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Neurosurgeon salary Australia: award coverage, award-free rates and the national minimum wage floor

Neurosurgeons are covered by modern awards or enterprise agreements with minimum rates well above the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour, but precise median earnings are not publicly available from the ABS.

Neurosurgeon salary Australia: award coverage and the national minimum wage

When researching a **neurosurgeon salary Australia, the first question is which pay floor applies. Neurosurgeons are highly skilled medical specialists who perform surgery on the brain, spine and nervous system. According to Jobs and Skills Australia, there are about 280 neurosurgeons employed in Australia, with 86% working full-time and average full-time hours of 57 hours per week .

Award coverage versus award-free rates

Most neurosurgeons are covered by a modern award or an enterprise agreement. The most likely award is the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 or the Medical Practitioners Award 2020. These awards set minimum rates for classifications like "Medical Practitioner Level 5" or similar. The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database contains these rates. From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour ($1004.90 per week) for award-free adults . However, award rates for neurosurgeons are much higher than that. For example, the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 sets a minimum for a Health Professional Level 5 at $XX per hour (not published in search results). Enterprise agreements often pay even more.

If no award covers a neurosurgeon (unlikely), the national minimum wage applies. But even then, the rate is $26.44 per hour; casual loading adds 25% to $33.05 per hour. Junior rates apply only to under-21s, but neurosurgeons are always adults.

The national minimum wage and super

The national minimum wage is the legal floor. From 1 July 2026, it is $26.44 per hour or $1004.90 per week. Super guarantee is 12% on top of ordinary time earnings. So if a neurosurgeon earns $200,000 per year, the employer must also pay 12% super, making total package $224,000.

Survey averages and negotiated salaries

The ABS does not publish median weekly earnings for neurosurgeons at the 6-digit ANZSCO level. The Jobs and Skills Australia profile shows median weekly earnings N/A. So we cannot give a precise median. However, neurosurgeons are among the highest-paid specialists. Negotiated salaries are typically in the range of $300,000 to $600,000 per year, but these are not official figures.

How to find the right rate

Check if a modern award applies. Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Find My Award tool. If no award, use the national minimum applies. For more details, see Which minimum wage applies and Rate tables.

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Summary

Neurosurgeon salary Australia depends on award coverage. The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour but neurosurgeons earn much more. Super is on top. No official median is published.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.

Questions people ask next

What is the minimum wage for a neurosurgeon in Australia?

The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour from 1 July 2026, but neurosurgeons are almost always covered by a modern award (such as the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 or the Medical Practitioners Award 2020) which sets higher minimum rates. Award-free neurosurgeons must receive at least the national minimum, but in practice they earn significantly more.

How does a neurosurgeon's salary compare to the average full-time adult average earnings?

The ABS reports full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week (May 2026). Neurosurgeons typically earn well above that due to their specialist skills, but the ABS does not publish median weekly earnings for 6-digit occupations like neurosurgeons.

Is super included in the neurosurgeon salary?

No, superannuation guarantee is paid on top of the salary at 12% of ordinary time earnings. The quoted salary or wage does not include super. For example, if a neurosurgeon earns $200,000 per year, the employer must also contribute 12% super on top of that amount.

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