Australian Wage, Salary and Pay Calculator 2025–2026
Free Australian salary calculator and pay calculator for 2025–2026. Enter your gross salary and instantly see take-home pay after PAYG tax, Medicare levy, HECS/HELP and super.
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Free Australian Salary Calculator, Wage Calculator and Pay Calculator — Updated for 2025–2026
WageCalculator is a free Australian wage calculator, pay calculator, and salary calculator that shows your take-home pay after income tax, PAYG withholding, Medicare Levy, HECS/HELP repayments, and 12% superannuation. It uses the official ATO tax rates for the 2025-26 financial year, including the revised Stage 3 tax brackets, so you can trust the numbers whether you're evaluating a job offer, negotiating a pay rise, or planning your household budget.
Use it as a take-home pay calculator, PAYG calculator, or net pay calculator by entering your salary as an annual, monthly, fortnightly, weekly, or hourly figure. You'll get an instant breakdown of tax withheld and every major deduction. You can also model salary sacrifice into super, novated lease savings (including EV FBT exemptions), fringe benefits, and the Medicare Levy Surcharge. Need to work backwards? The reverse salary calculator finds the gross you need for a target take-home pay. And if you're weighing two offers, the salary comparison tool puts them side by side after tax.
All calculations run locally in your browser — no data is sent to any server, stored, or shared. Your financial information never leaves your device.
What this pay calculator covers
- Income tax — ATO 2025-26 progressive brackets with tax-free threshold
- PAYG withholding — tax withheld from each pay cycle
- Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) — automatic reduction
- Medicare Levy — 2% with low-income shade-in
- Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) — if no private health cover
- HECS/HELP repayments — income-tested thresholds
- Superannuation — 12% SG rate
- Salary sacrifice — pre-tax super, car & benefits
- Pay periods — weekly, fortnightly, monthly & annual
Common uses for this calculator
- Job offer evaluation — convert gross salary to actual take-home
- Pay negotiation — know the gross needed for a target net income
- Budget planning — reliable fortnightly and monthly figures
- Payroll verification — cross-check your payslip deductions
- HECS impact — see exactly how your study debt affects take-home
- Salary sacrifice modelling — compare before and after tax
- Comparing states — same tax rates nationwide, different living costs
Frequently Asked Questions
How is income tax calculated in Australia?
Australia uses a progressive tax system — you pay different rates on different slices of income. For 2025-26 the brackets are: 0% up to $18,200 (the tax-free threshold); 16% on $18,201–$45,000; 30% on $45,001–$135,000; 37% on $135,001–$190,000; and 45% on income above $190,000. The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) can further reduce tax owed for incomes below $66,667.
What is the difference between a wage calculator and a salary calculator?
There is no practical difference — both calculate your take-home pay from a gross income figure using ATO 2025-26 tax brackets, Medicare Levy, and HECS/HELP thresholds. Technically, 'wage' usually refers to hourly or weekly pay (common in retail, hospitality, and trades), while 'salary' is an annual fixed amount (common in professional and public sector roles). This calculator handles both: enter an annual salary or an hourly wage and choose your pay period — weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or annual — to get your net income for 2025-26.
What is the Medicare Levy?
The Medicare Levy is 2% of your taxable income and funds Australia's public health system. Low-income earners below the shade-in threshold pay a reduced rate or nothing. High-income earners without private hospital cover may also pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) of 1–1.5%.
How are HECS/HELP repayments calculated?
HECS-HELP repayments are calculated on your repayment income (taxable income plus reportable super and fringe benefits). For 2025-26, compulsory repayments start at $67,000. Above that, repayment amounts are calculated using the marginal-rate method applied to income within each repayment band.
Does this calculator include the Stage 3 tax cuts?
Yes. The revised Stage 3 cuts that took effect from 1 July 2024 are fully reflected — including the 16% rate on $18,201–$45,000 and the 30% rate on $45,001–$135,000. These changes reduced tax for most Australians earning under $190,000.
What is superannuation and how is it calculated?
Superannuation (super) is compulsory retirement savings your employer must pay on top of your salary. The Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rate for 2025-26 is 12% of your ordinary time earnings. Super doesn't reduce your take-home pay but it's important for comparing total compensation across job offers.
How do I calculate my take-home pay from a salary?
Enter your gross salary (annual, monthly, fortnightly, weekly or hourly) into the calculator. It applies the 2025-26 ATO tax brackets, deducts Medicare Levy, HECS/HELP repayments if applicable, and shows your net take-home pay per period. You can also toggle salary sacrifice, novated lease, and fringe benefits to see the impact on your pay.
What is salary sacrifice and how does it reduce tax?
Salary sacrifice lets you direct part of your pre-tax salary toward superannuation, a car (novated lease), or other approved benefits. Because the sacrificed amount is removed before income tax is calculated, it can lower your taxable income and therefore the tax you pay. Use our salary sacrifice calculator to model the exact saving for your situation.
Can I use this as a PAYG or payroll calculator?
Yes. This calculator uses the same ATO 2025-26 PAYG withholding logic that payroll systems use, so it's a reliable pay calculator and net pay calculator for individual pay runs. For full payroll processing you'll still need dedicated payroll software, but for quickly verifying take-home pay, tax withheld, super contributions and HECS deductions, this tool is accurate.