Pay Calculator QLD 2025-26
Convert a gross salary or hourly rate into real take-home pay in Queensland — after PAYG withholding, the Medicare levy, study-loan repayments and 12% superannuation.
Calculate your Queensland take-home pay
Estimate your take-home pay in Queensland for the 2025-26 financial year. Enter an amount at any pay frequency to see income tax, the Medicare levy, HELP/HECS repayments and employer super, converted across hourly, weekly, fortnightly, monthly and annual pay.
A pay calculator QLD is a tool that converts a gross salary or hourly rate into take-home pay for a worker in Queensland, after Pay As You Go (PAYG) withholding, the Medicare levy and any study loan repayment. The Queensland pay calculator applies the same federal tax tables used everywhere in Australia, then layers on the state settings that change the final number: award wages, penalty rates, superannuation, salary packaging and QLD payroll tax on the employer side.
The QLD pay calculator delivers 4 main benefits: an exact after tax income QLD figure for any pay frequency, a check against underpayment under Modern Awards, a forecast of superannuation on top of salary, and a comparison point when weighing a job offer in Brisbane against one in Sydney or Regional Queensland.
Workers use the take-home pay calculator to budget, verify a payslip and price an hourly rate. Employers use it to cost a role, model penalty loading after midnight and estimate the Payroll Tax Threshold. Contractors use it to convert a day rate into an annual salary.
A pay calculator QLD has 6 components: input fields for income and pay frequency, tax brackets from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), PAYG withholding tables, a superannuation rate, a calculation engine, and a results screen that splits gross pay, tax, and net pay.
Your Pay Breakdown
The table below shows net pay at 7 common income levels, using 2025-26 resident tax rates, the 2% Medicare levy and the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO). Superannuation is calculated at 12% and sits above the gross figure, not inside it.
| Gross salary | Income tax | Medicare levy | Total tax | Annual net pay | Monthly | Fortnightly | Weekly | Super (12%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $5,538 | $1,000 | $6,538 | $43,462 | $3,621.83 | $1,671.62 | $835.81 | $6,000 |
| $60,000 | $8,688 | $1,200 | $9,888 | $50,112 | $4,176.00 | $1,927.38 | $963.69 | $7,200 |
| $75,000 | $13,288 | $1,500 | $14,788 | $60,212 | $5,017.67 | $2,315.85 | $1,157.92 | $9,000 |
| $88,000 | $17,188 | $1,760 | $18,948 | $69,052 | $5,754.33 | $2,655.85 | $1,327.92 | $10,560 |
| $100,000 | $20,788 | $2,000 | $22,788 | $77,212 | $6,434.33 | $2,969.69 | $1,484.85 | $12,000 |
| $120,000 | $26,788 | $2,400 | $29,188 | $90,812 | $7,567.67 | $3,492.77 | $1,746.38 | $14,400 |
| $150,000 | $36,838 | $3,000 | $39,838 | $110,162 | $9,180.17 | $4,237.00 | $2,118.50 | $18,000 |
Figures assume a full financial year, no HECS-HELP debt, no salary sacrifice and private health cover that avoids the Medicare Levy Surcharge.
The hourly rate breakdown QLD works off a 38-hour week. A $88,000 salary equals $44.53 per hour gross across 1,976 ordinary hours, or $34.94 per hour after tax.
How Does the QLD Pay Calculator Work?
The calculator needs 5 inputs:
- Enter your gross income as an annual salary, hourly rate or day rate.
- Select your pay frequency: weekly, fortnightly, monthly or annual.
- Flag your residency status, since foreign residents receive no tax-free threshold.
- Flag a HECS-HELP or other study loan, which adds a compulsory repayment.
- Add any salary sacrifice, such as a novated lease salary sacrifice or extra super.
The calculation engine then runs 4 operations. Annualisation converts weekly or hourly figures into a yearly taxable income. Offsets such as LITO reduce the tax payable. The tax brackets and the 2% Medicare levy produce total tax. Division by 52, 26 or 12 returns the take-home pay QLD figure for each period.
Superannuation sits outside this chain. Employers pay 12% of ordinary time earnings into a fund from 1 July 2025, so a QLD superannuation calculator adds that amount to the package rather than deducting it from net pay.
What Is the Average Salary in Queensland?
Queensland earnings rose 2.1% to $1,994.50 per week in the November 2025 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey, setting the 2026-27 QOTE at $103,714 per year. Queensland sits close to the Victorian average and below New South Wales, where full-time earnings passed $2,050 per week in mid-2025.
Average salary figures run well above median salary figures. Mining and resources pay in Central and North Queensland pulls the mean upward, so a typical Brisbane office worker earns less than $101,592.
