To answer salary expectations in Australia, give a short, researched range for the base salary, say clearly whether your figure is "plus super" or a total package including super, and link it to the scope of the role. For example: "Based on the role and the market, I'm looking at $105,000 to $115,000 base plus super, and I'm open to talking about the full package."
That one sentence does most of the work. The rest of this guide covers the Australian details that change your number (superannuation above all), the official earnings data to research with, what the law says about talking about pay, and example answers in Australian dollars. Figures are as of October 2026 unless a source gives its own date.
How do you answer "What are your salary expectations?" in Australia?
Recruiters in Australia often ask this on the first phone screen, before you have met the hiring manager. A good answer has four parts:
- Ask about the range first. "Is there a range budgeted for this role?" is a normal question. If the ad already shows a range, you can skip straight to placing yourself in it.
- Give a narrow range, not a single number. Keep it to roughly 10% wide. Make the bottom of the range a figure you would genuinely accept, because that is where offers tend to land.
- Say "plus super" or "including super". In Australia this changes the figure by about 12% (see the next section), so never leave it ambiguous.
- Anchor it to the role. Mention the level, the scope or the city, not your personal costs.
If you are early in the process and genuinely unsure of the scope, it is fine to deflect once: "I'd like to understand the responsibilities a bit better first. Can you share the range?" Deflect more than once and it starts to sound evasive.
Base salary, super and "package": the Australian detail that changes your number
Employers in Australia must pay superannuation for eligible employees on top of wages. The super guarantee rate is 12%, according to the Australian Taxation Office super guarantee table (12% from 1 July 2025, with no further scheduled change listed as of October 2026).
That is why Australian salary conversations use two different phrasings, and why mixing them up costs candidates money:
| How the offer is worded | Base salary (your pay before tax) | Super paid by the employer | Total cost to the employer |
|---|---|---|---|
| "$100,000 plus super" | $100,000 | $12,000 | $112,000 |
| "$100,000 package, including super" | About $89,290 | About $10,710 | $100,000 |
This is a simplified illustration: actual super depends on which earnings it is calculated on and any contribution caps. The point stands. If you say "$100,000" and the employer hears "package", your take-home pay could be about $10,000 lower than you planned. When you answer, use the words "base plus super" and, if an offer arrives as a package, ask for the base and super split in writing.
Also ask what else is included: bonus, any salary sacrifice options, extra leave, and whether the role sits under an award or enterprise agreement with set pay points. Awards and registered enterprise agreements are public documents, so if the role sits under one, look up its pay points as well as the job title.
What do Australians earn? Official data to research your range
Use official statistics to sense-check your range, then narrow it with job ads for the same title, level and city. The headline numbers:
| Measure | Figure | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Average weekly ordinary time earnings, full-time adults (seasonally adjusted) | $2,083.70 a week (up 3.7% over the year); about $108,000 a year if multiplied by 52 | ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, released 13 August 2026 |
| Average weekly total earnings, full-time adults (seasonally adjusted) | $2,160.00 a week (up 3.5%) | ABS, May 2026 |
| National Minimum Wage | $26.44 an hour or $1,004.90 for a 38-hour week | Fair Work Commission, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 |
| Super guarantee | 12% on top of eligible earnings | ATO, as of October 2026 |
Source pages: ABS Average Weekly Earnings and the Fair Work Ombudsman minimum wages page.
Two cautions. An average is pulled up by high earners, so it is not "the market rate" for your role. And most Australian employees are covered by an award or agreement, which sets the minimum for that job, not the national minimum wage. Treat the ABS figure as context and job ads plus the relevant award or agreement as your real benchmark. For a quick way to turn the research into a range, try the free salary negotiation calculator.
Can you ask other people what they earn? Australia's pay secrecy rules
Yes. The Fair Work Ombudsman explains that employees and future employees have a workplace right to share, or not share, their pay and the conditions needed to work it out (such as hours), and to ask other employees about theirs, at the same or a different employer. Nobody can be forced to answer.
Pay secrecy terms in contracts, awards and agreements generally cannot be enforced. The exception is an older contract: if it was made before 7 December 2022, contains a pay secrecy term and has not been changed since, that term may still apply.
