Wage Calculator
Estimate take-home pay after PAYG tax, Medicare, HECS/HELP, super and the Medicare Levy Surcharge.
Income
Additional settings
Adjust residency, super, Medicare, HECS/HELP, salary packaging, and deductions.
The tax-free threshold in Australia is currently $18,200.
Reviewed by Ashma Ghimire, ASA, CPA AustraliaLast reviewed 15 May 2026
Wage Calculator applies the selected financial year's PAYG income tax brackets, Medicare Levy, Low Income Tax Offset, and Superannuation Guarantee. Optional inputs cover salary sacrifice, novated lease, fringe benefits, Division 293, and the Medicare Levy Surcharge — so the take-home figure reflects the same items your payroll office models.
Explore Tax Brackets
Your tax story at
$75,000
Only $29,999 is taxed at your top rate of 30%. Your average income tax rate is 17.4%.
Your average rate stays lower because earlier slices keep their lower bracket rates.
Tax brackets applied
Darker means higher rate
| Bracket | Income | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0-$18.2k | $18,200 | 0% | $0 |
| $18.2k-$45k | $26,799 | 15% | $4,020 |
| $45k-$135k | $29,999 | 30% | $9,000 |
| Total tax | $74,998 | 17.4% | $13,020 |
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What You Can Work Out With This Pay Calculator
Wage Calculator turns a wage, salary, or hourly rate into estimated take-home pay for any selected financial year. PAYG income tax, Medicare Levy, the Low Income Tax Offset, HECS/HELP repayments, superannuation, and the Medicare Levy Surcharge all feed into a single breakdown — alongside salary packaging settings for pre-tax super, novated lease, fringe benefits, and Division 293.
Use it for the practical decisions: what lands in your bank account each cycle, how much PAYG is being withheld, and whether a different salary, work pattern, or salary sacrifice setup changes the answer. For job offers, compare two roles after tax with the salary comparison tool, or work backwards from a target net figure with the reverse salary calculator.
Use this pay calculator when
- You want every pay cycle shown side-by-side, from hourly to annual.
- You earn above the Medicare Levy Surcharge threshold and want the surcharge included.
- You want HECS/HELP, LITO, and salary sacrifice modelled in one breakdown.
- You want calculations that stay in your browser — no salary data is sent to a server.
Take-home pay by period
Enter annual, monthly, fortnightly, weekly, daily, or hourly income and see the matching net amount for each cycle. For pay-cycle-specific tables and worked examples, the dedicated take-home pay calculator shows weekly and fortnightly figures side-by-side, and the fortnightly take-home pay guide explains the arithmetic.
Tax, study debt, and offsets
The breakdown shows PAYG income tax by bracket, the Low Income Tax Offset where it applies, the Medicare Levy with its shade-in band, and an optional HECS/HELP repayment once income exceeds the compulsory threshold. The Australian income tax guide walks through how each component is calculated, and at tax time the tax return calculator estimates your refund or amount owing from the same components.
Super and salary packaging
Superannuation Guarantee is shown as employer cost separate from take-home pay. Pre-tax salary sacrifice reduces taxable income before brackets apply — taxed inside the fund instead — and a novated lease affects the tax base differently again. Model each scenario in the salary sacrifice super calculator.
Medicare Levy Surcharge included
Higher earners without appropriate private hospital cover owe a Medicare Levy Surcharge on top of the standard Medicare Levy. Wage Calculator models the surcharge directly — most sibling pay calculators don't. See the Medicare Levy Surcharge guide for the income tiers and exemption rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is income tax calculated in Australia?
Australia uses a progressive tax system — different rates apply to different portions of your income, not a single flat rate on the whole amount. The brackets for the current financial year are: 0% on income up to $18,200 (the tax-free threshold), 15% on $18,201–$45,000, 30% on $45,001–$135,000, 37% on $135,001–$190,000, 45% on income above $190,000. The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) can reduce tax by up to $700 for taxable incomes below $66,667. Wage Calculator applies all current brackets, LITO, and the Medicare Levy automatically based on the income entered.