Average Salary by Industry in Queensland
| Industry | Average weekly earnings (full-time) | Annualised |
|---|---|---|
| Mining | $3,174.50 | $165,074 |
| Information media and telecommunications | $2,560.70 | $133,156 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | ~$2,300 | ~$119,600 |
| Public administration and safety | ~$2,150 | ~$111,800 |
| Health care and social assistance | ~$1,900 | ~$98,800 |
| Education and training | ~$1,880 | ~$97,760 |
| Construction | ~$1,850 | ~$96,200 |
| Retail trade | $1,504.40 | $78,229 |
| Accommodation and food services | $1,459.70 | $75,904 |
Major employers in Queensland shape these averages. Queensland Health, the Department of Education, BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, Anglo American, Woolworths and Coles employ the largest workforces in the state. Nursing pay rates QLD 2025 under the Nurses and Midwives Award for the public sector start near $76,000 for a first-year registered nurse and pass $105,000 at senior grades, with penalty rates on top.
How Much Tax Do You Pay in Queensland?
| Taxable income | Tax on this income |
|---|---|
| $0 – $18,200 | Nil |
| $18,201 – $45,000 | 16c for each $1 over $18,200 |
| $45,001 – $135,000 | $4,288 plus 30c for each $1 over $45,000 |
| $135,001 – $190,000 | $31,288 plus 37c for each $1 over $135,000 |
| $190,001 and over | $51,638 plus 45c for each $1 over $190,000 |
Four further items change the tax on salary:
- Medicare levy. 2% of taxable income, reduced or removed for low incomes.
- Low Income Tax Offset. Up to $700, phasing out at $66,667 of taxable income.
- HECS-HELP. Repayments start at $67,000 of repayment income in 2025-26 at 15c in the dollar above that threshold, rising to 17c above $125,000. A HECS help repayment QLD calculation applies only to income over the threshold, not to the whole salary.
- Medicare Levy Surcharge. 1% to 1.5% for singles earning above $101,000 in 2025-26 without private hospital cover.
Worked Example: $88,000 Gross Salary in QLD
The calculation runs in 4 lines:
- First $18,200 taxed at 0% = $0
- Next $26,800 ($18,201 to $45,000) taxed at 16% = $4,288
- Next $43,000 ($45,001 to $88,000) taxed at 30% = $12,900
- Medicare levy at 2% of $88,000 = $1,760
Total tax reaches $18,948. Net pay lands at $69,052 per year, $5,754.33 per month, $2,655.85 per fortnight and $1,327.92 per week.
A HECS-HELP debt changes the result. Repayment income of $88,000 sits $21,000 above the $67,000 threshold, producing a compulsory repayment of $3,150 and cutting net pay to $65,902 per year, or $1,267.35 per week.
Superannuation adds $10,560 at the 12% rate, taking the total package to $98,560.
What Is QLD Payroll Tax?
Five rules govern a QLD payroll calculator:
- Threshold. $1.3 million in annual Australian taxable wages, or $108,333 per month.
- Deduction taper. The $1.3 million deduction falls by $1 for every $7 of wages above the threshold, reaching nil at $10.4 million.
- Mental health levy. An extra 0.25% on Queensland taxable wages above $10 million, plus a further 0.5% above $100 million.
- Regional discount. A 1 percentage point cut to 3.75%, for employers with a principal place of business in Regional Queensland and at least 85% of wages paid to regional employees.
- Apprentice rebate. A 50% rebate on the wages of apprentices and trainees.
Taxable wages cover salaries, superannuation, bonuses, commissions, allowances, fringe benefits, leave payments and most labour hire and contractor payments.
Monthly returns fall due on the 7th of the following month through QRO Online. The annual return falls due on 21 July.
How Does QLD Payroll Tax Compare to Other States?
| State or territory | Annual threshold | Headline rate |
|---|---|---|
| Queensland | $1,300,000 | 4.75% (4.95% above $6.5m) |
| New South Wales | $1,200,000 | 5.45% |
| Victoria | $1,000,000 | 4.85% (1.2125% regional) |
| Western Australia | $1,000,000 | 5.50% |
| South Australia | $1,500,000 | 4.95% |
| Tasmania | $1,250,000 | 4.00% (6.1% above $2m) |
| Northern Territory | $2,500,000 | 5.50% |
| Australian Capital Territory | $2,000,000 | 6.85% |
A Brisbane employer with $3 million in wages pays $80,750 in Queensland. The same wage bill costs $98,100 in New South Wales and $97,000 in Victoria. Businesses employing across borders share a single threshold, apportioned by the share of wages paid in each state.
What State-Specific Benefits Apply in QLD?
- First Home Owner Grant. $30,000 for eligible new homes valued under $750,000, paid by the Queensland Government at settlement. The grant is not means-tested.