For your job search, this means you can ask friends, former colleagues and people in your network what roles like this pay, and the employer cannot penalise a future employee for using that right. It is one of the best sources of real numbers you have.
Example answers in Australian dollars (written by us)
These are examples we wrote. Swap in your own numbers from the research above.
First phone screen, range not advertised:
"Before I give a number, is there a range set for this role? ... Thanks. Based on similar roles in Sydney and my five years in the field, I'm looking for $115,000 to $125,000 base plus super. I'm flexible depending on the bonus and flexibility on offer."
The ad already shows a range:
"The ad mentions $95,000 to $110,000 plus super. Given my experience leading the reporting work you described, I'd expect to be towards the upper end of that, around $105,000 to $110,000 base."
They push for a single number:
"If I need to give one figure, $110,000 base plus super. I'd want to see the full offer, including leave and any bonus, before committing."
Graduate or first professional role:
"I've looked at the published graduate salaries for similar programs and I'm comfortable with the advertised graduate rate. I'm more focused on the training and rotations the program offers." (If you are applying to a graduate program, see our graduate program interview guide for Australia.)
The offer comes back as a package:
"Thanks for the offer. Can you confirm how the $120,000 splits between base salary and super? My expectation was $120,000 base plus super, so I'd like to close that gap."
Mistakes that cost Australian candidates money
- Converting a US or UK number directly. Salary levels, tax and super differ, so research Australian ads for the role rather than converting currency.
- Forgetting super. Not saying "plus super" is the most common way to lose about 12% without noticing.
- A range that is too wide. "$90,000 to $130,000" tells the employer you will take $90,000.
- Talking about your expenses. Rent and living costs matter to you, but the employer prices the role, not your budget.
- Negotiating before the offer. Giving a range is not negotiating. Keep the detailed negotiation for when you have a written offer.
On a working holiday visa or another temporary visa? Your pay rights are the same as everyone else's; see job interviews on a working holiday visa. For the bigger picture of interviewing here, start with our job interview tips for Australia, and for the general version of this answer outside Australia, read how to answer the salary expectations question. Engineers can compare with salary expectations for software engineers.
Practise saying your number out loud
The salary answer is short, so the only way to get it smooth is to say it out loud a few times. CoPilot Interview's Mock Interview (desktop app for Windows and macOS) builds an interview from your resume and the job description, reads each question aloud and scores your spoken answer out of 10, with what worked, what to fix and a model answer. You can also practise in your browser with the free AI mock interview, nothing to install. The free plan gives you 15 minutes a day with no account and no credit card. CoPilot Interview's paid plans are listed in USD on the pricing page.
Rehearse your salary answer before the recruiter call
Answer out loud, get a score out of 10 and a model answer, and tighten your range until it sounds natural. Free for 15 minutes a day, no account needed.
Try a free AI mock interviewFAQ
Should I say my salary expectation with or without super in Australia?
Say it explicitly either way. The clearest answer is a base salary range followed by "plus super", for example "$100,000 to $110,000 base plus super". A package that includes super is worth about 12% less in base pay.
What is the super guarantee rate in 2026?
The ATO lists the super guarantee at 12% from 1 July 2025, and 12% for the 2026-27 year, as of October 2026. Employers pay it on top of eligible earnings.
What is the average salary in Australia?
The ABS reported average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults of $2,083.70 (seasonally adjusted) for May 2026, released on 13 August 2026. That is about $108,000 a year, but averages are pulled up by high earners, so use job ads for your role as the main benchmark.
Do I have to tell an Australian employer my current salary?
No. You can choose not to share it and answer with the range you are targeting instead. Fair Work guidance says employees and future employees have the right to share or not share their pay.
Can I ask people what they earn before an interview?
Yes. Under the pay secrecy rules explained by the Fair Work Ombudsman, employees and future employees can ask other employees about their pay, and those employees can choose whether to answer.
What is the minimum wage in Australia from July 2026?
The National Minimum Wage is $26.44 an hour, or $1,004.90 for a 38-hour week, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Many jobs are covered by an award or agreement with higher minimum rates.