much a Year?
$30 an hour is $59,280 a year before tax and $49,901 after tax in 2026-27, based on a 38-hour week.

$30 an Hour After Tax
$30 an hour after tax is $959.63 a week on a 38-hour week: you keep $25.25 of every hour. The effective tax rate is 15.8%, and the next dollar is taxed at 32%.
| 38 hrs a week | Hour | Day | Week | Fortnight | Month | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $30.00 | $228.00 | $1,140.00 | $2,280.00 | $4,940.00 | $59,280.00 |
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$4.15 | −$31.51 | −$157.56 | −$315.12 | −$682.75 | −$8,193.00 |
| Medicare levy | −$0.60 | −$4.56 | −$22.81 | −$45.62 | −$98.83 | −$1,186.00 |
| Take-home pay | $25.25 | $191.93 | $959.63 | $1,919.27 | $4,158.42 | $49,901.00 |
| Employer super (on top) | $3.60 | $27.36 | $136.81 | $273.62 | $592.83 | $7,114.00 |
2026-27 resident rates, tax-free threshold claimed; each pay's withholding can differ by a few dollars.
Award Jobs With a Minimum Rate of About $30 an Hour
$30 an hour is $3.56 (13%) above the national minimum wage of $26.44 an hour for adults from 1 July 2026.
$59,280 a year is ahead of 14–20% of full-time employees (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) and $49,072 below the average full-time salary of $108,352 (May 2026).
These award classifications have an adult minimum rate within $0.50 of $30 an hour.
| Award and classification | Minimum rate | vs $30 | Casual minimum | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining AwardLevel 2 (Intermediate) | $29.67* | −$0.33 | $37.09 | 1 July 2026 |
| Fast Food AwardLevel 3 (in charge of one or no person) | $29.91 | −$0.09 | $37.39 | 1 July 2026 |
| Aged Care AwardGeneral — level 3Pay guide with this rate: Aged Care Worker | $29.98 | −$0.02 | $37.48 | 1 July 2026 |
| Hair and Beauty AwardLevel 4Pay guide with this rate: Hairdresser | $30.00 | same | $37.50 | 1 July 2026 |
| Plumbing AwardSprinkler fitting worker Level 1(b) — after 3 months | $30.17* | +$0.17 | $37.71 | 1 July 2026 |
| Security AwardSecurity Officer Level 4Pay guide with this rate: Security Guard | $30.23 | +$0.23 | $37.79 | 1 July 2026 |
| Timber AwardGeneral Timber — Level 6; Pulp and Paper — Level 6; Wood and Timber Furniture — Level 6 | $30.38 | +$0.38 | $37.98 | 1 July 2026 |
| Nurses AwardEnrolled nurse — pay point 2Pay guide with this rate: Nurse | $30.39 | +$0.39 | $37.99 | 1 July 2026 |
Adult minimums for ordinary hours from the first full pay period on or after the date shown; pay can be higher. Casual: plus the 25% loading. * Includes all-purpose allowances. Sources: Mining Award (MA000011) cl 15.1(a) + cl 18.2(b), calculated as the ordinary hourly rate (Schedule B.1); Fast Food Award (MA000003) cl 15.1, Table 3; Aged Care Award (MA000018) cl 14.1 to 14.3; Hair and Beauty Award (MA000005) cl 17.1, Table 4; Plumbing Award (MA000036) cl 18.1 + cl 21.3, calculated as the ordinary hourly rate (cl 2; Schedules B, C and D); Security Award (MA000016) cl 15.1, Table 4; Timber Award (MA000071) cl 20.1(a)–(c); Nurses Award (MA000034) cl 15.1 and 15.3.
Pay Scale Points Near $59,280 a Year
$30 an hour full time is $59,280 a year. Points within $988 of $59,280 on published public service, nursing and emergency services pay scales, one per employer (full-time hours vary, so compare salaries):
| Employer and point | Salary | vs $59,280 |
|---|---|---|
| Victorian Public ServiceVPS Grade 1, Value Range 1.1, 1.1.3From 1 May 2026 | $59,000 | −$280 |
| SA public health nurses and midwivesAssistant in Nursing/Midwifery, 1st incrementFrom first full pay period after 1 January 2025 | $59,094 | −$186 |
| NSW public sectorNSW Health Administration Officer Level 1, 1st Year ($1,138.62 a week)From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 | $59,208 | −$72 |
| Tasmanian State ServiceGeneral Stream Band 1, Band 1 Range 1 Level 3From the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2025 | $59,300 | +$20 |
| SA prison officersCorrectional Officer CO-1 to CO-3: CO-1 1st year adultFrom 1 July 2026 | $59,406 | +$126 |
| Queensland public serviceProfessional Officer 1, PO1/3From 1 September 2026 | $59,415 | +$135 |
| South Australian public sectorAdministrative Services Officer Level 1, ASO-1 2nd year adultFrom the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 | $59,573 | +$293 |
| QLD firefightersFirefighters (CA25 Schedule 1, base rates): RecruitFrom 1 August 2026 (award-floor rows from 1 September 2026) | $59,730 | +$450 |
Base salaries as published; allowances, loadings and super are extra.
