$42 an Hour Is How Much a Year?
$42 an hour is $82,992 a year before tax and $65,914 after tax in 2026-27, based on a 38-hour week.
$42 an Hour After Tax
$42 an hour after tax is $1,267.58 a week on a 38-hour week: you keep $33.36 of every hour. With the Medicare levy included, the effective tax rate is 20.6%, and each extra dollar is taxed at 32%.
| 38 hrs a week | Hour | Day | Week | Fortnight | Month | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $42.00 | $319.20 | $1,596.00 | $3,192.00 | $6,916.00 | $82,992.00 |
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$7.80 | −$59.30 | −$296.50 | −$593.00 | −$1,284.83 | −$15,418.00 |
| Medicare levy | −$0.84 | −$6.38 | −$31.92 | −$63.85 | −$138.33 | −$1,660.00 |
| Take-home pay | $33.36 | $253.52 | $1,267.58 | $2,535.15 | $5,492.83 | $65,914.00 |
| Employer super (on top) | $5.04 | $38.30 | $191.52 | $383.04 | $829.92 | $9,959.00 |
2026-27 resident tax rates, with the tax-free threshold claimed and no HECS-HELP debt; each pay's withholding can differ from these figures by a few dollars. With a HECS-HELP debt, the compulsory repayment of $2,020 brings the year to $63,894.
Award Jobs With a Minimum Rate of About $42 an Hour
$42 an hour is 1.6 times the national minimum wage of $26.44 an hour for adults from 1 July 2026.
$82,992 a year is ahead of 36–43% of full-time employees (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) and $25,360 below the average full-time salary of $108,352 (May 2026).
These award classifications have an adult minimum rate within $0.50 of $42 an hour.
| Award and classification | Minimum rate | vs $42 | Casual minimum | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurses AwardOccupational health nurse level 2 — pay point 4; Registered nurse level 2 — pay point 4 and thereafter; Senior occupational health clinical nursePay guides with this rate: Nurse, Midwife | $41.59 | −$0.41 | $51.99 | 1 July 2026 |
| SCHADS Award (social and community services)Level 3 pay point 2Pay guides with this rate: Disability Support Worker, Social Worker, Youth Worker | $41.66 | −$0.34 | $52.08 | 1 July 2026 |
| Health Professionals AwardHealth Professional Level 1 — AQF 8, 4th–6th yearPay guides with this rate: Sonographer, Speech Pathologist, Dietitian | $41.71 | −$0.29 | $52.14 | 1 October 2026 |
| Pharmacy AwardPharmacistPay guide with this rate: Pharmacist | $41.74 | −$0.26 | $52.18 | 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. Sources: Nurses Award (MA000034) cl 15.1 and 15.3; SCHADS Award (MA000100) award text and FWO pay guide, determination PR799380 (SACS Levels 2–8 with Equal Remuneration Order PR525485); Health Professionals Award (MA000027) cl 16.2(a) (Support Services) and cl 17.1–17.2 (Health Professionals); Pharmacy Award (MA000012) cl 16.1, Table 3.