What is the Medicare Levy?
The Medicare Levy is a 2% tax on taxable income that funds Australia's public healthcare system. You pay the full levy once taxable income exceeds approximately $35,014 per year, no levy below $28,011, and a shade-in rate between the two. The Medicare Levy is separate from the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS), an additional 1%–1.5% charged to higher earners ($105,000+ singles, $210,000+ families) without appropriate private hospital cover. Wage Calculator applies the levy based on the income entered and handles the shade-in band automatically.
What is the Medicare Levy Surcharge and who has to pay it?
The Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) is an extra income tax of 1% to 1.5% charged to higher earners who do not hold an appropriate private hospital cover policy. For singles, the MLS applies above $105,000 of MLS income — that is taxable income plus reportable fringe benefits and reportable employer super contributions. For families, the threshold starts at $210,000 and rises with each dependent child. The MLS is calculated on the whole MLS income, not just the portion above the threshold, and it sits on top of the standard Medicare Levy. Wage Calculator estimates the surcharge directly when MLS income and the no-cover flag are entered — most sibling pay calculators do not model it.
How are HECS/HELP repayments calculated?
HECS-HELP repayments are calculated on repayment income, which is taxable income plus reportable fringe benefits and reportable super contributions. For the current financial year, compulsory repayments begin once repayment income reaches $69,528. Above this threshold, the marginal-rate method applies — each dollar within a repayment band is charged at that band's rate, then the total is combined. HECS debts are indexed annually based on the Consumer Price Index. Enabling the HECS/HELP option in Wage Calculator reveals the repayment amount and its effect on each pay cycle.
What is salary sacrifice and how does it reduce tax?
Salary sacrifice is an arrangement that directs pre-tax salary toward approved benefits — additional superannuation contributions, a novated lease, or eligible work equipment. Because the sacrificed amount comes out before income tax is calculated, taxable income falls and the tax bill falls with it. Sacrificed super is taxed at 15% inside the fund instead of the marginal rate. The Superannuation Guarantee is paid on your original salary, so sacrifice does not reduce the SG entitlement. Wage Calculator's salary sacrifice settings model the exact effect of pre-tax contributions on take-home pay.
What will my take-home pay be on $80,000?
On an $80,000 gross salary Wage Calculator estimates approximate income tax of $14,520, Medicare Levy of $1,600, and a net take-home of roughly $63,880 per year — about $2,457 per fortnight — for the current financial year. Employer super of $9,600 is paid on top. These figures assume no HECS/HELP debt, no salary sacrifice, and no Medicare Levy Surcharge — each of which would change the net take-home shown.
How much tax do I pay on $100,000 in Australia?
For a $100,000 gross salary Wage Calculator estimates income tax of approximately $20,520 plus a Medicare Levy of $2,000 — an effective combined rate of about 22.5% for the current financial year. Net take-home is roughly $77,480 per year. At this income level the Medicare Levy Surcharge may apply if no private hospital cover is held, and a HECS debt would add the compulsory repayment for the relevant band on top.
If I earn $40 an hour, what's my annual take-home pay?
At $40 per hour over a standard 38-hour week (1,976 hours per year), gross annual income is approximately $79,040. Wage Calculator estimates income tax of $14,232 and Medicare Levy of $1,581 for the current financial year, leaving a net take-home of roughly $63,227 per year — about $32 per hour after tax. These figures assume standard 38-hour weeks across 52 weeks; reducing weeks worked or hours per week reduces gross income and tax proportionally.
Does an $80k salary include super?
Generally, no — an advertised $80,000 salary is the base salary before super, and employer Superannuation Guarantee of $9,600 (12% for the current financial year) is paid on top. Some packages quote a 'total remuneration' figure that bundles super into the headline number; check the offer wording. Wage Calculator shows employer super separately from take-home pay so the amount landing in your bank account each cycle is clear.