What is the National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026?

The National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, which equates to $1004.90 per week for a 38-hour week. For casual employees, the minimum casual rate including the 25% loading is $33.05 per hour. These rates are set by the Fair Work Commission and apply to most employees not covered by an award or agreement.

How is casual loading applied to my hourly rate?

Casual loading is an additional 25% paid on top of the base hourly rate to compensate for the lack of paid leave and other entitlements. For example, if your base rate is $30.00 per hour, the casual rate becomes $37.50 per hour. When using the timesheet on this site, you can check a box to add 25% casual loading automatically. Never enter a rate that already includes casual loading.

What is the super guarantee rate and how is it paid?

The super guarantee rate is 12% of your ordinary earnings, paid on top of your salary or wages by your employer. It applies up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year (2026–27). Super is not deducted from your take home pay; it is an additional contribution to your superannuation fund. The Australian Taxation Office sets the rate and the base.

Calculate Your Take Home Pay: Hourly to Annual for a 38-Hour Week

For a 38-hour week, your annual gross pay is your hourly rate multiplied by 38 hours per week times 52 weeks, and your take home pay depends on tax and Medicare.

Understanding Your Take Home Pay from an Hourly Rate

When you know your hourly rate, you can work out your annual, fortnightly and weekly take home pay. This guide explains the standard conversion using a 38-hour week and a 52-week year, and covers tax, super, and the difference between minimum wage, award rates, and casual loading.

The Basic Formula: Hourly × Hours per Week × 52

The standard way to convert an hourly rate to annual gross pay is:

Annual gross pay = hourly rate × hours per week × 52 weeks

This calculation assumes you work the same number of hours every week, with no unpaid overtime, penalty rates, allowances, or salary sacrifice. For a full-time employee, we assume a 38-hour week, which is the ordinary hours under the Fair Work Act. If you work different hours, adjust the formula accordingly.

For example, if your hourly rate is $30.00:

Weekly gross pay: $30.00 × 38 = $1,140.00
Fortnightly gross pay: $1,140.00 × 2 = $2,280.00
Annual gross pay: $1,140.00 × 52 = $59,280.00

Your take home pay is the amount after tax and the Medicare levy are deducted. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer and does not reduce your take home pay.

The 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 $1,004.90 per week for 38 hours. Many employees are covered by an award that sets higher minimum rates for their industry or occupation. Award rates often include different classifications and allowances. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides pay guides for each award.

If you are looking up a specific job, note that the figures on this site are general. For example, the minimum wage page shows the national minimum, but your actual rate may be higher under an award. Similarly, the average pay page uses Australian Bureau of Statistics data such as Average Weekly Earnings, which are averages across all employees, not medians for a particular job.

Casual Loading

Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top of the base hourly rate to compensate for not receiving paid leave (such as annual leave and sick leave). The casual minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $33.05 per hour ($26.44 × 1.25). When using the timesheet on this site, you can tick a box to add 25% casual loading. Do not enter a rate that already includes casual loading; the calculator will add it for you.

Superannuation Guarantee

Your employer must pay superannuation guarantee contributions of 12% of your ordinary earnings (as at 2026–27) into a super fund on your behalf. This is paid on top of your salary, not deducted from it. The maximum earnings that attract the super guarantee is $270,830 per year. For example, if your annual gross pay is $60,000, your employer contributes an extra $7,200 to super. Your take home pay is not affected by super contributions.

Tax and Medicare Levy

For the 2026–27 financial year, the Australian Taxation Office resident tax rates are:

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

In addition, most residents pay a Medicare levy of 2% of taxable income. The Medicare levy reduction thresholds for singles in 2025–26 are used here because the 2026–27 thresholds were not confirmed at the time of preparation. The levy is applied after the tax-free threshold.

Using the example of $59,280 annual gross pay:

Tax: $0 on first $18,200; 15% on $26,800 ($18,201–$45,000) = $4,020; 30% on $14,280 ($45,001–$59,280) = $4,284. Total tax = $8,304.
Medicare levy: 2% of $59,280 = $1,185.60.
Total deductions: $9,489.60.
Annual take home pay: $59,280 – $9,489.60 = $49,790.40.
Fortnightly take home pay: $49,790.40 ÷ 26 = $1,915.02.
Weekly take home pay: $49,790.40 ÷ 52 = $957.51.

Note: This estimate does not include HELP repayments, the Medicare levy surcharge, or salary packaging. It is an estimate, not a determination of your actual pay or tax.

Using the Timesheet and Other Tools

The timesheet on this site lets you enter your base hourly rate and optionally add casual loading. It calculates your weekly, fortnightly, monthly and annual gross pay, as well as estimated tax, Medicare levy, and take home pay. You can also explore the take-home pay page for more details on how tax and super work together.

Important Disclaimer

This conversion is a guide only. It assumes a 38-hour week, 52-week year. Your actual pay may differ due to different hours, unpaid overtime, penalty rates, allowances, or salary sacrifice. Super is estimated at 12% of ordinary earnings, paid on top, and stops at the $270,830 maximum contribution base. Tax uses the 2026–27 resident scale with full tax-free threshold. Medicare uses 2025–26 single reduction thresholds. No HELP, Medicare levy surcharge, or salary packaging deducted. This is an estimate, not a determination of your pay or tax.

Summary

Weekly gross = hourly × 38; fortnightly gross = weekly × 2; annual gross = hourly × 38 × 52.
Take home pay is gross minus tax and Medicare. Super is extra on top.**

Use the National Minimum Wage, award rates, casual loading, and super paid on top. The Fair Work Commission, Australian Bureau of Statistics, and Australian Taxation Office are the relevant organisations. For job-specific pay, refer to the relevant award or agreement, not general averages.