Graduate salary after tax 2026: what your first pay packet looks like
Most grads start with a HELP debt, and repayments kick in at $69,528. Here is what common grad salaries take home.
Grad offers land from spring through summer, and the number on the contract isn't what hits your account. Tax, Medicare and, for most graduates, HELP repayments all come out first.
The job market for grads
Undergraduate full-time employment four to six months after finishing was 75.4% in the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey (QILT). Pay varies a lot by field. For example, social work graduates had a median of $82,000 in the 2024 survey, one of the higher-paid study areas (QILT 2024 report).
Take-home on common grad salaries
| Salary | Fortnightly, no HELP | Fortnightly, with HELP | HELP withheld a fortnight | HELP for the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $65,000 | $2,062 | $2,062 | $0 | $0 |
| $70,000 | $2,194.31 | $2,192.31 | $2 | $71 |
| $75,000 | $2,324.62 | $2,292.62 | $32 | $821 |
| $80,000 | $2,454.92 | $2,394.92 | $60 | $1,571 |
| $85,000 | $2,587.23 | $2,497.23 | $90 | $2,321 |
| $95,000 | $2,847.85 | $2,701.85 | $146 | $3,821 |
2026–27 ATO withholding formulas, resident claiming the tax-free threshold. "HELP for the year" is the compulsory repayment worked out at tax time. Super of 12% is paid on top.
How HELP works now
Since the repayment system changed, you only repay on income above the threshold: 15 cents for each dollar over $69,528. Earning just over the line costs very little, so a slightly higher offer never leaves you worse off.
Before you accept
Check whether the salary is quoted "plus super" or "including super". A $75,000 package including super is really about $66,964 in salary. Our calculator splits it for you.
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