Accountants employed by the Australian Public Service or a state public service are paid under that service's enterprise agreement — see the public service pay scales.
What accountants actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Accountants (ANZSCO 2211) at $2,003 a week ($53 an hour), against $1,852 a week for all occupations.
Full-time, non-managerial adults before tax (ABS, May 2025): a market figure, not a legal minimum. Average and median pay explained.
Is there an award for accountants?
Accountants are award-free. The Fair Work Ombudsman's guidance is that accountants working for an accounting firm are not covered by any modern award, and accountants working elsewhere are also award-free unless their employer's industry award has a classification that matches their duties.
An award-free accountant is still protected by the National Minimum Wage and the National Employment Standards — annual leave, personal leave, notice, redundancy pay and the rest. Above that floor, pay is whatever the employment contract or an enterprise agreement says.
Clerical and bookkeeping staff are different. Accounts clerks and other clerical employees in an accounting firm are generally covered by the Clerks—Private Sector Award, which has its own minimum rates.
The legal floor is the National Minimum Wage: $26.44 an hour, $1,004.90 a week, for adults from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026 (minimum wage guide). Penalty rates and overtime then come from your contract or enterprise agreement (overtime and penalty rates guide).
Accountant pay after tax
| Figure | Gross a year | Tax and Medicare | Take-home a year | A week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median full-time pay — Accountants | $104,156 | −$23,850 | $80,306 | $1,544 |
2026–27 resident rates with the Medicare levy and no HECS-HELP; super is paid on top. Full breakdown: take-home pay on $105,000 (the nearest step to $104,156), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What this page does not show
- A graduate-to-partner salary ladder: no primary source publishes one, and we do not estimate salaries.
- The high income threshold for unfair dismissal, which is set separately each 1 July.
Accountant pay questions
Pay rates for related jobs
Every office, property and professional job is on the job pay rates hub.
How this page is sourced▼
Award coverage: the Fair Work Ombudsman's guidance. Legal floor: the National Minimum Wage Order 2026, read on 23 September 2026. Median: Jobs and Skills Australia, Accountants (ANZSCO 2211).
Sources & References
- 1Award coverage for accounts employees (K600033)— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 2Award coverage for clerical employees in an accounting firm (K600010)— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3National Minimum Wage Order 2026 (PR799279)— Fair Work Commission
- 4Accountants (ANZSCO 2211) occupation profile — ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025— Jobs and Skills Australia
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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