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The latest ABS full-time adult ordinary earnings average for Australian Capital Territory is $2,290.20 a week in May 2026, about $119,090 a year when multiplied by 52. This is before tax and excludes employer super and overtime.
The ACT is highest on this earnings measure
The ACT has the highest full-time adult ordinary earnings mean among the states and territories in May 2026. Its figure is $206.50 a week above the matching national average, about 9.9%. The annual equivalent is about $119,090 before tax, with employer super excluded.
That does not describe the salary of every Canberra worker. The figure combines in-scope full-time adult employee jobs across different occupations and employers. It is also a mean, so high-paying roles influence it more than they influence a middle or median value.
| Area | Weekly | Annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | $2,290.20 | $119,090 |
| Australia | $2,083.70 | $108,352 |
The mean covers full-time adult employee jobs. It is before tax and excludes employer super, overtime and salary sacrifice. It is not the personal income of all residents. Annual equivalents are conversions rather than measured annual salaries.
Where the job is based and where you live can differ
This average comes from employer-based state and territory units. It is not the personal income of everyone residing in the ACT. That distinction matters when a household lives on one side of a state border and employment is based on the other side.
The separate August 2025 household survey gives ACT residents who are employees a main-job median of $1,600 a week. This was also the highest state or territory median in that survey, but it includes part-time employees and uses a different period and method. It should not be substituted for the full-time mean or presented as the median for the same employer population.
| Area | Weekly median |
|---|---|
| ACT | $1,600 |
| Australia | $1,425 |
These medians come from a different survey, period and employee population from the May 2026 means. Their difference is not a measured mean-to-median gap for one population.
Read package terms carefully
Ask for the cash salary and employer super separately, whether the offer comes from a public or private employer. If the contract provides an employer contribution different from the calculator’s standard 12% assumption, use the written amounts when you compare total remuneration.
A simple salary-and-super calculator cannot represent every additional benefit or contribution rate. Compare cash pay first for your spending budget, then retirement contributions and other benefits. An advertised package can look larger without giving you the same increase in cash each month.
Set a target using the role and your household
When negotiating, compare jobs with similar duties, experience requirements, ordinary hours and grade or level where one applies. The territory-wide mean is too broad to price a particular role. A below-average offer can still be competitive for the job, while a high offer can involve more hours or responsibility.
For your own budget, use the expected take-home salary and the actual housing, transport and care costs you will pay. Keep leave, workplace attendance and the time spent travelling beside the cash comparison. The high ACT ranking does not establish a cost-of-living budget or a minimum salary needed by every household.
Common questions
Is the ACT figure the average public-service salary?
No. The state table covers in-scope full-time adult employee jobs across public and private employers. It is not a salary schedule for a particular public-service grade.
Can I compare a package with this average?
First separate employer super and other non-cash benefits from salary. The ABS headline excludes employer super, while the package may include it.
Sources you can check
Sources checked for this page on 2 October 2026. Statistics keep their own measurement dates.