--- title: "What is considered a high income in Australia in 2026? | ..." description: "A salary of around $122,000 sits in the top 20% of Australian employee earnings. At $156,000 it reaches the top 10%, and at roughly $203,000 the top 5%. Full AB" lang: en-AU json-ld: | { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "What is considered a high income in Australia in 2026?", "description": "A salary of around $122,000 sits in the top 20% of Australian employee earnings. At $156,000 it reaches the top 10%, and at roughly $203,000 the top 5%. Full ABS and ATO data with state breakdowns and a percentile calculator.", "image": [ "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1554224155-8d04cb21cd6c?w=1600&q=80" ], "datePublished": "2026-06-03T00:00:00+00:00", "dateModified": "2026-07-02T05:03:48.474514+00:00", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "CheckRate" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "CheckRate" }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://checkrate.com.au/high-income" } } --- [CheckRate ](/) [Library](/articles) Back macro # What is considered a high income in Australia in 2026? A salary of around $122,000 sits in the top 20% of Australian employee earnings. At $156,000 it reaches the top 10%, and at roughly $203,000 the top 5%. Full ABS and ATO data with state breakdowns and a percentile calculator. 12 min read 03 June 2026 Updated 02 July 2026 Fact checked In this article 1. [How does the ATO define a high-income earner?](#how-does-the-ato-define-a-high-income-earner) 2. [What salary puts an employee in the top 20% in Australia?](#what-salary-puts-an-employee-in-the-top-20-in-australia) 3. [What salary puts an employee in the top 10% in Australia?](#what-salary-puts-an-employee-in-the-top-10-in-australia) 4. [What salary puts an employee in the top 5% in Australia?](#what-salary-puts-an-employee-in-the-top-5-in-australia) 5. [How location changes what counts as a high income](#how-location-changes-what-counts-as-a-high-income) 6. [How the high-income threshold has changed over time](#how-the-high-income-threshold-has-changed-over-time) 7. [High income vs high wealth in Australia](#high-income-vs-high-wealth-in-australia) Key findings $122k **Top 20%** of employee earnings (ABS, August 2025) $156k **Top 10%** published 90th percentile employee pay (ABS, August 2025) $183k **Fair Work** high income threshold, 2025–26 $250k **Division 293** ATO super-tax threshold, unchanged since 2017–18 Section 01 ATO thresholds ## How does the ATO define a high-income earner? Australia doesn't have a single official definition of a high income. Three separate government thresholds each serve a different purpose, ranging from **$101,000** for singles under the Medicare levy surcharge to **$250,000** under the Division 293 super tax. Fair Work high income threshold $183,100 From 1 July 2025. The salary above which certain award protections may no longer apply. Division 293 tax $250,000 If income plus concessional super contributions exceeds this amount, an extra 15% tax applies. Medicare levy surcharge $101,000 Base threshold for singles in 2025–26 ($202,000 for families) before the surcharge applies. In workplace settings, the Fair Work threshold is the most commonly cited benchmark. At **$183,100**, it sits above the top 10% employee threshold of $156,000. It is still below the top 5% threshold of around $203,000. This puts it roughly in the top 7% to 8% of employee earnings. Each threshold serves a different purpose. Crossing the $101,000 Medicare levy surcharge line does not make someone a high earner under Fair Work definitions. Earning above the $183,100 Fair Work threshold also leaves a $66,900 gap before the Division 293 super tax threshold applies. For income comparisons, the ABS earnings distribution gives a clearer picture of where a salary sits. Why is there no single 'high income' number in Australia? + Each threshold was created for a specific purpose. The Fair Work threshold sets the point where certain award protections may change. Division 293 is a super tax rule that reduces the tax advantage of contributions for higher earners. The Medicare levy surcharge is linked to private health insurance take-up. None of these thresholds was designed to show whether a salary counts as high. The ABS earnings distribution provides a percentile-based comparison of employee earnings. Does the $183,100 Fair Work threshold mean all award protections are lost? + Not automatically. The