Salary Comparison — Updated for 2026–2027
Compare Salaries & Job Offers
Compare two job offers after tax.
Reviewed by Ashma Ghimire, ASA, CPA AustraliaLast reviewed 15 May 2026
How to compare two job offers after tax
A salary comparison shows the after-tax take-home pay of two job offers side by side — not just the headline salaries. For each offer it works out income tax, the Medicare levy, HECS/HELP repayments, and superannuation, then names the offer that leaves more in your pocket and shows exactly where the difference comes from.
A bigger salary doesn’t always win. Because income tax is progressive, each extra dollar is taxed at your top marginal rate, and crossing a HECS/HELP repayment threshold can lift your deductions faster than the pay rise itself. The difference table breaks the gap down line by line, so a higher offer that loses ground to tax or HECS is easy to spot.
This tool compares two specific offers you already have — it isn’t a market-rate or salary-benchmark database. If you want to know what a role typically pays before negotiating, check an industry salary guide first, then bring the numbers here to see each offer after tax.
Use this calculator when
- You’re weighing two offers and want the real take-home difference, not the headline gap.
- One offer includes super in the salary and the other pays it on top.
- You have a HECS/HELP debt and a pay rise might push you into a higher repayment rate.
- An offer includes a bonus, salary sacrifice, or a different super rate to factor in.
After-tax take-home, side by side
Each offer is reduced to net pay after income tax, the Medicare levy, and HECS, shown annually, monthly, fortnightly, or weekly. Need just one figure? Start with the take-home pay calculator.
Super: included vs on top
Set whether each salary includes super or adds it on top, so package-inclusive and salary-plus-super offers compare fairly. Model longer-term contributions with the salary sacrifice super calculator.
HECS threshold cliffs
A raise that crosses a repayment threshold can claw back more than it adds. See how repayments scale in the HECS/HELP repayment calculator.
Bonuses, contracts & sacrifice
Factor a signing bonus, salary sacrifice, or contractor rate into either offer. Convert a daily or hourly rate first with the contractor calculator, or check withholding with the bonus tax calculator.
How the comparison works
- Set your shared details — HECS, private health, and any annual deductions in the About you section.
- Enter Job A — salary, super rate, salary sacrifice, and any bonus.
- Enter Job B — the same fields for the second offer.
- Compare — read the winner banner, the two summary cards, and the difference table.
When comparing jobs, look beyond the base salary to super, bonuses, and other perks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a higher salary always mean more take-home pay?
Not always. Income tax in Australia is progressive, so each extra dollar in the higher offer is taxed at your top marginal rate rather than your average rate. Crossing a HECS/HELP repayment threshold or a Medicare Levy Surcharge tier can lift your deductions sharply, and one offer may quote a salary that already includes super while the other adds it on top. The comparison shows each offer's net take-home side by side, so you can see whether a bigger headline figure survives tax, Medicare, and HECS — or whether the gap closes once deductions are applied.
Can it compare a salary that includes super against one with super on top?
Yes. Each offer has a 'salary includes super' toggle. A package quoted as salary-inclusive bundles the employer contribution inside the headline figure, while a salary-plus-super offer pays the contribution on top — so two offers with the same headline number can produce very different take-home pay and total package value. Set the toggle to match how each offer is actually worded, and the summary cards and difference table will reflect the real comparison rather than the advertised numbers.
How does salary sacrifice change the comparison?
Salary sacrificing into super lowers your taxable income, which can reduce income tax and the Medicare levy. (Compulsory HECS/HELP repayments are not reduced, because the ATO adds salary-sacrificed super back as reportable contributions when working out your repayment income.) If one offer lets you sacrifice and the other does not — or you plan to sacrifice different amounts — entering those amounts changes each offer's net result. The difference table then reflects the after-sacrifice position rather than the raw salaries.
What does the effective tax rate row mean?
The effective tax rate is your total tax divided by your gross income — the share of your pay that actually goes to tax across every bracket. It differs from your marginal rate, which only applies to your top slice of income. Because it rolls the whole progressive scale into one figure, the effective rate is the clearest single number for comparing two offers at different salary levels: a small difference between offers is normal, and the delta column shows exactly how many percentage points separate them.
Does this calculator use the latest ATO tax rates?
Yes — the calculator applies the official ATO income tax rates and thresholds for the financial year you select. Use the financial year selector at the top of the calculator to compare offers under different years' rules.
How is the Medicare Levy calculated?
The Medicare levy is applied as a percentage of your taxable income at the rate set for the selected financial year. Low-income earners may be eligible for a reduction or exemption, and higher earners without private hospital cover may also pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge — both are reflected in each offer's net result.
Does this include HECS/HELP repayments?
Yes — toggle 'Has HECS / HELP debt' on in the About you section and repayments are calculated using the selected financial year's thresholds and rates. Because repayment rates step up as income rises, a higher offer can trigger a larger compulsory repayment, which the difference table shows as its own line.
What is the difference between Gross and Net income?
Gross income is your total salary before tax. Net income is what lands in your bank account after income tax, the Medicare levy, HECS/HELP repayments, and any other deductions are taken out. When comparing two offers, net income is the figure that tells you which job actually pays more — which is why it leads the summary cards and the winner banner.