- Transfer duty exemption. First home buyers of new homes and vacant residential land pay zero stamp duty on contracts dated from 1 May 2025, with no price cap.
- 50 cent fares. Flat 50 cent fares across TransLink services cut commuting costs in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast to roughly $5 per week for a daily commuter.
- Salary packaging. Queensland Health and public hospital staff can package up to $9,010 grossed-up per fringe benefits tax (FBT) year, plus a $2,650 meal entertainment cap. A salary packaging calculator turns that cap into $2,000 to $3,500 of extra net pay for a mid-range salary.
- Zone Tax Offset. Workers based in remote Queensland for 183 days or more claim $57 in Zone B, $338 in Zone A and $1,173 in special areas, plus a percentage of certain dependant offsets. Mount Isa, Longreach and Torres Strait communities fall inside these zones.
- WorkCover. WorkCover Queensland premiums are an employer cost. Nothing is deducted from wages.
Cost of Living in Brisbane still trails Sydney. Brisbane median dwelling rent reached $680 per week in March 2026 against $824 per week in Sydney, a gap of $144 per week or $7,488 per year. Regional Queensland rents run lower again, though mining towns such as Moranbah and Mount Isa price closer to capital city levels.
Employment conditions come from 2 systems. Private sector workers sit under the national system, with Modern Awards and the National Employment Standards enforced by the Fair Work Ombudsman and set by the Fair Work Commission. Queensland public sector and local government workers sit under the state system, overseen by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common pay calculations in QLD?
The 8 most common pay calculations in QLD are casual loading, overtime, penalty rates, public holiday pay, leave loading, long service leave, redundancy pay and salary to hourly conversion.
- Casual loading entitlement Queensland. 25% on top of the base rate under the National Minimum Wage and most Modern Awards. The 2025-26 award-free casual rate reached $31.19 per hour.
- Overtime. Time and a half for the first 2 or 3 hours, then double time, with the exact trigger set by the award. Many awards add an overtime meal allowance for shifts extended past a set hour.
- Weekend shift loadings QLD. Saturday work commonly attracts 125% to 150%, and Sunday work 150% to 200%.
- Public holiday double time. Public holiday rates run from 225% to 250% of the base rate for permanent staff under most awards.
- Leave loading 17.5 percent. An extra 17.5% paid on annual leave under awards that include the entitlement.
- Long service leave accrual. 8.6667 weeks after 10 years of continuous service in Queensland, with pro rata access after 7 years.
- Termination redundancy pay calculator. 4 weeks of pay at 2 years of service, scaling to 12 weeks at 9 years, then dropping to 11 weeks at 10 years when long service leave begins.
- Salary to hourly QLD. Divide the annual salary by 1,976 ordinary hours, which is 38 hours per week across 52 weeks.
Junior rates apply to workers under 21. An award-free 16 year old earns 47.3% of the National Minimum Wage, which was $11.80 per hour in 2025-26, or $14.75 per hour as a casual. Award classification pay guide percentages differ, so check the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool for the applicable Modern Award.
Is income tax different in QLD compared to other states?
No, income tax is identical in Queensland and every other Australian state, since the Australian Taxation Office collects income tax under federal law and no state levies its own income tax. A worker on $88,000 pays $18,948 in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Hobart alike.
Three state-level differences still change disposable income. Payroll tax rates and thresholds vary by state and affect employer costs, not employee pay. Transfer duty, land tax and vehicle registration differ across borders. Cost of living, particularly rent, separates Brisbane from Sydney by roughly $7,500 per year for a median dwelling.
What is the payroll tax threshold in QLD?
The payroll tax threshold in QLD is $1.3 million in annual Australian taxable wages, equal to $108,333 per month. An employer paying below that figure owes no payroll tax and does not register with the Queensland Revenue Office.
The threshold works as a deduction rather than a cliff. Wages above $1.3 million erode the deduction by $1 for every $7, and the deduction disappears at $10.4 million. Employers paying wages in more than one state share a single national threshold, apportioned by the Queensland share of total Australian wages.
Payroll tax rates QLD 2026 hold at 4.75% and 4.95%, with the mental health levy unchanged at 0.25% above $10 million and 0.75% above $100 million.
A pay calculator QLD turns a gross figure into take-home pay QLD by applying federal tax brackets, the Medicare levy, study loan repayments and a 12% superannuation rate. The 2025-26 settings produce $69,052 net on a $88,000 salary, against an average salary in Queensland of $101,592. Employers use the same inputs to model QLD payroll tax above the $1.3 million Payroll Tax Threshold. State-specific benefits, from the First Home Owner Grant to the Zone Tax Offset, decide how far that net pay stretches in Brisbane and Regional Queensland.
Rates reflect the 2025-26 financial year. Confirm current figures with the Australian Taxation Office, the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Queensland Revenue Office before acting on them.