What is the minimum wage for a 16-year-old in Australia?

The minimum wage for a 16-year-old depends on the award covering your job. The National Minimum Wage is for adults aged 21 and over. Under most awards, junior rates are a percentage of the adult rate (e.g., 60% in retail). Check your award on the Fair Work Ombudsman website or use their pay calculator.

How do I calculate my annual salary from my hourly rate?

Multiply your hourly rate by your weekly hours (usually 38 for full-time) and then by 52. For example, $15.86/hour × 38 × 52 = $31,339 annual gross. For part-time, use your actual weekly hours. This assumes no unpaid overtime, penalty rates, or allowances.

Do I pay tax if I'm 16 and working?

If you earn less than $18,200 per year, you pay no tax or Medicare levy. If you earn more, you pay tax on the amount above $18,200 at marginal rates (15% up to $45,000) plus 2% Medicare levy, with possible reductions for low income. Use the tax table in the article to estimate.

Minimum Wage Australia 16 Year Old: Hourly to Annual Pay Guide

The adult National Minimum Wage is $26.44/hour, but junior rates for 16-year-olds are lower under most awards. Assuming 38 hours/week, annual gross is about $52,253 for adults; for 16-year-olds, check your award.

Understanding Minimum Wage Australia for 16 Year Olds

If you're a 16-year-old worker in Australia, you might be wondering about the minimum wage australia 16 year old. The answer isn't straightforward because the National Minimum Wage (NMW) set by the Fair Work Commission applies to adults aged 21 and over. For younger workers, most awards specify junior rates—a percentage of the adult rate that increases with age. For example, under the General Retail Industry Award, a 16-year-old might earn 60% of the adult rate. Always check your specific award via the Fair Work Ombudsman's pay guides or reference tables.

The National Minimum Wage (Adult)

From 1 July 2026, the NMW is $26.44 per hour, or $1004.90 per week for a 38-hour week. For casual employees, a 25% loading applies, making it $33.05 per hour. This is the baseline for adult workers not covered by an award. For 16-year-olds, the rate will be lower, but the same conversion principles apply.

Converting Hourly to Annual Pay

The formula is simple: hourly rate × hours per week × 52 weeks. This assumes you work the same number of hours every week, with no unpaid overtime, penalty rates, or allowances. For full-time work, we assume 38 hours per week (the standard under the National Employment Standards). If you work part-time or casually, use your actual weekly hours.

Example for an adult on NMW: $26.44 × 38 × 52 = $52,253.44 annual gross.

Example for a 16-year-old on a junior rate (say 60% of adult): $15.86 × 38 × 52 = $31,339.36 annual gross.

Fortnightly Pay

Many employers pay fortnightly. Your fortnightly gross is weekly pay × 2. For the adult NMW, weekly is $1004.90, so fortnightly is $2009.80. For a 16-year-old on $15.86/hour, weekly is $602.68, fortnightly $1205.36.

Tax and Medicare Levy

Once you have your annual gross, estimate your take-home pay using the 2026–27 resident tax rates. The tax-free threshold is $18,200. Then:

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 over $190,000

Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (generally). For low-income earners, there are reductions. For a 16-year-old earning under $18,200, no tax or Medicare is payable. For those earning between $18,201 and $45,000, the marginal rate is 15% plus 2% Medicare, but the Medicare levy may be reduced if income is below a threshold (for 2025-26, the single reduction threshold is $24,276; for 2026-27 not confirmed, so we use the 2025-26 figure as an estimate).

Example for a 16-year-old earning $31,339: Tax = ($31,339 - $18,200) × 15% = $1,970.85. Medicare = $31,339 × 2% = $626.78. Total deductions = $2,597.63. Take-home = $28,741.37.

Superannuation

Super guarantee is 12% of your ordinary earnings, paid on top of your salary. So if your annual gross is $31,339, your employer must contribute an additional $3,760.68 into your super fund, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. Super is not deducted from your pay; it's extra.

Casual Loading

If you are a casual employee, you are entitled to a 25% loading on top of the base rate. The casual loading is meant to compensate for lack of paid leave. For a 16-year-old casual, the minimum casual rate would be the junior rate plus 25% loading. When using our the timesheet, type your base hourly rate (without loading) and check the box to add 25% casual loading on top. Do not enter a rate that already includes loading.

Award Rates vs National Minimum Wage

The National Minimum Wage applies to employees not covered by an award. Most 16-year-olds are likely under an award, such as retail, hospitality, or fast food. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides minimum wage information for different ages. For example, under the Fast Food Industry Award, a 16-year-old may earn 50% of the adult rate. Always check your award.

Average Earnings Comparison

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Average Weekly Earnings for full-time adult ordinary time in May 2026 was $2,083.70 per week. For all employees (including part-time), it was $1,579.20 per week. These are averages, not the median for a specific job. Your pay may differ.

Important Disclaimer

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 12% of ordinary earnings only, 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.

For more details, see our take-home pay and super and packaging guides.