Pay Scale Points Near $82,992 a Year
$42 an hour full time is $82,992 a year. Points within $988 of $82,992 on published public service, school, nursing and emergency services pay scales, one per employer (full-time hours vary, so compare salaries):
| Employer and point | Salary | vs $82,992 |
|---|---|---|
| NT public health nurses and midwivesNurse 1 Advanced Practice, Year 1From 19 August 2025 (first full pay period on or after 9 August 2025) | $82,725 | −$267 |
| ACT public school teachersPermit to TeachFrom the first full pay period on or after 4 December 2025 | $82,796 | −$196 |
| NT paramedicsIntern and Qualified Paramedic (Schedule 2, 1 July 2024 rates): InternFrom 1 July 2024 | $82,859 | −$133 |
| Tasmanian State ServiceGeneral Stream Band 3, Band 3 Range 1 Level 5From the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2025 | $82,875 | −$117 |
| ACT public health nurses and midwivesMidwife (RM) Level 1, Pay point 1From first full pay period on or after 1 December 2025 (4 December 2025) | $82,993 | +$1 |
| Australian Public ServiceTreasury APS 4, APS 4.1From 12 March 2026 | $82,995 | +$3 |
| NSW policeProbationary Constable to Senior Constable (Table 1b): Probationary Constable (Level 1)From 1 July 2026 | $83,028 | +$36 |
| Victorian Public ServiceVPS Grade 3, Value Range 3.1, 3.1.2From 1 May 2026 | $83,244 | +$252 |
| TAS prison officersCorrectional Officer and First Class Correctional Officer, day workers (Schedule 1): FCCO Level 3From 1 December 2025 | $83,260 | +$268 |
| ACT prison officersCorrectional Officer Class 1: Class 1, Cert III Correctional PracticeFrom 4 December 2025 | $83,297 | +$305 |
Base salaries as published; allowances, loadings and super are extra.
Is $42 an Hour a Casual Award Rate?
As a casual rate, $42 is a base of $33.60 plus the 25% loading paid instead of leave. These award classifications have a casual minimum within 50c of $42:
| Award and classification | Permanent minimum | Casual minimum | vs $42 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Performance AwardLevel 8 — Production and Support Staff 7 | $33.31 | $41.64 | −$0.36 |
| Fitness Industry AwardLevel 6 | $33.58 | $41.98 | −$0.02 |
| Manufacturing AwardC6 / V9 | $33.77 | $42.21 | +$0.21 |
| Health Professionals AwardSupport Services Level 8 — pay point 1 | $33.78 | $42.23 | +$0.23 |
| Electrical AwardElectrical worker grade 7 | $33.81 | $42.26 | +$0.26 |
| Local Government AwardLevel 6 | $33.87 | $42.34 | +$0.34 |
| Real Estate AwardLevel 4 (In-Charge) | $33.88 | $42.35 | +$0.35 |
| Building and Construction AwardLevel 6 (CW/ECW 6) | $33.91 | $42.39 | +$0.39 |
Adult minimums for ordinary hours; casual = permanent minimum plus each award's 25% loading. What the loading replaces: casual loading calculator.
Weekend and Overtime Rates Near $42 an Hour
The closest award minimum to $42 with published penalty tables is Pharmacy Award Pharmacist at $41.74 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday — 7.00 am to 8.00 am | 150% | $62.61 |
| Monday to Friday — 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm | 125% | $52.18 |
| Monday to Friday — 9.00 pm to midnight | 150% | $62.61 |
| Saturday — 7.00 am to 8.00 am | 200% | $83.48 |
| Saturday — 8.00 am to 6.00 pm | 125% | $52.18 |
| Saturday — 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm | 150% | $62.61 |
| Saturday — 9.00 pm to midnight | 175% | $73.05 |
| Sunday — 7.00 am to 9.00 pm | 150% | $62.61 |
| Sunday — before 7.00 am and after 9.00 pm | 200% | $83.48 |
| Public holidays — all day | 225% | $93.92 |
| Overtime: Monday to Saturday — first 2 hours | 150% | $62.61 |
| Overtime: Monday to Saturday — after 2 hours | 200% | $83.48 |
| Overtime: Sunday — all day | 200% | $83.48 |
| Overtime: Public holiday — all day | 250% | $104.35 |
Pharmacy Award (MA000012) cl 22.3, Table 6 and cl 21.4, Table 5, applied to the $41.74 minimum; casual rates differ. Full Pharmacy Award rates.
