How Australian take-home pay is actually calculated

A job offer is usually a gross salary. What hits your account is that figure after income tax and the Medicare levy. Employer super is typically extra, not a deduction.

For 2026–27, resident rates start at 15% above the $18,200 tax-free threshold. The Low Income Tax Offset can knock up to $700 off income tax, but it cannot create a refund and it does not reduce the Medicare levy. The levy is usually 2% of taxable income, with a shade-in for low incomes.

Weekly, fortnightly and monthly amounts on the salary calculator use ATO PAYG withholding (Scale 2, tax-free threshold claimed) — the same method as a typical payslip. The annual figure uses year-end income tax and the Medicare levy. Those two can differ by a few dollars because PAYG rounds each pay.

From 2026–27, eligible workers can also receive a standard deduction of up to $1,000 for work-related expenses. That lowers taxable income when you lodge; PAYG withholding during the year does not include it.

Use the salary calculator for a live estimate, and the super calculator if the advertised figure already includes super.