How to Calculate Your Rigger Salary: Hourly to Annual, Casual Loading and Super
For a rigger earning $35 per hour casual (including 25% loading), working 38 hours a week, the annual gross pay is approximately $69,160 before super and tax.
Understanding Your Rigger Salary
If you work as a rigger in Australia, your pay is likely set by a modern award such as the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 or the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2020. These awards specify minimum hourly rates, allowances, penalty rates, and casual loadings. To turn your hourly rate into an annual figure, you need to know your hours, whether you are casual or permanent, and how super and tax apply.
The Basic Formula: Hourly × Hours × 52
The standard way to estimate annual gross pay is:
Annual gross ≈ hourly rate × hours per week × 52
For a full-time rigger, the typical week is 38 hours (the ordinary hours under most awards). If you are part-time or casual, use your average weekly hours. This calculation assumes the same rate every week, no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates or allowances, and no salary sacrifice. It is a starting point, not a precise determination.
Example: Casual Rigger with 25% Loading
Suppose your award says the minimum hourly rate for a rigger is $28.00. As a casual, you receive a 25% loading on top, making your casual rate $35.00 per hour. Working 38 hours a week:
- Weekly gross: $35.00 × 38 = $1,330
- Fortnightly gross: $1,330 × 2 = $2,660
- Annual gross: $1,330 × 52 = $69,160
This is before tax and super. The casual loading compensates for not receiving paid leave. For a permanent (full-time or part-time) rigger, you would use the base rate without loading.
Where to Find the Correct Rigger Rate
Rigger classifications vary by award and level. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes pay guides for each award that list minimum rates. For example, the Building and Construction Award has a Rigger classification at different levels (e.g., Rigger Level 1, Level 2). The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database provides downloadable spreadsheets of all current minimum rates, allowances, and penalty rates. Always check the specific award that covers your job, as enterprise agreements may set different rates.
National Minimum Wage as a Floor
If no award or agreement applies, the National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for 38 hours. Casual employees get a 25% loading, making the casual minimum $33.05 per hour. Most riggers will be covered by an award with higher rates, but the minimum wage is the legal baseline.
Superannuation: Paid on Top
Employers must pay super guarantee at 12% of your ordinary time earnings (from 1 July 2026). For a casual rigger, super is generally calculated on the base hourly rate (excluding the casual loading) unless the award says otherwise. The super is paid on top of your gross pay, not deducted from it. There is a maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year – earnings above that do not attract compulsory super. Use the super and packaging page to understand how salary packaging might affect your super.
Tax and Medicare
Your annual gross pay is subject to income tax and the Medicare levy. For 2026–27, the resident tax brackets are:
- $0 – $18,200: Nil
- $18,201 – $45,000: 15%
- $45,001 – $135,000: 30%
- $135,001 – $190,000: 37%
- Over $190,000: 45%
Medicare levy is generally 2% of your taxable income. The take-home pay page can help you estimate your net income after these deductions. Note that the Medicare levy reduction thresholds for singles are based on 2025–26 figures as the 2026–27 thresholds were not confirmed at the time of this guide.
Fortnightly Pay and Budgeting
Many riggers are paid fortnightly. Your fortnightly gross is simply your weekly gross multiplied by two. For the casual example above, that is $2,660. After tax and Medicare, your net fortnightly pay will be lower. The the timesheet calculator on this site lets you enter your base hourly rate and toggle casual loading to see your weekly, fortnightly, and annual figures.
Casual Loading and Super: Key Distinctions
- Casual loading (25%) is added to your hourly rate to compensate for not receiving paid leave. It is part of your gross pay.
- Super guarantee (12%) is paid on top of your ordinary earnings. For casuals, the base rate (without loading) is often used for super calculations, but check your award.
- Award rates are the minimums; your actual pay may be higher if your employer pays above award.
Using the Calculator
Our the timesheet tool lets you enter your hourly rate and select whether you are casual. It automatically adds the 25% loading and calculates annual, fortnightly, and weekly figures. It also estimates tax and super based on the latest ATO rates. Remember that the results are estimates – always refer to your payslip and consult a tax professional for personal advice.
Summary
To work out your rigger salary:
- Find your award classification and base hourly rate from the Fair Work Ombudsman's pay guides or the Fair Work Commission's database.
- If casual, multiply by 1.25 to get the casual rate.
- Multiply by your weekly hours (usually 38) and by 52 for annual gross.
- Multiply weekly by 2 for fortnightly.
- Add 12% super on top of ordinary earnings (base rate for casuals).
- Apply tax brackets and Medicare levy to estimate take-home pay.
This approach gives you a clear picture of your earnings and helps you compare job offers or negotiate pay.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.