Salary Comparison Calculator
Compare two salaries side by side: enter your current job and the offer, say whether each salary includes super, and add hours, bonus and commute. The salary comparison calculator shows the take-home difference after 2026–27 income tax, Medicare levy and HELP, how much of a pay rise you keep, and the after-tax hourly rate of each job.
Updated 2026-10-03 · ATO and official government rates
| Job A | Job B | |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary (excl. super) | $85,000 | $84,821 |
| Super (12%) | $10,200 | $10,179 |
| Total package | $95,200 | $95,000 |
| Tax, Medicare | $17,720 | $17,663 |
| Take-home a year | $67,280 | $67,159 |
| Per fortnight | $2,588 | $2,583 |
| Gross hourly rate | $43.02 | $40.78 |
| Take-home per hour incl. commute | $31.67 | $28.19 |
| Marginal rate | 32% | 32% |
- Job A
- Job B
Your result is ready
Related
How to compare two salaries properly
Headline salaries are rarely comparable as quoted. Before you compare two salaries, put them on the same footing: the base salary excluding super, the hours you are paid for, and what each job costs you to get to. Then compare take-home pay after 2026–27 income tax, the Medicare levy and any HELP repayment.
The biggest trap is super. Most jobs quote a salary "plus super", with the 12% super guarantee paid on top. Some quote a "package" or "total remuneration" that includes super. A $95,000 package including super is a base salary of $84,821, which is less than a $85,000 plus super job would need to be to match it: $85,000 plus super is a $95,200 package.
Worked example: $85,000 plus super vs a $95,000 package
Job A pays $85,000 plus super for 38 hours a week with a 1-hour round trip each day. Job B offers a $95,000 package including super for 40 hours with a 1.5-hour round trip. Job B's base salary is $84,821, -$179 more than Job A. After tax and Medicare that is -$121 more take-home a year (-$5 a fortnight): you keep 68% of the gross difference.
Per hour the picture changes. Job A pays $43.02 an hour gross and Job B $40.78. Counting commuting time and costs, Job A leaves you $31.67 for each hour spent working or travelling, and Job B $28.19. Super goes up by only -$21 a year.
"Plus super" vs "package": the same headline salary compared
How much a 12% super difference in the wording is worth at common salaries in 2026–27:
| Headline salary | Base if plus super | Base if package incl. super | Take-home (plus super) | Take-home (package) | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $80,000 | $80,000 | $71,429 | $63,880 | $58,051 | $5,829 |
| $100,000 | $100,000 | $89,286 | $77,480 | $70,194 | $7,286 |
| $120,000 | $120,000 | $107,143 | $91,080 | $82,337 | $8,743 |
| $150,000 | $150,000 | $133,929 | $110,430 | $100,551 | $9,879 |
Comparing a casual, part-time or hourly offer
A casual rate includes a loading (usually 25%) instead of paid annual leave, sick leave and public holidays, so compare it with a permanent job on an annual basis. $40.00 an hour permanent full-time is $79,040 a year including 4 weeks' paid leave. A casual on $50.00 an hour who works 48 weeks earns $91,200, $12,160 more before tax and $8,269 more after tax, but has no paid leave, no notice or redundancy pay, and hours that can be cut.
For part-time offers, enter the actual salary and hours of each job: the calculator compares the gross and after-tax hourly rates directly. To turn a full-time salary into a part-time one first, use the pro rata salary calculator.
How much of a pay rise you keep
Because each extra dollar is taxed at your marginal rate, a pay rise adds less to your take-home than the gross figure suggests. In 2026–27, with private hospital cover and no HELP debt:
| Salary change | Gross rise | Take-home rise | Kept | Marginal rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $60,000 → $70,000 | $10,000 | $6,700 | 67% | 32% |
| $80,000 → $90,000 | $10,000 | $6,800 | 68% | 32% |
| $100,000 → $110,000 | $10,000 | $6,800 | 68% | 32% |
| $130,000 → $145,000 | $15,000 | $9,500 | 63% | 39% |
| $180,000 → $200,000 | $20,000 | $11,400 | 57% | 47% |
What else changes the comparison
- HELP debt: compulsory repayments rise with income, so with a study loan Job B's advantage in the example falls to -$95 a year. Tick the HELP box to include it.
- Medicare levy surcharge: if you have no private hospital cover, crossing $105,000 (single) adds a 1% to 1.5% surcharge on your whole income. Untick private cover to see it.
- Hours and overtime: a salary that "includes" overtime or reasonable additional hours can be worth less per hour than an award job paying overtime separately.
- Leave: more annual leave, leave loading or a 9-day fortnight is worth real money. One extra week of leave is about 2% of salary.
- Bonus: count a bonus only if it is likely. A bonus is taxed as ordinary income at your marginal rate.
- Super above the minimum: some employers pay 14% to 17%. Set the salary as a package to compare total remuneration if that is how it was offered.
- Salary packaging: charities, hospitals and public benevolent institutions can package up to the FBT caps tax-free, which can outweigh a higher salary elsewhere.
Salary change calculator: before you accept
Ask whether the offer is plus super or a package, how many ordinary hours it covers, whether overtime is paid, whether leave loading applies, and when the first salary review is. Then run both jobs through the calculator above with the same tax year and HELP setting. If you are moving from a contract to a permanent role, the contractor pay calculator converts a day rate to a salary-equivalent first.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare two salaries?
Put both on the same basis first: base salary excluding super, and the same hours. A $95,000 package including 12% super is a base of $84,821, less than a $90,000 salary plus super. Then compare take-home pay after tax.
How much more will I take home with a pay rise?
Your marginal rate decides it. Going from $80,000 to $90,000 adds $6,800 a year to take-home pay in 2026–27.
Is a package including super worse than salary plus super?
For the same headline number, yes. A $100,000 package includes $10,714 of super, so the base salary is $89,286.
How do I compare jobs with different hours?
Compare the hourly rate: base salary ÷ (hours a week × 52). The calculator also shows take-home per hour including commuting time.
Should I count commute costs?
Yes, if the difference is large. Travel between home and a regular workplace is not tax-deductible, so it comes out of after-tax pay.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.
- ATO: Tax rates – Australian resident (Resident tax rates 2026–27 and 2025–26)
- ATO: Medicare levy reduction for low-income earners (Table: Medicare levy thresholds for a single individual, 2025–26)
- ATO: Medicare levy surcharge income, thresholds and rates (MLS income thresholds and rates for 2026–27 and 2025–26)
- ATO: Study and training loan repayment thresholds and rates (Table 1: 2026–27, Table 2: 2025–26)
- ATO: Key super rates and thresholds – Super guarantee (Table 21 SG %, Tables 23–24 maximum contribution base)
- ATO: Tax rates – foreign resident (Foreign resident tax rates 2025–26)
- ATO: Work out if you have to pay super (contractors paid mainly for their labour are eligible for super guarantee)