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$60,000 a Year Is How Much an Hour?

$30.36 an hour before tax and $25.50 an hour after tax (2026-27), based on a 38-hour week and 1,976 hours a year.

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Hourly Rate Breakdown for $60,000

FrequencyGross (Before Tax)Net (After Tax)
Hourly (38 hrs/wk)$30.36$25.50
Daily (7.6 hrs)$230.77$193.77
Weekly$1,154$969
Fortnightly$2,308$1,938
Monthly$5,000$4,198
Annual$60,000$50,380

Of each $30.36 hour, $4.26 goes in income tax and $0.61 in Medicare levy, leaving $25.50. FY2026-27 resident rates, no Medicare Levy Surcharge (method in full).

How Many Hours a Week Is $60,000 at the Minimum Wage?

$60,000 is $7,745 above the $52,255 full-time minimum wage, but under the $65,307 a full-time casual on the minimum earns:

At this hourly rateHours a week for $60,000Share of 38 hours
Adult minimum wage ($26.44)43.6115%
Casual minimum wage ($33.05, adult rate plus 25%)34.992%

$60,000 ÷ 52 weeks ÷ the hourly rate. Other part-time loads: pro-rata salary calculator.

Minimum Award Rates Near $30.36 an Hour

$30.36 an hour is $3.92 (15%) above the national minimum wage of $26.44 an hour for adults from 1 July 2026.

$60,000 a year is ahead of 14–20% of full-time employees (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) and $48,352 below the average full-time salary of $108,352 (May 2026).

These award classifications have an adult minimum rate within $1.26 of $30.36 an hour.

Adult minimum award rates compared with $30.36 an hour
Award and classificationMinimum ratevs $30.36From
Security AwardSecurity Officer Level 4Pay guide with this rate: Security Guard$30.23−$0.131 July 2026
SCHADS Award (home care — disability)Level 3 pay point 2Pay guide with this rate: Disability Support Worker$30.36same1 July 2026
Live Performance AwardLevel 5 — Production and Support Staff 5$30.37+$0.011 July 2026
Manufacturing AwardC9 / V6Pay guides with this rate: Boilermaker, Welder, Fitter and Turner$30.38+$0.021 July 2026
Timber AwardGeneral Timber — Level 6; Pulp and Paper — Level 6; Wood and Timber Furniture — Level 6$30.38+$0.021 July 2026
Building and Construction AwardLevel 2 (CW/ECW 2)Pay guide with this rate: Carpenter$30.39*+$0.031 July 2026
Health Professionals AwardSupport Services Level 5Pay guides with this rate: Medical Receptionist, Pathology Collector$30.45+$0.091 July 2026
Meat Industry AwardMI 8$30.53+$0.171 July 2026

Adult minimums for ordinary hours from the first full pay period on or after the date shown; pay can be higher. * Includes all-purpose allowances. Sources: Security Award (MA000016) cl 15.1, Table 4; SCHADS Award (MA000100) award text and FWO pay guide, determination PR799380 (SACS Levels 2–8 with Equal Remuneration Order PR525485); Live Performance Award (MA000081) cl 11.1 (Production and Support Staff categories); Manufacturing Award (MA000010) cl 20.1(a); Timber Award (MA000071) cl 20.1(a)–(c); Building and Construction Award (MA000020) cl 19.1(a) + cl 22.1(a), calculated under cl 19.3(b); Health Professionals Award (MA000027) cl 16.2(a) (Support Services) and cl 17.1–17.2 (Health Professionals); Meat Industry Award (MA000059) cl 16.1.

Pay Scale Points Near $60,000 a Year

Points within $2,500 of $60,000 on published public service, defence, nursing, emergency services and aviation pay scales, one per employer (full-time hours vary, so compare salaries):

Published pay scale points near $60,000 a year
Employer and pointSalaryvs $60,000
VIC firefightersRecruit to Qualified Firefighter (FRV published rates): Recruit FirefighterFrom 15 July 2026 (the date FRV published them; FRV does not say when they took effect)$58,066−$1,934
SA public health nurses and midwivesAssistant in Nursing/Midwifery, 1st incrementFrom first full pay period after 1 January 2025$59,094−$906
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−$792
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−$700
SA prison officersCorrectional Officer CO-1 to CO-3: CO-1 1st year adultFrom 1 July 2026$59,406−$594
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−$427
QLD firefightersFirefighters (CA25 Schedule 1, base rates): RecruitFrom 1 August 2026 (award-floor rows from 1 September 2026)$59,730−$270
Queensland public serviceProfessional Officer 1, PO1/3From 1 September 2026$59,770−$230
Victorian Public ServiceVPS Grade 1, Value Range 1.1, 1.1.4From 1 May 2026$60,164+$164
Australian Defence ForceTrainee: Normal entry recruit during basic recruit trainingFrom 6 November 2025$60,517+$517
Pilots (Air Pilots Award minimums)Captain — airline and general aviation minimum salaries (clause A.1.1): Single engine 1360 kg–3359 kgFrom 1 July 2026$60,702+$702
Australian Public ServiceAPS 1 threshold, top of bandFrom 12 March 2026$60,946+$946

Base salaries as published; allowances, loadings and super are extra.

Reverse: $30 an hour is how much a year. Other figures: hourly to annual salary calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

43.6 hours a week at the $26.44 adult minimum, which is more than a 38-hour week, or 34.9 hours at the $33.05 casual minimum (the adult rate plus 25%).

From 1 July 2026, adult minimum rates within $1.26 of $30.36 an hour include: Security Award Security Officer Level 4 at $30.23; SCHADS Award (home care — disability) Level 3 pay point 2 at $30.36; Live Performance Award Level 5 — Production and Support Staff 5 at $30.37; Manufacturing Award C9 / V6 at $30.38; Timber Award General Timber — Level 6 and Pulp and Paper — Level 6 and Wood and Timber Furniture — Level 6 at $30.38; Building and Construction Award Level 2 (CW/ECW 2) at $30.39; Health Professionals Award Support Services Level 5 at $30.45; Meat Industry Award MI 8 at $30.53. These are legal minimums for ordinary hours, not typical pay: many employees are paid more.

Within $2,500 of $60,000, one point per employer: VIC firefighters, Recruit to Qualified Firefighter (FRV published rates): Recruit Firefighter, $58,066; 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; 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; Queensland public service, Professional Officer 1, PO1/3, $59,770; Victorian Public Service, VPS Grade 1, Value Range 1.1, 1.1.4, $60,164; Australian Defence Force, Trainee: Normal entry recruit during basic recruit training, $60,517; Pilots (Air Pilots Award minimums), Captain — airline and general aviation minimum salaries (clause A.1.1): Single engine 1360 kg–3359 kg, $60,702; Australian Public Service, APS 1 threshold, top of band, $60,946. These are full-time base salaries; hours, allowances and super differ between employers.

Sources & References

  1. 1
    National Minimum Wage— Fair Work Ombudsman
  2. 2
  3. 3

Last verified: 9 October 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.

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