Use Our Salary Cal to Convert Hourly Rates to Annual Pay
Based on a 38-hour week, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour, or $1004.90 per week, with casual loading of 25% adding $33.05 per hour.
How the Salary Cal Works
Our salary cal, built into the timesheet, helps you turn an hourly rate into an annual salary, a fortnightly figure, and an estimate of tax and super. The core formula is simple: multiply your hourly rate by the number of hours you work each week, then by 52 weeks in a year. For most full-time roles, we assume a 38-hour week, which is the standard under the Fair Work Act. If you work different hours, you can adjust the hours per week in the tool.
For example, an hourly rate of $30.00 at 38 hours per week gives:
- Weekly pay: $30.00 × 38 = $1,140.00
- Fortnightly pay: $1,140.00 × 2 = $2,280.00
- Annual gross salary: $1,140.00 × 52 = $59,280.00
This is your gross pay before tax and before super. The salary cal also estimates tax using the 2026–27 resident tax rates and the Medicare levy, and shows superannuation at 12% paid on top.
Using the Fortnightly View
Many employers pay fortnightly, so the salary cal displays your fortnightly gross pay alongside the annual figure. This helps you budget and compare with job offers that quote a fortnightly salary.
National Minimum Wage and Award Rates
The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage each year. From 1 July 2026, the minimum is $26.44 per hour, or $1004.90 for a 38-hour week. This applies to adult employees not covered by an award or agreement. Most industries, however, have award rates that are higher. For example, the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award has its own classification rates, and the Health Services Award recently changed pay rates from 1 October 2026. You can check the exact rate for your job using pay guides from the Fair Work Ombudsman.
If you are award-free, the national minimum wage is your floor. Junior employees (under 21) and apprentices have special percentages of the minimum wage. The salary cal uses the adult rate by default, but you can enter any hourly rate that matches your award or agreement.
Casual Loading and Superannuation
Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of their base hourly rate to compensate for not receiving paid sick leave or annual leave. On the timesheet, there is a checkbox to add casual loading. Do not type a rate that already includes casual loading – the tool adds it for you. For the national minimum wage, the casual rate becomes $26.44 × 1.25 = $33.05 per hour.
Superannuation is paid on top of your gross salary. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of your ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year. This means if your annual salary is $80,000, your employer pays an extra $9,600 into your super fund. The salary cal shows this as a separate line so you can see your total employment cost.
Distinguishing Base Rate from Total Package
When you see a job advertisement quoting a salary, check whether it includes super. Many ads state “plus super”, meaning super is on top. Our salary cal always shows super separately. If an ad says “package including super”, the base salary is lower. Use the cal to reverse-engineer the hourly rate.
Tax and Take-Home Pay
The salary cal estimates your annual tax using the 2026–27 resident tax rates:
- 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
Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (based on 2025–26 single reduction thresholds, as 2026–27 thresholds were not confirmed). The cal does not deduct HELP repayments, the Medicare levy surcharge, or salary sacrifice. It gives a rough take-home estimate – always check with the Australian Taxation Office for your personal situation.
For example, a full-time worker on the national minimum wage ($26.44/hr, annual $52,254.80) would pay about $5,100 in tax and $1,045 in Medicare levy, leaving a take-home of around $46,109. The cal shows this breakdown.
Using the Timesheet for Your Salary Cal
Head to the timesheet to start your salary cal. Enter your base hourly rate (the rate before any casual loading). If you are casual, tick the “Add 25% casual loading” box. The tool will instantly show your weekly, fortnightly, and annual gross pay, plus estimated tax, Medicare, and super. You can also compare with the national minimum wage or average earnings. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults were $2,083.70 in May 2026, which is about $108,352 per year. Your salary cal can help you see where you sit relative to these benchmarks.
Remember, the cal assumes you work the same hours every week with no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, and no salary sacrifice. It is a starting point for understanding your pay. For precise award rates, refer to the pay guides or reference tables on the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
Why Use Our Salary Cal?
- Fast conversion: Enter an hourly rate and get annual, fortnightly, and weekly figures instantly.
- Casual loading built in: Tick a box, and the 25% loading is applied correctly.
- Super on top: See how much your employer contributes to your super.
- Tax estimate: Understand your take-home pay using current tax scales.
- Award-aware: Use the cal alongside pay guides to check you are being paid correctly.
Whether you are negotiating a salary, comparing job offers, or checking your current pay, the salary cal gives you a clear picture. Start with the timesheet and see your numbers today.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.