threshold determines eligibility for guarantee-of-annual-earnings arrangements. If an employee's earnings exceed **$183,100** and they sign a written guarantee with their employer, the relevant modern award generally stops applying, except for certain provisions that always remain in effect. Employees below the threshold cannot be placed on such arrangements, regardless of their contract. The threshold is reviewed annually by the Fair Work Commission and has risen from $108,300 in 2009–10 to $183,100 in 2025–26. Section 02 Earnings distribution ## What salary puts an employee in the top 20% in Australia? A salary of around **$122,200 a year**, or $2,350 a week in a main job, sits in the top 20% of Australian employee earnings. This is an estimate based on the ABS grouped earnings distribution and rounded to the nearest $50. It is not a directly published ABS figure. The median employee salary is **$74,100**, or $1,425 a week. Three quarters of employees earn below **$110,604**, or $2,127 a week. An employee at the 80th percentile earns about 65% more than the median. Distribution of weekly earnings in Australia (main job) ABS employee earnings, 10th to 90th percentiles (August 2020 to August 2025) Percentile Aug 2020 Aug 2024 Aug 2025 Annualised (2025) 1-yr change 10th percentile $404 $445 $450 $23,400 +1.1% 25th percentile $750 $899 $900 $46,800 +0.1% 50th percentile (median) $1,150 $1,399 $1,425 $74,100 +1.9% 75th percentile $1,736 $2,055 $2,127 $110,604 +3.5% 90th percentile $2,500 $3,040 $3,000 $156,000 −1.3% The 90th percentile fell 1.3% from August 2024 to August 2025, the only percentile to decline in this period. All figures are weekly gross earnings in the employee's main job. **Source:** ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025 (Cat. No. 6333.0). ![CheckRate](/__l5e/assets-v1/7bc4597d-01a6-41ce-b2ee-e3271c8e8b60/checkrate-logo.png) ### What does the full Australian income distribution look like? Among the 12.6 million people in the ATO taxable income dataset, half earned below roughly **$69,000**. The 90th percentile was **$156,592**, the 95th percentile was **$200,515**, and the top 1% threshold was **$408,973**. The top 1% threshold was nearly six times the median. Taxable income distribution in Australia by percentile Upper bound of each percentile group, 12.6 million taxable individuals (ATO 2022–23) The curve is relatively flat from the 1st to 60th percentile, then steepens rapidly above the 80th. The top 1% earned more than $409,000, roughly six times the 50th-percentile figure. **Source:** ATO Taxation Statistics 2022–23, percentile distribution of taxable individuals. ![CheckRate](/__l5e/assets-v1/7bc4597d-01a6-41ce-b2ee-e3271c8e8b60/checkrate-logo.png) About the data The ABS employee earnings data covers weekly pay from an employee's main job. It is based on August 2025 data and applies to employees only. The ATO taxable income data covers annual taxable income from all sources. It is based on 2022–23 tax returns and covers 16.1 million individuals who lodged a return, including part-year workers, retirees and people with investment-only income. The ATO published median of $55,868 is lower than the ABS employee median of $74,100 because the ATO population is much broader. Section 03 Top 10% ## What salary puts an employee in the top 10% in Australia? The ABS publishes the top 10% employee threshold directly. As of August 2025, it was **$3,000 a week**, or **$156,000 a year**. This figure fell 1.3% from $3,040 in August 2024, making it the only published percentile to decline over the year. The decline likely reflects a change in the mix of workers at the top of the distribution, rather than a fall in individual pay rates. The Fair Work threshold of $183,100 appears to sit roughly around the top 7% to 8% of employee earnings, although the ABS does not publish that exact percentile. This distinction matters because the Fair Work threshold and ABS earnings percentiles measure different things. ### Which states have the highest share of top earners? The share of high earners varies considerably across states and territories. The ACT and Western Australia have the largest proportion of taxpayers earning above **$120,000**; Tasmania and South Australia have the smallest. Share of taxpayers above income threshold by state, 2022–23 Above $120kAbove $180k ACTWANSWNTVICQLDSATAS Australian Capital Territory Share earning $120k+ 24% vs 18% national avg Share earning $180k+ 9% vs 7% national avg vs national