Is $48,000 a good salary in Australia?

The full-time median salary in Australia is around $80,000 (ABS Employee Earnings 2024, full-time employees). $48,000 is roughly 40% below that figure.

How much is $48,000 per hour?

Around $24.29 per hour gross, or $21.18 per hour after tax, assuming a 38-hour week.

How much tax do I pay on $48,000?

On $48,000 in Australia, you pay approximately $5,188 in income tax and $960 in Medicare Levy.

$48,000 After Tax in Australia (2026-27)

If you earn $48,000 per year in Australia, your take-home pay is $41,852 per year — $3,488 per month, $805 per week, or $21.18 per hour after Income Tax and Medicare.

Net pay per month

$3,488

87.2% of gross — $41,852 per year

Income Tax

$5,188

10.8%

Medicare Levy

$960

2.0%

Effective rate

12.8%

of gross

Marginal rate

30%

on next $1

$48,000 after tax by pay period

Period	Gross	Tax	Medicare	Take-home
Yearly	$48,000	$5,188	$960	$41,852
Monthly	$4,000	$432	$80	$3,488
Weekly	$923	$100	$18	$805
Daily (260 days)	$185	$20	$4	$161
Hourly (38h week)	$24.29	$2.63	$0.49	$21.18

Daily assumes 260 working days. Hourly assumes a 38-hour week.

How your tax is calculated

The first $18,200 is tax-free. Income is then taxed at 19% to $45,000, 32.5% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000 and 45% above that. The 2% Medicare levy applies on top. Employer superannuation is paid separately, on top of your salary. Your marginal rate is 30% — every additional $1 you earn keeps roughly $0.70 after tax and Medicare.

What if…

$49,000 instead? Your take-home rises by roughly $57/month — see $49,000 after tax.
With a 5% pension contribution, your monthly take-home would be $3,348 but you'd save around $720 in income tax over the year.
10 hours of overtime a month at time-and-a-half would add about $255 to your monthly take-home.

Frequently asked questions

Is $48,000 a good salary in Australia?: The full-time median salary in Australia is around $80,000 (ABS Employee Earnings 2024, full-time employees). $48,000 is roughly 40% below that figure.
How much is $48,000 per hour?: Assuming a 38-hour week over 260 working days, $48,000 a year is around $24.29 per hour gross, or $21.18 per hour after tax.
How much tax do I pay on $48,000?: On $48,000 a year in Australia, you would pay approximately $5,188 in income tax and $960 in Medicare Levy — an effective rate of 12.8%.