Interior Design Salary: Award Rates, Tax, and Super for 2026–27
For a full-time interior designer on 38 hours per week, the annual salary is the hourly rate multiplied by 1,976 hours, with super paid on top.
Understanding the interior design salary landscape
Interior design salary in Australia is shaped by the award or agreement that covers the role, the employee’s qualifications and the employer’s industry. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides a detailed guide on award coverage for interior designers, decorators and stylists. However, those rates are based on 2020 rates and are updated annually each July by the Fair Work Commission. The pay guides from the Fair Work Ombudsman show the current rates after the 4.75% increase from 1 July 2026 [
How to calculate your annual interior design salary
The formula for annual gross pay is hourly rate multiplied by hours per week times 52. For a full-time employee working 38 hours per week, that is 38 hours × 52 = 1,976 hours. If you are paid an award rate, use the appropriate classification. For example, a Level 3 interior stylist with a Certificate IV under the Miscellaneous Award earns $23.09 per hour. Their annual salary is $23.09 × 1,976 = $45,626 per year. A casual employee adds 25% loading of 25% on top of the base rate, so $23.09 + 25% = $28.86 per hour, annual $57,026. The fortnightly pay is weekly pay × 2. For the full-time employee, weekly pay is $23.09 × 38 = $877.42, fortnightly $1,754.84.
Tax and super on your interior design salary
Tax is calculated on the annual gross amount using the 2026–27 resident tax brackets: nil to $18,200; 15% to $45,000; 30% to $135,000; 37% to $190,000; 45% above that. Medicare levy is 2% on taxable income. For an interior designer earning $45,000, tax is $4,000 plus 2% Medicare. Super guarantee is 12% of ordinary earnings paid on top, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. The calculator on this site applies these deductions to your hourly rate and shows the take-home pay after tax and Medicare.
Using the timesheet tool
The timesheet tool on this site lets you enter your base hourly rate and optionally add casual loading. Never enter a rate that already includes loading. It then shows hourly × hours per week × 52 to get annual, plus fortnightly, and then shows tax and super. Use the timesheet to see your interior design salary estimate.
Key points to remember
- Always use the correct award rate or the National Minimum Wage if award-free. The Fair Work Ombudsman says award-free employees are entitled to the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 per hour.
Final note on the calculation
Annual pay here is hourly rate × hours per week × 52. It assumes the same rate every week, no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, no allowances, and no salary sacrifice. Super is estimated at 26.44 per hour, paid on top, and stops at the $270,830 maximum contribution base. Tax is the 2026–27 resident scale with the full tax-free threshold. Medicare uses the 2025–26 single reduction thresholds because the 2026–27 reduction thresholds were not confirmed here. HELP, the Medicare levy surcharge, and salary packaging are not deducted. This is an estimate, not a determination of your pay or tax.
See the timesheet and the reference tables for the 38-hour working.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.