Understanding Your Radiology Salary: Hourly to Annual Conversion with Casual Loading and Super

Converting Your Radiology Salary: Hourly to Annual

Whether you are a radiographer, sonographer, or medical imaging specialist, understanding how your hourly rate translates into annual, fortnightly, and weekly pay is essential for budgeting and comparing job offers. This guide explains the conversion process, including the impact of casual loading and superannuation, using the latest Fair Work and ATO figures.

The Basic Formula

The standard formula to estimate annual gross pay is:

Annual gross ≈ hourly rate × hours per week × 52

For full-time employees, the typical working week is 38 hours, as set by the National Employment Standards. So if your hourly rate is $35.00, your annual gross would be $35.00 × 38 × 52 = $69,160. This assumes you work the same hours every week with no unpaid overtime, penalty rates, or allowances.

Fortnightly and Weekly Pay

To find your weekly pay, multiply your hourly rate by your weekly hours. For a 38-hour week: weekly = hourly × 38. Fortnightly pay is simply weekly × 2. Using the same $35.00 rate, weekly is $1,330.00 and fortnightly is $2,660.00. These figures are before tax and other deductions.

Radiology Salary and Award Coverage

Most radiology professionals are covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (or a similar award). The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes pay guides that list the minimum hourly rates for each classification level. For example, a Health Professional Level 1 may have a base rate higher than the national minimum wage. The exact rate depends on your experience, qualifications, and the specific role. Always check the relevant pay guide for your award to ensure you are being paid correctly.

Casual Loading

If you work as a casual, you are entitled to a 25% loading on top of the base hourly rate. This compensates for the lack of paid leave and other entitlements. Important: The loading is added to the base rate; you should not add it again. For instance, if your award base rate is $30.00 per hour, the casual rate is $30.00 × 1.25 = $37.50 per hour. When using our calculator, simply enter your base hourly rate and check the 'casual loading' box – the tool will automatically apply the 25% loading.

Superannuation Paid on Top

Superannuation guarantee contributions are 12% of your ordinary earnings, paid by your employer on top of your salary. This means your total remuneration package includes both your gross pay and the super contribution. For example, if your annual gross salary is $70,000, your employer must contribute an additional $8,400 into your super fund, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830 (2026–27). Super is not deducted from your take-home pay; it is an extra benefit. For more details on how super interacts with salary packaging, see our guide on super and packaging.

Tax and Medicare Levy

Your take-home pay depends on the tax withheld. For the 2026–27 financial year, the resident tax rates are:

• $0 – $18,200: Nil
• $18,201 – $45,000: 15% on the excess over $18,200
• $45,001 – $135,000: 30% on the excess over $45,000
• $135,001 – $190,000: 37% on the excess over $135,000
• $190,001 and above: 45% on the excess over $190,000

Additionally, the Medicare levy is generally 2% of your taxable income. The tax-free threshold is included in these rates. Note that HELP repayments, Medicare levy surcharge, and salary packaging are not accounted for in this simple estimate.

National Minimum Wage as a Baseline

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1004.90 per week for 38 hours. For casual employees, the minimum casual rate is $33.05 per hour (including 25% loading). This is the legal floor for award/agreement-free employees. However, most radiology roles are covered by awards that set higher minimum rates. The Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database provides detailed spreadsheets of minimum rates, allowances, and penalty rates for each award.

Putting It All Together: Example

Let’s say you are a radiographer on a base award rate of $40.00 per hour, working 38 hours per week as a permanent employee.

• Weekly gross: $40.00 × 38 = $1,520.00
• Fortnightly gross: $1,520.00 × 2 = $3,040.00
• Annual gross: $40.00 × 38 × 52 = $79,040.00
• Super (12%): $79,040.00 × 0.12 = $9,484.80 (paid on top)
• Estimated tax (using 2026–27 rates): approximately $16,867 (including Medicare levy)
• Estimated take-home pay: $79,040 – $16,867 = $62,173 per year

If you were casual, your hourly rate would be $40.00 × 1.25 = $50.00 per hour, resulting in:

• Weekly gross: $50.00 × 38 = $1,900.00
• Annual gross: $50.00 × 38 × 52 = $98,800.00
• Super: $98,800.00 × 0.12 = $11,856.00

Important Disclaimer

The figures above are estimates only. They assume consistent hours, no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates or allowances, and no salary sacrifice. Super is estimated at 12% of ordinary earnings and stops at the $270,830 maximum contribution base. Tax uses the 2026–27 resident scale with the full tax-free threshold; Medicare uses the 2025–26 single reduction thresholds as the 2026–27 thresholds were not confirmed here. This is not a determination of your actual pay or tax liability. For personalised advice, consult a qualified accountant or use the ATO’s tax withholding tools.

Further Resources

• Use our timesheet to convert your hourly rate to annual, fortnightly, and weekly figures, including casual loading.
• Browse pay guides for your award to find the correct minimum rates.
• Learn more about minimum wage and take-home pay calculations.
• Understand casual loading and how it affects your pay.
• Explore average pay statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
• See hourly conversion for other scenarios.
• Check job pay for industry-specific insights.

By understanding these components, you can confidently evaluate your radiology salary and ensure you are receiving the correct pay and entitlements.