$42 an Hour by Hours Worked
| Hours a week | Week before tax | Week after tax | Year before tax | Year after tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | $840.00 | $757.21 | $43,680 | $39,375 |
| 25 | $1,050.00 | $899.79 | $54,600 | $46,789 |
| 30 | $1,260.00 | $1,039.44 | $65,520 | $54,051 |
| 38 (full time) | $1,596.00 | $1,267.58 | $82,992 | $65,914 |
| 45 | $1,890.00 | $1,467.50 | $98,280 | $76,310 |
| 38 as a casual$52.50 an hour: $42 plus 25% | $1,995.00 | $1,538.90 | $103,740 | $80,023 |
Dropping to 25 hours a week cuts gross pay by 34% but take-home by only 29%, because the tax-free threshold and the Low Income Tax Offset cover a bigger share of the smaller income (both sit in the 30% bracket): you keep $35.99 of each hour, against $33.36 full time. The 37% tax rate starts above $135,000 a year, or $68.32 an hour full time. For every tax threshold near this salary, see take-home pay on $85,000.
Quick Answers
- Which award jobs have a minimum rate of about $42 an hour?
- Adult minimum rates within $0.50 of $42 an hour include: Nurses Award Occupational health nurse level 2 — pay point 4 and Registered nurse level 2 — pay point 4 and thereafter and Senior occupational health clinical nurse at $41.59 from 1 July 2026; SCHADS Award (social and community services) Level 3 pay point 2 at $41.66 from 1 July 2026; Health Professionals Award Health Professional Level 1 — AQF 8, 4th–6th year at $41.71 from 1 October 2026; Pharmacy Award Pharmacist at $41.74 from 1 July 2026. These are legal minimums for ordinary hours, not typical pay, and an employer can pay above them.
- Is $42 an hour a casual award rate?
- $42 is within 50c of the casual minimum for: Live Performance Award Level 8 — Production and Support Staff 7 ($41.64 casual, $33.31 permanent); Fitness Industry Award Level 6 ($41.98 casual, $33.58 permanent); Manufacturing Award C6 / V9 ($42.21 casual, $33.77 permanent); Health Professionals Award Support Services Level 8 — pay point 1 ($42.23 casual, $33.78 permanent); Electrical Award Electrical worker grade 7 ($42.26 casual, $33.81 permanent); Local Government Award Level 6 ($42.34 casual, $33.87 permanent); Real Estate Award Level 4 (In-Charge) ($42.35 casual, $33.88 permanent); Building and Construction Award Level 6 (CW/ECW 6) ($42.39 casual, $33.91 permanent). A casual rate includes a 25% loading paid instead of leave, so the permanent base of $42 as a casual rate is $33.60.
- What are weekend and overtime rates near $42 an hour?
- On the Pharmacy Award Pharmacist minimum of $41.74 (from 1 July 2026), a full-time or part-time employee gets Saturday — 7.00 am to 8.00 am: 200%, $83.48; Saturday — 8.00 am to 6.00 pm: 125%, $52.18; Saturday — 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm: 150%, $62.61; overtime, Monday to Saturday — first 2 hours: 150%, $62.61. Casuals and other classifications are paid differently.
- Which published pay scales pay about $82,992 a year?
- The published pay scale points within $988 of $82,992, one per employer, are: NT public health nurses and midwives, Nurse 1 Advanced Practice, Year 1, $82,725; ACT public school teachers, Permit to Teach, $82,796; NT paramedics, Intern and Qualified Paramedic (Schedule 2, 1 July 2024 rates): Intern, $82,859; Tasmanian State Service, General Stream Band 3, Band 3 Range 1 Level 5, $82,875; ACT public health nurses and midwives, Midwife (RM) Level 1, Pay point 1, $82,993; Australian Public Service, Treasury APS 4, APS 4.1, $82,995; NSW police, Probationary Constable to Senior Constable (Table 1b): Probationary Constable (Level 1), $83,028; Victorian Public Service, VPS Grade 3, Value Range 3.1, 3.1.2, $83,244; TAS prison officers, Correctional Officer and First Class Correctional Officer, day workers (Schedule 1): FCCO Level 3, $83,260; ACT prison officers, Correctional Officer Class 1: Class 1, Cert III Correctional Practice, $83,297. 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.