How a $30,000 salary is taxed
Tax applies in brackets, so only the income inside each band is taxed at that band's rate. $30,000 is in the 15% bracket, $15,000 below the point where the rate rises to 30%.
| Income band | Rate | Your income in band | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 – $18,200 | 0% | $18,200 | $0 |
| $18,200 – $45,000 | 15% | $11,800 | $1,770 |
That comes to $1,770 before offsets. The low income tax offset then takes off $700, leaving $1,070 of income tax. The Medicare levy is $199, reduced from the full 2% because this income is close to the low-income threshold.
Compared with 2025–26, the same salary takes home $118 more a year, or about $5 a fortnight, mainly because the 16% tax rate fell to 15% on 1 July 2026.
These figures exclude the 2026–27 standard deduction, which the ATO applies in your tax return. With no other work-related claims, a $1,000 deduction could be worth about $250 at tax time.
What a pay rise from $30,000 adds
Of the next $1,000 earned above $30,000, about $750 would reach your bank account after tax and Medicare. The pay rise calculator shows any increase. Before tax, this salary works out to $15.18 an hour on a 38-hour week, and $14.54 an hour after tax.
$30,000 after tax with a HECS debt
$30,000 is below the $69,528 minimum repayment income for 2026–27, so no compulsory HECS or HELP repayment is due on this salary alone.
The HECS debt calculator estimates how long a balance takes to clear.
Super on a $30,000 salary
Employers pay the 12% super guarantee into your fund on top of salary, adding $3,600 a year here. If the $30,000 is quoted including super, the figures change:
| Plus super | Including super | |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $30,000 | $26,786 |
| Employer super | $3,600 | $3,214 |
| Take-home per year | $28,731 | $26,198 |
Medicare levy surcharge at $30,000
A single person on $30,000 doesn't exceed the $105,000 threshold, so no Medicare levy surcharge applies even without private hospital cover. Family thresholds are higher.
Nearby salaries after tax
| Salary | Income tax | Medicare | Take-home | Per fortnight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35,000 | $1,820 | $699 | $32,481 | $1,249 |
| $40,000 | $2,695 | $800 | $36,505 | $1,404 |