The Jobs and Skills Australia median is defined as the median pay of full-time non-managerial employees, so for managers treat it as a rough market guide only. Store manager salaries vary widely with store size, location and employer.
Junior rates apply only to Retail Employee Levels 1 to 3 (cl 17.2), so they never apply to the manager levels on this page.
Which award covers retail managers
Store managers, shop managers and department managers in shops, supermarkets and department stores are covered by the General Retail Industry Award 2020 [MA000004] unless a more specific award applies (pharmacies, fast food, motor vehicle retailing) or the employer pays under an enterprise agreement.
The award has no level called store manager. It grades managers by what they run. A department or section manager with up to 2 employees (including themselves) is Retail Employee Level 4. A department or section manager with 5 or more employees, or the manager or duty manager of a shop without departments, is Level 6. The shop manager of a shop with departments or sections is Level 8, which may carry a Diploma.
An assistant, deputy or second-in-charge manager is graded one step below the manager they assist: Level 4 in a shop without departments, Level 6 in a shop with departments.
Many store managers are paid an annual salary. The figures below are the award's minimum for each level; an employer can pay more, and an enterprise agreement can replace the award as long as employees are better off overall. Large chains such as Coles, Woolworths, Kmart and Bunnings set their store manager salaries themselves, and we do not publish them.
Read the General Retail Industry Award 2020 [MA000004] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026), or see every classification on our MA000004 award rates page.
Retail Manager award pay rates 2026–27
These rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rates for the hours they work.
Retail manager pay rates by level, 2026–27
General Retail Industry Award cl 17.1, Table 4, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Casual is the hourly rate plus the 25% casual loading (cl 11.1). Levels 1 to 3 are on the retail worker page.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Employee Level 4Assistant or deputy manager of a shop without departments; shift or nightfill supervisor; department manager with up to 2 staff | $29.45 | $1,119.10 | $58,193 | $36.81 |
| Retail Employee Level 5Service supervisor of more than 15 employees; tradesperson in charge of other tradespersons | $30.66 | $1,165.10 | $60,585 | $38.33 |
| Retail Employee Level 6Department manager with 5 or more staff; manager or duty manager of a shop without departments; assistant manager of a shop with departments | $31.11 | $1,182.10 | $61,469 | $38.89 |
| Retail Employee Level 7Visual merchandiser (Diploma); Clerical Officer Level 4 | $32.67 | $1,241.40 | $64,553 | $40.84 |
| Retail Employee Level 8Shop manager of a shop with departments or sections; may hold a Diploma | $33.99 | $1,291.80 | $67,174 | $42.49 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Store manager pay under the Retail Award
A store manager's award level is set by the shop they run, not by the title on their contract. Find the row that matches your store, then check the hourly rate on your payslip against it. If you are on an annual salary, divide it by 52 and compare it with the weekly figure.
A shop "with departments or sections" is the dividing line. Running a shop without departments is Level 6; running a shop with departments is Level 8, and the deputy in that larger shop is Level 6.
| Your role | Level | Hourly | Weekly | Annual | Take-home a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant or deputy manager, shop without departments | Level 4 | $29.45 | $1119.10 | $58,193 | $946 |
| Manager or duty manager, shop without departments | Level 6 | $31.11 | $1182.10 | $61,469 | $988 |
| Assistant manager, shop with departments | Level 6 | $31.11 | $1182.10 | $61,469 | $988 |
| Shop manager, shop with departments | Level 8 | $33.99 | $1291.80 | $67,174 | $1,061 |
Full-time minimums from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Annual is weekly x 52. Take-home uses 2026–27 resident tax rates, the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy, with no HECS — the same engine as the take-home pay calculator.
Retail Manager penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday after 6 pm | 125% | 150% |
| Saturday | 125% | 150% |
| Sunday | 150% | 175% |
| Public holiday | 225% | 250% |
Percentages of the minimum hourly rate for ordinary hours (cl 22.1, Table 12). They apply to every level, managers included, for as long as the award covers the employee. Casual percentages include the 25% casual loading. Check your contract and the award for how penalties and overtime apply if you are paid an annual salary.
Overtime
- Full-time and part-time: 150% for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, then 200%; Sunday 200%; public holiday 250% (cl 21.2(c), Table 11).
- Casual: 175% for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, then 225%; Sunday 225%; public holiday 275%.
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Meal allowance (overtime of more than 1 hour without 24 hours' notice) | $24.56 per occasion | Or the employer supplies a meal. (cl 19.2(b)(i)) |
| First aid allowance | $14.55 per week | (cl 19.10(b)) |
| Liquor licence allowance | $34.69 per week | (cl 19.12) |
| Motor vehicle allowance | $1.00 per km | (cl 19.7) |
Retail Manager pay after tax
On the Retail Employee Level 6 rate of $1,182.10 a week, a full-time retail manager earns $61,469 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $61,469 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$8,883 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,229 |
| Take-home per year | $51,357 |
| Take-home per week | $988 |
2026–27 resident tax rates with the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy; no HECS-HELP repayment and no Medicare levy surcharge. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer. For the full breakdown see take-home pay on $60,000 (the nearest step to $61,469), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What retail managers actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Retail Managers (ANZSCO 1421) at $1,620 a week ($42 an hour), against $1,852 a week for all occupations.
Median weekly pay of full-time, non-managerial adult employees before tax and salary sacrifice, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) as published by Jobs and Skills Australia. It reflects what employers actually pay, including people on enterprise agreements or above-award salaries, so it is a market figure, not a legal minimum.
What this page does not show
- Store manager salaries and bonuses at the large retail chains, which the employers set and which are not published in the award.
- Shiftworker penalty rates and baking production early-morning rates.
- Whether a particular manager falls outside the award because of their earnings; that depends on the employee's guaranteed annual earnings and is not shown here.
Retail Manager pay questions
Pay rates for other jobs
How this page is sourced▼
Every minimum rate was read from the Fair Work Commission's consolidated text of the General Retail Industry Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, on 5 October 2026. Casual rates are the award's own published figures wherever it publishes them. Nothing is estimated.
The median comes from Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile and is a market figure, not an entitlement. Take-home figures use the same tax engine as the rest of this site. Award rates change every 1 July, so re-check after the next Annual Wage Review.
Sources & References
- 1General Retail Industry Award 2020 [MA000004] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 4Retail Managers (ANZSCO 1421) occupation profile — ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025— Jobs and Skills Australia
Last verified: 5 October 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
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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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