Use Our Salary Checker to Convert Hourly Rates to Annual Pay
For a 38-hour week, the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 per hour gives an annual gross of $52,249.44 before tax and super.
How the Salary Checker Turns Hourly Rates into Annual Pay
Whether you are negotiating a salary offer or checking your current pay, our salary checker helps you convert an hourly rate into annual, fortnightly, and weekly figures. The standard formula is simple: multiply your hourly rate by the hours you work each week, then by 52 weeks. We assume a 38-hour week unless you change it, because that is the ordinary hours for most full-time awards under the Fair Work Act.
For example, the National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour. For a 38-hour week:
- Weekly: $26.44 × 38 = $1,004.72 (rounded to $1,004.90 in official orders)
- Fortnightly: $1,004.72 × 2 = $2,009.44
- Annual gross: $26.44 × 38 × 52 = $52,249.44
That annual figure is before tax and before super. The the timesheet lets you adjust the hours if you work part-time or a different roster.
National Minimum Wage vs. Award Rates
The National Minimum Wage is the legal minimum for employees not covered by an award or agreement. But most Australian workers are covered by an industry or occupation award, which sets higher minimum rates. For example, the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS) has specific classification rates, and from 1 December 2026 home care disability employees will receive an initial increase of up to 15%.
To find your correct minimum, check the pay guides from the Fair Work Ombudsman. Award rates also include penalty rates for evenings, weekends, and public holidays, plus allowances for things like travel or tools. Our salary checker does not include those extras – it uses a flat hourly rate – so your actual pay may be higher if you work unsocial hours.
Casual Loading
Casual employees get a 25% loading on top of the base rate to compensate for not receiving paid leave. On the the timesheet, tick the casual loading checkbox and the tool adds 25% to your entered rate. For the National Minimum Wage, that gives $33.05 per hour ($26.44 × 1.25). Never type a rate that already includes loading; the tool does the addition.
Fortnightly Pay and Budgeting
Many employers pay fortnightly. The salary checker shows your fortnightly gross: simply double the weekly amount. For the NMW example above, that is $2,009.44. If you are on an award rate, use the reference tables to see how penalty rates affect your fortnightly total.
Tax and Take-Home Pay
Your annual gross is not what lands in your bank account. The salary checker estimates tax using the 2026–27 resident tax 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 a 2% Medicare levy (using 2025–26 single reduction thresholds as 2026–27 thresholds were not confirmed). For the NMW annual gross of $52,249.44, the estimated tax is about $6,822 and Medicare $1,045, leaving a take-home of roughly $44,382. See the take-home pay page for more examples.
Superannuation Paid on Top
Employers must pay super guarantee of 12% of your ordinary time earnings into a super fund. This is on top of your gross pay – not deducted from it. The salary checker calculates super separately. For the NMW example, 12% of $52,249.44 is $6,269.93, but only up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. If your annual gross exceeds that, super stops at the cap. Learn more on the super and packaging page.
Average Weekly Earnings for Context
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported that in May 2026, full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings were $2,083.70. All employees (including part-time) averaged $1,579.20 per week. That is well above the NMW, reflecting higher award rates and overtime. Use the average pay page to see how your rate compares.
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.
Using the Salary Checker for Job Offers
When you receive a salary offer, enter the hourly equivalent into our hourly conversion tool. If the offer is annual, divide by 52 and then by your weekly hours to find the implied hourly rate. Compare that with the award rate for your classification using the job pay page. Remember that casual offers should include the 25% loading – if the employer quotes a rate that already includes loading, ask for the base rate so you can verify it against the award.
The salary checker is a starting point. For a precise calculation, talk to your employer or union, or use the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.