Take Home Pay from the National Minimum Wage: What You Actually Receive

Understanding Your Take Home Pay from the National Minimum Wage

When you hear about the national minimum wage, the figure quoted is your gross pay before any deductions. Your actual take home pay – the amount that lands in your bank account – will be lower after tax and the Medicare levy are withheld by your employer. This guide explains how the legal minimum wage translates into your weekly packet, and how superannuation is an extra payment on top.

The Legal Minimum: Gross vs Net

From 1 July 2026, the Fair Work Commission set the adult national minimum wage at $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 for a 38-hour week. For casual employees, the rate is $33.05 per hour (including the 25% casual loading). These are your gross earnings. Your take home pay is what remains after your employer withholds pay-as-you-go (PAYG) tax and the Medicare levy.

Using the 2026-27 tax rates for a resident with the full tax-free threshold, a full-time minimum wage worker earning $1,004.90 per week (annualised to $52,254.80) would pay approximately $6,288 in tax and $1,045 in Medicare (2% on earnings above $30,000). That leaves a weekly take home pay of around $881. This is an estimate only; your actual take home pay depends on your tax file number declaration, any tax offsets, and whether you have a HELP debt or other deductions.

How Superannuation Fits In

Superannuation guarantee is an employer contribution of 12% on top of your ordinary time earnings. It is not deducted from your pay. So while your take home pay is after tax, your super is building separately in your fund. For a minimum wage worker, the employer pays an extra $120.59 per week into super, on top of the $1,004.90 gross wage. Your take home pay does not include this amount.

Award Rates and Enterprise Agreements

The national minimum wage is the legal floor. Many employees are covered by a modern award or an enterprise agreement that sets a higher minimum rate. For example, the lowest ongoing classification in a modern award cannot be less than $26.44 per hour, but most awards have rates above that. If you are covered by an award, your take home pay will be based on the higher award rate. Similarly, if your workplace has an enterprise agreement, it must pass the better off overall test and typically provides a higher base rate.

Award-Free Juniors and Supported Wages

Not every worker receives the adult minimum. Award-free junior employees have percentage-based minimums: for example, a 16-year-old gets 47.3% of the adult rate, or $12.51 per hour. Their take home pay will be correspondingly lower. Apprentices and trainees have their own rates under the Miscellaneous Award. Supported wages for employees with disability may also be lower. Always check which pay floor applies to you.

Comparing to Average Earnings

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported that in May 2026, full-time adult ordinary-time earnings averaged $2,083.70 per week. That is more than double the minimum wage. The average take home pay for all employees (including part-time) was $1,579.20 per week gross. Your take home pay will vary widely depending on your industry, experience, and hours.

For more details on which minimum wage applies to you, see our Which minimum wage applies guide. You can also explore Rate tables for award classifications.

Important Notes

• The figures here are for national-system employees who are award-free and agreement-free. Most private sector workers are in the national system, but some state public sector and local government employees may be covered by state awards.
• The take home pay calculation above is illustrative. It excludes the low income tax offset, HELP repayments, salary sacrifice, and the Medicare levy surcharge. Use the ATO's tax withheld calculator for your personal situation.
• Your employer must pay your super into a complying fund. You can choose your fund.

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