$79 an Hour Is How Much a Year?
$79 an hour is $156,104 a year before tax and $114,154 after tax in 2026-27, based on a 38-hour week.
$79 an Hour After Tax
$79 an hour after tax is $2,195.27 a week on a 38-hour week: you keep $57.77 of every hour. The effective tax rate is 26.9%, and the next dollar is taxed at 39%.
| 38 hrs a week | Hour | Day | Week | Fortnight | Month | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $79.00 | $600.40 | $3,002.00 | $6,004.00 | $13,008.67 | $156,104.00 |
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$19.65 | −$149.34 | −$746.69 | −$1,493.38 | −$3,235.67 | −$38,828.00 |
| Medicare levy | −$1.58 | −$12.01 | −$60.04 | −$120.08 | −$260.17 | −$3,122.00 |
| Take-home pay | $57.77 | $439.05 | $2,195.27 | $4,390.54 | $9,512.83 | $114,154.00 |
| Employer super (on top) | $9.48 | $72.05 | $360.23 | $720.46 | $1,561.00 | $18,732.00 |
2026-27 resident rates, tax-free threshold claimed; each pay's withholding can differ by a few dollars. With a HECS-HELP debt, the compulsory repayment of $13,514 brings the year to $100,640.
Pay Scale Points Near $156,104 a Year
$79 an hour full time is $156,104 a year, above every adult award minimum we track (the highest is $71.35, Nurses Award, Aged care registered nurse level 5), so pay at this level is set by agreements, contracts and salaries like these. Points within $988 of $156,104 on published public service, defence, school, nursing, emergency services and aviation pay scales, one per employer (full-time hours vary, so compare salaries):
| Employer and point | Salary | vs $156,104 |
|---|---|---|
| NT public school teachersPrincipals — PLO1 to PLO7 (non-contract): PLO 2.2From the first full pay period on or after 1 January 2026 | $155,571 | −$533 |
| VIC policeSenior Sergeant (Schedule A, Level 4): Senior Sergeant 1From 1 June 2026 | $155,601 | −$503 |
| NT public health nurses and midwivesNurse 6 (Registered Nurse / Registered Midwife / Nurse Practitioner), 6.2From 19 August 2025 (first full pay period on or after 9 August 2025) | $155,757 | −$347 |
| Pilots (Air Pilots Award minimums)Larger aircraft minimum salaries (clause A.1.2): Wide body aircraft–double deck — First OfficerFrom 1 July 2026 | $155,846 | −$258 |
| Air traffic controllersSimulator Support Officer (SSO) classification and base salary: SupervisorFrom 7 October 2026 | $155,919 | −$185 |
| NSW firefightersLeading Firefighter and officers (Schedule 1, Table 1 — station based): InspectorFrom 26 February 2026 | $155,996 | −$108 |
| Victorian Public ServiceVPS Grade 6, Value Range 6.1, 6.1.4From 1 May 2026 | $156,008 | −$96 |
| Australian Defence ForceWarrant Officer Class 1 / Warrant Officer, Tier B, pay grade 8From 6 November 2025 | $156,144 | +$40 |
| VIC public school teachersPrincipals — Range 2 to Range 6: 2-1From the first pay period on or after 1 July 2025 | $156,335 | +$231 |
| ACT Public ServiceSenior Officer Grade B, SOG B pay point 2From 4 December 2025 | $156,563 | +$459 |
Base salaries as published; allowances, loadings and super are extra.
$156,104 a year is ahead of 85–87% of full-time employees (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) and $47,752 above the average full-time salary of $108,352 (May 2026).
Is $79 an Hour a Casual Award Rate?
As a casual rate, $79 is a base of $63.20 plus the 25% loading paid instead of leave. These award classifications have a casual minimum within 50c of $79:
| Award and classification | Permanent minimum | Casual minimum | vs $79 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurses AwardAged care registered nurse level 4 | $62.90 | $78.63 | −$0.37 |
| SCHADS Award (social and community services)Level 7 pay point 1 | $63.13 | $78.91 | −$0.09 |
Adult minimums for ordinary hours; casual = permanent minimum plus each award's 25% loading. What the loading replaces: casual loading calculator.
$79 an Hour as a Contract Rate
As a contract rate excluding GST, $79 an hour over 210 billable days (50 weekdays go unpaid on leave, public holidays and gaps between contracts) is $126,084 a year. Less $3,000 of insurance and admin and your own super, it matches an employee salary of about $109,896 ($55.62 an hour); matching $79 an hour as an employee takes about $847 a day. Other assumptions: contractor pay calculator.
$79 an Hour by Hours Worked
| Hours a week | Week before tax | Week after tax | Year before tax | Year after tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | $1,580.00 | $1,256.71 | $82,160 | $65,349 |
| 25 | $1,975.00 | $1,525.31 | $102,700 | $79,316 |
| 30 | $2,370.00 | $1,793.90 | $123,240 | $93,283 |
| 38 (full time) | $3,002.00 | $2,195.27 | $156,104 | $114,154 |
| 45 | $3,555.00 | $2,532.60 | $184,860 | $131,695 |
| 38 as a casual$98.75 an hour: $79 plus 25% | $3,752.50 | $2,645.15 | $195,130 | $137,548 |
Dropping to 25 hours a week cuts gross pay by 34% but take-home by only 31%, because the part-time income ($102,700) tops out in the 30% bracket and no longer reaches the 37% rate: you keep $61.01 of each hour, against $57.77 full time. The 45% rate starts above $190,000, $96.15 an hour full time. Without private hospital cover the Medicare Levy Surcharge (tier 2) would add $1,951 a year. Every threshold at this income: take-home pay on $155,000.
Quick Answers
- Is $79 an hour a casual award rate?
- $79 is within 50c of the casual minimum for: Nurses Award Aged care registered nurse level 4 ($78.63 casual, $62.90 permanent); SCHADS Award (social and community services) Level 7 pay point 1 ($78.91 casual, $63.13 permanent). A casual rate includes a 25% loading paid instead of leave, so the permanent base of $79 as a casual rate is $63.20.
- Which published pay scales pay about $156,104 a year?
- Within $988 of $156,104, one point per employer: NT public school teachers, Principals — PLO1 to PLO7 (non-contract): PLO 2.2, $155,571; VIC police, Senior Sergeant (Schedule A, Level 4): Senior Sergeant 1, $155,601; NT public health nurses and midwives, Nurse 6 (Registered Nurse / Registered Midwife / Nurse Practitioner), 6.2, $155,757; Pilots (Air Pilots Award minimums), Larger aircraft minimum salaries (clause A.1.2): Wide body aircraft–double deck — First Officer, $155,846; Air traffic controllers, Simulator Support Officer (SSO) classification and base salary: Supervisor, $155,919; NSW firefighters, Leading Firefighter and officers (Schedule 1, Table 1 — station based): Inspector, $155,996; Victorian Public Service, VPS Grade 6, Value Range 6.1, 6.1.4, $156,008; Australian Defence Force, Warrant Officer Class 1 / Warrant Officer, Tier B, pay grade 8, $156,144; VIC public school teachers, Principals — Range 2 to Range 6: 2-1, $156,335; ACT Public Service, Senior Officer Grade B, SOG B pay point 2, $156,563. These are full-time base salaries; hours, allowances and super differ between employers.
- What is $79 an hour as a contractor worth?
- As a contract rate excluding GST, $79 an hour for 7.6 hours on 210 billable days is $126,084 a year. After $3,000 of insurance and admin and funding your own super, it matches an employee salary of about $109,896 ($55.62 an hour). Matching $79 an hour as an employee takes about $847 a day as a contractor.
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