Weekend and Overtime Rates Near $30 an Hour
The closest award minimum to $30 with published penalty tables is Hair and Beauty Award Level 4 at $30.00 an hour from 1 July 2026. For a full-time or part-time employee on that minimum, the award's own tables give:
| When worked | Rate | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday — 7.00 am to 6.00 pm | 133% | $39.90 |
| Sunday — 10.00 am to 5.00 pm (casuals: any time of day) | 200% | $60.00 |
| Public holiday — any time of day | 250% | $75.00 |
| Rostered day off (worked by written agreement) | 200% | $60.00 |
| Overtime: Monday to Saturday — first 3 hours | 150% | $45.00 |
| Overtime: Monday to Saturday — after 3 hours | 200% | $60.00 |
| Overtime: Sunday — all overtime hours | 200% | $60.00 |
| Overtime: Public holiday — all overtime hours | 250% | $75.00 |
| Overtime: Rostered day off — all overtime hours | 200% | $60.00 |
Hair and Beauty Award (MA000005) cl 23, Tables 14 and 15 and cl 22.5, Table 13, applied to the $30.00 minimum; casual rates differ. Full Hair and Beauty Award rates.
$30 an Hour by Hours Worked
| Hours a week | Week before tax | Week after tax | Year before tax | Year after tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | $600.00 | $569.83 | $31,200 | $29,631 |
| 25 | $750.00 | $687.02 | $39,000 | $35,725 |
| 30 | $900.00 | $800.04 | $46,800 | $41,602 |
| 38 (full time) | $1,140.00 | $959.63 | $59,280 | $49,901 |
| 45 | $1,350.00 | $1,100.31 | $70,200 | $57,216 |
| 38 as a casual$37.50 an hour: $30 plus 25% | $1,425.00 | $1,151.31 | $74,100 | $59,868 |
Dropping to 25 hours a week cuts gross pay by 34% but take-home by only 28%, because the part-time income ($39,000) tops out in the 15% bracket and no longer reaches the 30% rate: you keep $27.48 of each hour, against $25.25 full time. The 37% rate starts above $135,000, $68.32 an hour full time. Every threshold at this income: take-home pay on $60,000.
Quick Answers
- Which award jobs have a minimum rate of about $30 an hour?
- From 1 July 2026, adult minimum rates within $0.50 of $30 an hour include: Mining Award Level 2 (Intermediate) at $29.67; Fast Food Award Level 3 (in charge of one or no person) at $29.91; Aged Care Award General — level 3 at $29.98; Hair and Beauty Award Level 4 at $30.00; Plumbing Award Sprinkler fitting worker Level 1(b) — after 3 months at $30.17; Security Award Security Officer Level 4 at $30.23; Timber Award General Timber — Level 6 and Pulp and Paper — Level 6 and Wood and Timber Furniture — Level 6 at $30.38; Nurses Award Enrolled nurse — pay point 2 at $30.39. These are legal minimums for ordinary hours, not typical pay: many employees are paid more.
- What are weekend and overtime rates near $30 an hour?
- On the Hair and Beauty Award Level 4 minimum of $30.00 (from 1 July 2026), a full-time or part-time employee gets Saturday — 7.00 am to 6.00 pm: 133%, $39.90; Sunday — 10.00 am to 5.00 pm (casuals: any time of day): 200%, $60.00; Public holiday — any time of day: 250%, $75.00; overtime, Monday to Saturday — first 3 hours: 150%, $45.00. Casuals and other classifications are paid differently.
- Which published pay scales pay about $59,280 a year?
- Within $988 of $59,280, one point per employer: Victorian Public Service, VPS Grade 1, Value Range 1.1, 1.1.3, $59,000; SA public health nurses and midwives, Assistant in Nursing/Midwifery, 1st increment, $59,094; NSW public sector, NSW Health Administration Officer Level 1, 1st Year ($1,138.62 a week), $59,208; Tasmanian State Service, General Stream Band 1, Band 1 Range 1 Level 3, $59,300; SA prison officers, Correctional Officer CO-1 to CO-3: CO-1 1st year adult, $59,406; Queensland public service, Professional Officer 1, PO1/3, $59,415; South Australian public sector, Administrative Services Officer Level 1, ASO-1 2nd year adult, $59,573; QLD firefighters, Firefighters (CA25 Schedule 1, base rates): Recruit, $59,730. These are full-time base salaries; hours, allowances and super differ between employers.
What to check next
People reading this page usually work these out too.