$55,000 After Tax in Australia
$47,055 a year take-home on a $55,000 salary in 2026-27: $1,810 a fortnight or $905 a week, after income tax and the Medicare levy.
That is $3,921 a month. It is $10.31 a fortnight more than in 2025-26 (the 16% rate is now 15%); another $518 a year is legislated for 2027-28 (what changed).

Pay Breakdown on $55,000
| Component | Annual | Monthly | Fortnightly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $55,000 | $4,583 | $2,115 | $1,058 |
| Income Tax | −$6,845 | −$570 | −$263 | −$132 |
| Medicare Levy | −$1,100 | −$92 | −$42 | −$21 |
| Superannuation (employer-paid) | +$6,600 | +$550 | +$254 | +$127 |
| Take-Home Pay | $47,055 | $3,921 | $1,810 | $905 |
Workings: tax brackets · Medicare levy · super · $27.83 an hour · calculator
What Changes Take-Home on $55,000?
- Salary sacrifice: $5,000 into super costs $127.88 a fortnight and lands $4,250 there; 33.5% of it is tax saved, $75 as extra LITO.
- Co-contribution: up to $310 for $1,000 of after-tax super (2026-27), if eligible.
Jobs That Pay About $55,000
Published pay closer to $55,000 than to any other salary on this site, with take-home a fortnight.
| Job or pay scale | A year | Take-home a fortnight |
|---|---|---|
| APS Level 1 (APS 1)Australian Public Service, 5th percentile of base salaries paid, 31 December 2025 | $54,516 | $1,797 |
| Adult entry levelAnaconda · Chemist Warehouse · Domino's · Guzman y Gomez · Harvey Norman · IGA · JB Hi-Fi · McDonald's · Red Rooster · Spotlight · Starbucks · Subway · Zambrero, adult rate, 1 July 2026 | $54,953 | $1,809 |
| Customer Service AssistantTarget, adult rate, 1 July 2026 | $55,051 | $1,811 |
| Multi engine 3360 kg UTBNI 5660 kgAir Pilots Award, First Officer / Second Pilot — airline and general aviation minimum salaries, 1 July 2026 | $55,083 | $1,812 |
| Team Member (Level 1)KFC, adult rate, 1 July 2026 | $55,229 | $1,816 |
| Retail AssistantKmart, adult rate, 1 July 2026 | $55,249 | $1,816 |
| Level 1David Jones, adult rate, 1 July 2026 | $55,288 | $1,817 |
| Crew MemberHungry Jack's, adult rate, 1 July 2026 | $55,368 | $1,819 |
| Administrative Officer 1 (AO1)Queensland public service, top pay point, 1 September 2026 | $55,517 | $1,823 |
| General Stream Band 1Tasmanian State Service, first pay point, 1 December 2025 | $55,616 | $1,826 |
| Retail Team Member Level 1Rebel, adult rate, 1 July 2026 | $55,723 | $1,828 |
| Fourth Year Flight AttendantQantas, adult rate, the first full pay period commencing on or after 1 January 2026 | $55,759 | $1,829 |
| Clerical Assistant Level 1Woolworths, adult rate, 1 July 2026 | $55,842 | $1,831 |
| Store Team Member Level 1Big W, adult rate, 1 July 2026 | $55,901 | $1,833 |
Apprentice award minimums, the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026:
| Apprentice minimum | A year | Take-home a fortnight |
|---|---|---|
| 4th year (stage 4), adultAutomotive repair · Manufacturing and engineering | $53,513 | $1,772 |
| 4th year (stage 4), junior, finished Year 12Manufacturing and engineering | $53,513 | $1,772 |
| 4th year (stage 4), adultMeat industry | $55,284 | $1,817 |
| 4th year (stage 4), juniorCommercial cookery · Meat industry | $55,284 | $1,817 |
| 2nd year (stage 2), adultElectrical | $57,111 | $1,864 |
| 3rd year (stage 3), adultElectrical | $57,111 | $1,864 |
| 4th year (stage 4), adultElectrical | $57,111 | $1,864 |
| 4th year (stage 4), juniorPlumbing and mechanical services | $57,173 | $1,865 |
Salary before super, from the date shown; no HECS-HELP. Pay rates by job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Single resident, no HECS-HELP; Medicare thresholds 2025-26. Method.
Sources & References
- 1
- 2Medicare levy— ATO
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award 2020 (apprentice rates)— Fair Work Commission
- 7Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2020 (apprentice rates)— Fair Work Commission
- 8Meat Industry Award 2020 (apprentice rates)— Fair Work Commission
- 9Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (apprentice rates)— Fair Work Commission
- 10Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020 (apprentice rates)— Fair Work Commission
- 11Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 (apprentice rates)— Fair Work Commission
- 12Australian Public Service pay rates— Australian Public Service
- 13Anaconda pay rates— Anaconda
- 14Chemist Warehouse pay rates— Chemist Warehouse
- 15Domino's pay rates— Domino's
- 16Target pay rates— Target
- 17Air Pilots Award pay rates— Air Pilots Award
- 18KFC pay rates— KFC
- 19Kmart pay rates— Kmart
- 20David Jones pay rates— David Jones
- 21Hungry Jack's pay rates— Hungry Jack's
- 22Queensland public service pay rates— Queensland public service
- 23Tasmanian State Service pay rates— Tasmanian State Service
- 24Rebel pay rates— Rebel
- 25Qantas pay rates— Qantas
- 26Woolworths pay rates— Woolworths
- 27Big W pay rates— Big W
Last verified: 9 October 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
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