Landscaper Salary: How to Convert Your Hourly Rate to Annual Pay
For a full-time Level 1 landscaper at $26.44 per hour working 38 hours a week, the annual salary is $52,245.44 before tax and super.
Understanding Your Landscaper Salary
If you work in the gardening and landscaping industry, your pay is covered by the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2020. This award sets minimum hourly rates, penalty rates, allowances, and conditions for full-time, part-time, and casual employees. Whether you are an employer or an employee, knowing how to convert an hourly rate to an annual figure helps with budgeting, comparing job offers, and planning tax and super.
This guide explains how to calculate your landscaper salary using the standard 38-hour week, what the National Minimum Wage and award rates mean, how casual loading works, and how tax and super affect your take-home pay.
The Basic Formula: Hourly × Hours × 52
The simplest way to estimate your annual gross pay is:
Annual gross pay = hourly rate × hours per week × 52
For a full-time employee under the award, ordinary hours are 38 per week. So if you are a Level 1 gardener earning $26.44 per hour, your annual salary before tax and super is:
$26.44 × 38 × 52 = $52,245.44
This calculation assumes you work the same hours every week, with no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, and no allowances. It is a starting point for comparison. Use the timesheet to enter your own hourly rate and see the annual figure instantly.
National Minimum Wage vs Award Rates
From 1 July 2026, the National Minimum Wage is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for 38 hours. However, most landscaping employees are covered by the award, which has its own classification structure. The award’s Level 1 rate matches the National Minimum Wage, but higher levels pay more. For example, a Level 3 gardener earns $28.28 per hour, and a Level 5 leading hand earns $30.38 per hour.
Always check the award or use the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool to confirm your correct classification. Our pay guides page links to the official summaries.
Casual Loading and Fortnightly Pay
Casual employees under the award are entitled to a 25% loading on top of the ordinary hourly rate. This compensates for not receiving paid leave, notice of termination, or redundancy benefits. For a Level 1 casual landscaper, the casual rate is $33.05 per hour ($26.44 + 25%).
When calculating annual pay for a casual, use the casual rate in the formula. For example:
$33.05 × 38 × 52 = $65,306.80
Many employers pay wages weekly or fortnightly. To find your fortnightly gross pay, multiply your weekly pay by 2. For a full-time Level 1 employee:
Weekly: $26.44 × 38 = $1,004.72 Fortnightly: $1,004.72 × 2 = $2,009.44
Our casual loading page explains when the loading applies.
Tax and the Medicare Levy
Your annual gross pay is not what you take home. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) applies a progressive tax scale for residents in 2026–27:
- Nil tax on the first $18,200
- 15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% on income above $190,000
In addition, most residents pay the Medicare levy of 2% of taxable income. For a full-time Level 1 landscaper earning $52,245.44, the estimated tax (excluding Medicare) would be:
- $0 on first $18,200
- 15% on $26,800 ($45,000 – $18,200) = $4,020
- 30% on $7,245.44 ($52,245.44 – $45,000) = $2,173.63
- Total tax: $6,193.63
- Medicare levy (2%): $1,044.91
- Total deductions: $7,238.54
- Estimated take-home pay: $45,006.90 per year
This is an estimate. Your actual tax may vary if you have a HELP debt, the Medicare levy surcharge, or salary packaging. Use our take-home pay tool for a more detailed calculation.
Superannuation Is Paid on Top
Under the Superannuation Guarantee, your employer must contribute 12% of your ordinary earnings into a super fund. This is paid on top of your salary, not deducted from it. For a full-time Level 1 landscaper:
$52,245.44 × 12% = $6,269.45 per year in super contributions
The super guarantee applies up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830 per quarter. If your annual pay exceeds that, super stops at the cap. See our super and packaging page for more details.
Comparing with Average Earnings
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings were $2,083.70 in May 2026. That equates to an annual salary of about $108,352. A Level 1 landscaper’s $52,245 is below that average, but higher-level classifications and overtime can increase pay. Our average pay page has more data.
Using the Calculator
Our hourly conversion tool lets you enter your base hourly rate. If you are a casual employee, tick the box to add 25% loading – do not enter a rate that already includes loading. The calculator then shows your annual, monthly, fortnightly, and weekly gross pay, plus estimated tax and super.
Remember: this is an estimate. It assumes the same rate every week, no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, no allowances, and no salary sacrifice. For your exact entitlements, refer to the award or contact the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Summary
- Landscaper salary under the award starts at $26.44 per hour (Level 1) and goes up to $30.38 (Level 5).
- Annual gross = hourly rate × 38 × 52.
- Casual employees get 25% loading.
- Tax is progressive plus 2% Medicare levy.
- Super is 12% on top, up to the contribution cap.
- Use our reference tables for a full list of award rates and allowances.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.