average +6pp above $120k threshold Share earning above $120,000 by state ACT 24% WA 21% NSW 20% NT 18% VIC 18% QLD 17% SA 13% TAS 11% The ACT has the highest share of high-income earners nationally. Federal government, legal and professional employment in Canberra drives incomes well above the national average. The national average is approximately 18% (shown as the red line). Figures show the share of taxable individuals in each state and territory with taxable income above $120,000 in 2022–23. **Source:** ATO Taxation Statistics 2022–23, Individuals Table 4. Is $100,000 a high income in Australia? + A $100,000 salary sits around the 73rd to 74th percentile of the ATO taxable individuals dataset. This means it is higher than the income reported by about 73% of the 12.6 million people in that dataset. Measured against the ABS employee distribution, $100,000 is above the median of $74,100 but below the 75th percentile of about $110,604. It is an above-average income, but it falls below most official high-income thresholds. How many Australians earn over $150,000? + The top 10% threshold is $156,592. This means roughly 1.26 million taxable individuals in the top decile earned above that amount in 2022–23. At $150,000, the income falls just inside the 89th to 90th percentile band, so a slightly larger group earned above $150,000 that year. This was around 1.3 million to 1.4 million people, or about 10% to 11% of the ATO dataset. Section 04 Top 5% ## What salary puts an employee in the top 5% in Australia? An employee needs to earn around $202,800 a year, or $3,900 a week, to reach the top 5% of employee earnings in Australia. This is an estimate based on ABS grouped data. It is not a directly published ABS figure, so it should be treated as a guide. The ATO taxable income data shows a similar result. Its 95th percentile was $200,515 in 2022–23. The ABS and ATO datasets measure different groups and time periods, but both point to a figure of about $200,000. A salary above $200,000 puts an employee near the top 5% under either measure. The $250,000 Division 293 threshold is still around $50,000 higher than this. Most top 5% earners do not pay this extra super tax. In practice, Division 293 applies closer to the top 2% to 3% of earners. ABS employee earnings vs ATO taxable income in Australia Two datasets measuring high-income thresholds from different angles (ABS August 2025; ATO 2022–23) Threshold ABS employee earnings (Aug 2025) ATO taxable income (2022–23) Median (50th pctl) $74,100 $69,161\* Top 20% (80th pctl) approx. $122,200 $117,412 Top 10% (90th pctl) $156,000 $156,592 Top 5% (95th pctl) approx. $202,800 $200,515 Top 1% (99th pctl) n/a $408,973 \*The ATO 50th-percentile figure is the upper bound of the 50th percentile band in the 12.6M-person dataset; the ATO published median for all 16.1M taxpayers is $55,868. The ABS median is higher because it covers employees only. **Source:** ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025; ATO Taxation Statistics 2022–23. ![CheckRate](/__l5e/assets-v1/7bc4597d-01a6-41ce-b2ee-e3271c8e8b60/checkrate-logo.png) Section 05 Location matters ## How location changes what counts as a high income A high income can mean different things depending on location. The 2021 Census recorded a median weekly household income of **$2,077** in Greater Sydney, alongside median monthly mortgage repayments of **$2,427** and median weekly rent of **$470**. In the Rest of NSW, those figures were **$1,434**, **$1,733** and **$330**. Sydney households earn more on average, but higher housing costs absorb a large share of that advantage. Capital city Greater Sydney Median household income $2,077 per week, 2021 Census Median monthly mortgage $2,427 per month Median weekly rent $470 per week vs +44.8% income difference Regional Rest of New South Wales Median household income $1,434 per week, 2021 Census Median monthly mortgage $1,733 per month Median weekly rent $330 per week ### What does a $156,000 salary mean in Sydney versus regional NSW? Earning **$156,000** a year places an employee in the top 10% of Australian employee earnings. However, the value of that salary depends heavily on location. In Sydney, higher mortgage repayments and rents can take up a larger share of income, which means $156,000 may not stretch as far as the national ranking suggests. In regional NSW, the same income can go further where housing costs are lower. That does not mean $156,000 is ordinary in Sydney. It still sits above the