Legal Assistant Salary: Award Rates, Hourly to Annual Pay & Super
A full-time legal assistant (Level 1) earns $28.24 per hour under the Legal Services Award, equating to $55,797.44 annually based on 38 hours per week for 52 weeks.
Understanding the legal assistant salary under the Legal Services Award
If you are working as a legal assistant or considering a role in a law firm, your pay is likely covered by the Legal Services Award 2020. This award sets minimum wages for legal clerical and administrative employees, law graduates, and law clerks. Knowing the correct legal assistant salary helps you compare job offers, negotiate pay, and plan your finances.
This guide explains how to convert an hourly rate to annual and fortnightly figures, how the National Minimum Wage compares with award rates, and what casual loading and superannuation mean for your take-home pay.
From hourly to annual: the 38‑hour week
The standard full-time week under the Legal Services Award is 38 ordinary hours. To estimate your annual gross pay, multiply your hourly rate by 38 hours and then by 52 weeks:
Annual gross ≈ hourly rate × 38 × 52
For example, a Level 1 legal assistant on $28.24 per hour earns:
- Weekly: $28.24 × 38 = $1,073.12 (rounded to $1,073.10 per the award)
- Fortnightly: $1,073.10 × 2 = $2,146.20
- Annual: $1,073.10 × 52 = $55,801.20 (the award lists $1,073.10 weekly, so $55,801.20 annually)
Use the timesheet to enter your base hourly rate and see the annual, fortnightly, and weekly equivalents. The tool assumes 38 hours per week unless you adjust the hours.
National Minimum Wage versus award rates
The National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour ($1,004.90 per week for 38 hours). However, most legal assistants are covered by the Legal Services Award, which sets higher minimum rates. The award classifies employees into levels based on duties and experience:
| Classification | Hourly rate | Weekly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 – Legal clerical and administrative employee | $28.24 | $1,073.10 |
| Level 2 – Legal clerical and administrative employee | $29.45 | $1,119.10 |
| Level 3 – Legal clerical and administrative employee | $31.11 | $1,182.10 |
| Level 4 – Legal clerical and administrative employee | $32.67 | $1,241.40 |
| Level 5 – Legal clerical and administrative employee / Law graduate | $33.99 | $1,291.80 |
| Level 6 – Law clerk | $36.03 | $1,369.20 |
These rates are from the Fair Work Ombudsman's Legal Services Award page and the Pay Guide published 24 June 2026. Always check the award for your specific classification and any allowances that may apply.
If you are not covered by an award, the National Minimum Wage applies. You can compare award and minimum rates on our reference tables page.
Casual loading and superannuation
Casual loading: Casual employees under the Legal Services Award receive a 25% loading on the minimum hourly rate for all ordinary hours worked. This compensates for not receiving paid leave, public holidays, or other entitlements. For a Level 1 casual legal assistant, the casual rate is $28.24 × 1.25 = $35.30 per hour. The casual loading page explains how this interacts with overtime.
Superannuation: Employers must pay super guarantee contributions on top of your ordinary time earnings. From 1 July 2026, the rate is 12% of ordinary earnings, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year. For a full-time Level 1 legal assistant earning $1,073.10 per week, the employer contributes $128.77 per week to super. This is not deducted from your pay; it is an additional benefit. See super and packaging for more details.
Fortnightly pay and tax considerations
Many law firms pay employees fortnightly. Your fortnightly gross pay is simply your weekly rate multiplied by two. For a Level 1 legal assistant, that is $2,146.20 before tax.
Tax (2026–27 resident rates):
- Nil 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
Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (with possible reductions for low incomes). The take-home pay calculator can estimate your net pay after tax and Medicare.
Using the timesheet for your calculations
Our the timesheet tool lets you enter your base hourly rate and see the annual, fortnightly, and weekly figures. If you are a casual, check the “Include 25% casual loading” box – but never enter a rate that already includes the loading. The tool adds it automatically.
Remember that the annual figure is an estimate: it assumes you work the same hours every week with no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, and no salary sacrifice. Super is calculated at 12% of ordinary earnings and stops at the maximum contribution base. Tax uses the 2026–27 scale with the full tax-free threshold and the 2025–26 Medicare reduction thresholds (as the 2026–27 thresholds were not confirmed at the time of this guide).
For more detailed award information, visit pay guides or the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website. The average pay page compares legal assistant salaries with broader industry averages from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Whether you are starting your career or reviewing an offer, understanding the legal assistant salary under the award ensures you are paid correctly and can plan your finances with confidence.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.