How do I convert my hourly rate to an annual salary for a 38-hour week?

Multiply your hourly rate by 38 (hours per week) and then by 52 (weeks per year). For example, $30/hour × 38 × 52 = $59,280 gross per year. This assumes you work every week with no unpaid overtime or penalty rates. If you work fewer or more hours, adjust the weekly hours accordingly.

Does the annual estimate include super and tax?

No, the annual gross figure is before tax and before super. Super is paid on top at 12% of your ordinary earnings (up to the $270,830 contribution base). Tax is calculated separately using the 2026–27 resident rates and the Medicare levy. The take-home amount will be lower after tax and any salary sacrifice arrangements.

What Can You Salary Sacrifice? Hourly to Annual Pay Guide for 38-Hour Weeks

Q: What can you salary sacrifice from your hourly or annual pay?

Salary sacrifice lets you swap some pre-tax pay for benefits like a car, laptop, or extra super contributions. The amount you sacrifice reduces your taxable income, so you pay less tax. However, it also lowers your ordinary earnings for super guarantee purposes (unless it's sacrificed into super). Check with your employer and the Australian Taxation Office for caps and rules.

For a 38-hour week, annual gross pay is hourly rate × 38 × 52, with super paid on top and tax withheld according to the 2026–27 resident scale.

Understanding Hourly to Annual Pay

When you have an hourly rate or a salary offer, the first step is to see the full-year picture. The standard formula is hourly rate × hours per week × 52. For most full-time employees, the Fair Work Ombudsman uses a 38-hour week as the ordinary hours benchmark. That means if you earn $30 per hour and work 38 hours every week, your annual gross pay is $30 × 38 × 52 = $59,280.

This calculation assumes the same rate every week, no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, and no allowances. It also ignores any salary sacrifice arrangements. For a quick estimate, you can use the timesheet to enter your base hourly rate and see the annual figure. If you are a casual employee, remember that your rate often includes a 25% casual loading – the timesheet has a checkbox to add that on top of the base rate. Never type a rate that already includes casual loading; always start with the base hourly rate.

Fortnightly and Weekly Views

It can also help to think in fortnights. Multiply your weekly pay by two. For the $30/hour example, weekly pay is $1,140 ($30 × 38), so fortnightly is $2,280. Many employers pay fortnightly, and knowing this figure helps you budget. The pay guides on this site break down common industry awards.

Distinguishing Minimum Wage, Award Rates, and Casual Loading

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 it $33.05 per hour. This is the legal floor set by the Fair Work Commission. However, many industries have award rates that are higher. For example, a retail or hospitality award may specify a higher minimum for certain classifications. Always check the relevant award or enterprise agreement.

Casual loading is paid instead of entitlements like paid leave. If you are a casual, your hourly rate should already include the loading – but when converting to annual, use the loaded rate. The casual loading page explains more.

Superannuation is paid on top of your gross pay. The super guarantee is 12% of your ordinary earnings, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year. So if your annual gross is $59,280, your employer must contribute an extra $7,113.60 to your super fund. This is not part of your take-home pay.

Tax and Take-Home Pay

Your annual gross is not what you take home. The Australian Taxation Office applies the 2026–27 resident tax rates:

$0 – $18,200: nil
$18,201 – $45,000: 15% of the excess over $18,200
$45,001 – $135,000: $4,020 plus 30% of the excess over $45,000
$135,001 – $190,000: $31,020 plus 37% of the excess over $135,000
$190,001+: $51,420 plus 45% of the excess over $190,000

Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (with possible reductions for low-income earners). The take-home pay page can help you estimate after-tax income.

What Can You Salary Sacrifice?

What can you salary sacrifice from your hourly or annual pay? Salary sacrifice is an arrangement where you give up part of your pre-tax salary in exchange for benefits such as a car, laptop, or additional super contributions. Because the sacrificed amount is not taxed, you can reduce your taxable income. However, it also reduces your ordinary earnings for super guarantee purposes (unless the sacrifice is into super). Common items include:

Additional super contributions (concessional caps apply)
Novated car leases
Electronic devices for work
Some childcare costs (if your employer offers it)

Always check with your employer and the ATO for limits. The super and packaging page has more details.

Using Reference Data

The Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes Average Weekly Earnings. For May 2026, full-time adult ordinary time earnings were $2,083.70 per week. That is an average across all full-time employees, not a median for any specific job. All employees total earnings (including part-time) averaged $1,579.20 per week. These are useful benchmarks but not your personal pay.

For award-specific rates, see the reference tables or job pay pages. The minimum wage page has the latest national figures.

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.

For a personalised calculation, use the timesheet and adjust the hours to your actual schedule. The hourly conversion page explains the formula in more detail.