earnings of 90% of Australian employees. The key point is that a national income ranking and the day-to-day value of that salary can look different, and both can be true. Section 06 Historical trend ## How the high-income threshold has changed over time The Fair Work high-income threshold has risen from **$108,300** in 2009–10 to **$183,100** in 2025–26. That is a 69.1% increase over 16 years. Over the past decade, from 2015–16 to 2025–26, the threshold increased by $46,400, or 33.9%. The two largest annual increases came in recent years. The threshold rose by $7,500 in 2024–25 and by $8,100 in 2025–26. Fair Work high income threshold in Australia Annual threshold in nominal dollars (2009–10 to 2025–26) Growth in the threshold has picked up in recent years. The two largest annual increases both occurred in 2024–25 and 2025–26, likely reflecting stronger wage growth feeding through to the commission's annual adjustment. **Source:** Fair Work Commission, high income threshold history. ![CheckRate](/__l5e/assets-v1/7bc4597d-01a6-41ce-b2ee-e3271c8e8b60/checkrate-logo.png) Fair Work high income threshold in Australia by year Nominal dollar values, 2009–10 to 2025–26. Each threshold applies from 1 July of the stated year. Financial year Threshold Change from prior year 2009–10 $108,300 Base year 2010–11 $113,800 +$5,500 (+5.1%) 2011–12 $118,100 +$4,300 (+3.8%) 2012–13 $123,300 +$5,200 (+4.4%) 2013–14 $129,300 +$6,000 (+4.9%) 2014–15 $133,000 +$3,700 (+2.9%) 2015–16 $136,700 +$3,700 (+2.8%) 2016–17 $138,900 +$2,200 (+1.6%) 2017–18 $142,000 +$3,100 (+2.2%) 2018–19 $145,400 +$3,400 (+2.4%) 2019–20 $148,700 +$3,300 (+2.3%) 2020–21 $153,600 +$4,900 (+3.3%) 2021–22 $158,500 +$4,900 (+3.2%) 2022–23 $162,000 +$3,500 (+2.2%) 2023–24 $167,500 +$5,500 (+3.4%) 2024–25 $175,000 +$7,500 (+4.5%) 2025–26 $183,100 +$8,100 (+4.6%) Total change 2009–10 to 2025–26 +$74,800 +69.1% **Source:** Fair Work Commission, high income threshold history 2009–10 to 2025–26. ![CheckRate](/__l5e/assets-v1/7bc4597d-01a6-41ce-b2ee-e3271c8e8b60/checkrate-logo.png) At the top of the employee pay range, the 90th percentile rose from **$2,500** a week in August 2020 to **$3,000** a week in August 2025, a 20% increase over five years. In the most recent year, it fell by 1.3%, down from $3,040 in August 2024. Separately, the Division 293 threshold was lowered from $300,000 to $250,000 in 2017–18 and has not changed since. As wages have risen while the threshold has stayed fixed, more high earners now sit above the $250,000 line than when the threshold was first introduced. ### How has the gender pay gap in taxable income changed? The gap in average taxable income between men and women has narrowed slightly as a percentage, but widened in dollar terms. In 2022–23, average taxable income was **$86,199 for men and $62,046 for women**. That was a gap of $24,153. A decade earlier, in 2012–13, average taxable income was $65,578 for men and $43,944 for women. That was a gap of $21,634. Average taxable income in Australia by gender ATO taxable individuals, annual average ($) (2012–13 to 2022–23) Average taxable incomes rose for both men and women over the period, but the dollar gap widened from $21,634 in 2012–13 to $24,153 in 2022–23. Measured as a share of male average income, the gap narrowed slightly from 33.0% to 28.0%. **Source:** ATO Taxation Statistics, individuals median and average key items by sex, 2012–13 to 2022–23. ![CheckRate](/__l5e/assets-v1/7bc4597d-01a6-41ce-b2ee-e3271c8e8b60/checkrate-logo.png) ### Are more Australians moving into higher tax brackets? The number of taxable individuals earning above $180,000 grew from **252,395 in 2010–11** to **860,021 in 2022–23**, a rise of **241%**. Over the same period, the total taxable population grew by just 27%. The share of taxpayers in the top bracket climbed from **2.0%** to **5.3%**. Some of this growth reflects real wage increases. Bracket creep also plays a role. This happens when wages rise in dollar terms, often because of inflation, and more taxpayers move into higher tax brackets even if their spending power has not increased by the same amount. The Stage 3 tax cuts from 1 July 2024 partly addressed this by reducing the 32.5% marginal tax rate to 30% and changing some bracket thresholds. However, the longer-term trend shows more Australians moving into higher tax brackets over time. Number of Australian taxpayers earning $180,000 or more Total taxable individuals in the top tax bracket (2010–11 to 2022–23) The number of taxpayers in the $180,000+ bracket more than tripled in twelve years. The total taxpayer population grew 27% over the same period; the top-bracket group grew 241%. **Source:** ATO Taxation Statistics, number of individuals and net tax by tax bracket, 2010–11 to 2022–23. ![CheckRate](/__l5e/assets-v1/7bc4597d-01a6-41ce-b2ee-e3271c8e8b60/checkrate-logo.png) What are the current income tax brackets in Australia for 2025–26? + Following the Stage 3 tax cuts from 1 July 2024, the 2025–26 income tax rates are: 0% on income up to $18,200; 16% on income from $18,201 to $45,000; 30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000; 37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000; 45% on income above $190,000. Most taxpayers also pay the 2% Medicare levy. The main change was the reduction in the tax rate for income between $45,001 and $135,000. This rate fell from 32.5% to 30%. How does the gender pay gap affect the definition of "high income"? + In 2022–23, the average taxable income for men was $86,199. For women, it was $62,046, meaning the male average was 39% higher. As a result, the same salary can sit in a different place depending on which group is being compared. About 25% of male taxable individuals earned more than $120,000, compared with about 12% of female taxable individuals. Section 07 Income vs wealth ## High income vs high wealth in Australia Income and wealth are different measures, and the data show a clear gap between them. Average household net worth was **$1.04 million** in 2019–20, but the median sat at **$579,200**. This gap shows that wealth is concentrated more heavily at the top. The Gini coefficient, which measures inequality on a scale from 0 to 1, also shows this difference. Household net worth had a Gini coefficient of 0.606 in 2022–23, compared with **0.307** for income. This means wealth is distributed roughly twice as unevenly as income in Australia. Income Individual taxable income, ATO 2022–23 Average taxable income $74,240 All 16.1M individual returns Median taxable income $55,868 Half of all filers earn below this Income Gini 0.307 2022–23, ABS Avg vs median gap 33% Average is 33% above median Wealth Household net worth, ABS 2019–20 Average household net worth $1.04m All households including zero-wealth Median household net worth $579,200 75% of households had some debt Wealth Gini 0.606 2022–23, ABS Avg vs median gap 80% Average is 80% above median ### Is high income the same as wealth in Australia? A high income and wealth are not always the same thing. A household with two strong salaries and a large mortgage may rank well on income while having relatively little net wealth. A retiree may have a modest current income but hold substantial assets in property and superannuation. Annual taxable income can also rise in a single year due to a property sale, a redundancy payment or a capital gain. This may not reflect a person's usual earnings. For this reason, income data from one year should not be treated as a permanent measure of financial status. Wealth data note The ABS did not publish the 2023–24 Survey of Income and Housing because the data did not meet official quality standards. The household wealth figures used here ($1.04 million average, $579,200 median) are from the 2019–20 survey and may not reflect current conditions given property price movements since then. For the full Australian income distribution across all percentile bands, see [Income distribution in Australia: what each percentile earns in 2026](/income-distribution). Can someone have a high income but low wealth? + Yes. A person who has recently moved into a well-paying role may still have student debt, a large mortgage, or both. Their income may put them in the top 10%, but their net worth, meaning assets minus debts, could still sit below the national median of $579,200. This is especially common among younger professionals in high-cost cities such as Sydney, where salaries and housing costs are both high. Why is wealth inequality so much higher than income inequality? + Income is earned from year to year and is spread more broadly through wages. Wealth builds over a lifetime through property growth, investment returns, superannuation and business ownership. It also tends to grow faster for people who already have more. The wealth Gini of 0.606, compared with the income Gini of 0.307, reflects this compounding effect. For most Australian households, the family home is the largest single asset. Income finder Find your position in the _income distribution_ Enter a gross (before-tax) annual income to see where it sits among 12.6 million Australians with a taxable income. Based on ATO data for 2022–23. Gross annual income (before tax) $ Calculate › General information only This article draws on publicly available data from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Fair Work Commission. It is general information only and does not constitute financial, legal or tax advice. Income figures reflect population-level data at specific points in time and may not represent individual circumstances. Earnings vary based on industry, occupation, employment type, location, qualifications, experience and employer. The income calculator uses ATO 2022–23 taxable income data and should be treated as a guide rather than a precise ranking tool. Before making financial decisions, consider seeking independent professional advice. ## References 1. 1 [Fair Work Commission](https://library.fairwork.gov.au/viewer/?krn=K600486): high income threshold amounts, 2009–10 to 2025–26. 2. 2 [Australian Taxation Office](https://www.ato.gov.au): Division 293 tax on concessional super contributions; Medicare levy surcharge thresholds for 2025–26; individual income tax rates for 2025–26. 3. 3 [ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025](https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/employee-earnings/latest-release): (Cat. No. 6333.0): weekly employee earnings in main job, grouped distribution, and published percentile markers. 4. 4 [ATO Taxation Statistics 2022–23](https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/research-and-statistics/in-detail/taxation-statistics/taxation-statistics-2022-23): Individuals Table 16: percentile distribution of taxable individuals, by taxable income and sex. 5. 5 [ATO Taxation Statistics 2022–23](https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/research-and-statistics/in-detail/taxation-statistics/taxation-statistics-2022-23): Individuals Table 4: selected items by sex, taxable status, state or territory and taxable income range. Used for state-level income shares. 6. 6 [ABS 2021 Census QuickStats](https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats): 2021: median household income, mortgage repayments and rent for Greater Sydney and rest of NSW. 7. 7 [ATO Taxation Statistics 2022–23](https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/research-and-statistics/in-detail/taxation-statistics/taxation-statistics-2022-23): Individuals Table 3: median and average key items, by sex. 8. 8 [ATO Taxation Statistics](https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/research-and-statistics/in-detail/taxation-statistics/taxation-statistics-2022-23): number of individuals and net tax by tax bracket, 2010–11 to 2022–23. 9. 9 [ABS Household Income and Wealth, Australia, 2019–20](https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/finance/household-income-and-wealth-australia): average and median household net worth. The 2023–24 release was not published due to data quality issues. 10. 10 [ABS Measuring What Matters](https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/measuring-what-matters): wealth inequality (Gini 0.606) and income inequality (Gini 0.307) indicators, 2022–23 series. ## Data Snapshots ![taxable income distribution in australia by percentile](https://eznpqfufanyahmlyjhnj.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article-covers/snapshots/03e517d2-481e-4723-8c56-1d8b1b238848/taxable-income-distribution-in-australia-by-percentile-05xx.jpg) Taxable Income Distribution in Australia by Percentile ![average taxable income in australia by gender](https://eznpqfufanyahmlyjhnj.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article-covers/snapshots/03e517d2-481e-4723-8c56-1d8b1b238848/average-taxable-income-in-australia-by-gender-39k9.jpg) Average Taxable Income in Australia by Gender ## Related research [ ![Average contents and landlord insurance costs in Australia](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1734328819658-0c3ceef27c46?q=80&w=870&auto=format&fit=crop&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8fA%3D%3D) insurance 21 July 2026 · 10 min read ### Average contents and landlord insurance costs in Australia The average home contents insurance premium reached $531 a year in 2024-25, up 20.1% from 2021-22, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. 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