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The latest ABS full-time adult ordinary earnings average for South Australia is $1,970.20 a week in May 2026, about $102,450 a year when multiplied by 52. This is before tax and excludes employer super and overtime.
What the South Australian average shows
South Australia’s full-time adult ordinary earnings mean is $113.50 a week below the matching Australian figure, about 5.4%. The annual equivalent is above $100,000, but that is an average for a defined full-time population. It does not mean most South Australian workers receive a six-figure salary.
The mean is total earnings for the group divided by its employee count. Higher-paid roles can pull it upward. Someone earning below this mean can still be paid fairly for their occupation and hours. An award, agreement or comparable role is more relevant to an individual pay discussion than the statewide average alone.
| Area | Weekly | Annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| South Australia | $1,970.20 | $102,450 |
| 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.
Adelaide and regional SA have separate medians
The August 2025 household survey records a main-job median of $1,337 a week in Greater Adelaide and $1,200 in the rest of South Australia. The state median is $1,300, the same published state median as Tasmania in that survey.
That equality does not mean SA and Tasmania have identical labour markets. It says their all-employee middle weekly figures match in this survey. Working hours, occupations and the spread of earnings still vary. The median also belongs to a different population and period from the full-time mean at the top of this page.
| Area | Weekly median |
|---|---|
| South Australia | $1,300 |
| Greater Adelaide | $1,337 |
| Rest of SA | $1,200 |
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.
Compare the role before comparing the state
For an Adelaide offer and a regional offer, write down actual annual cash salary, ordinary hours and the guaranteed benefits. If one role is part-time, use its full-time equivalent only for the pay-rate comparison. Use the actual part-time salary when you calculate tax and plan spending.
Confirm the super wording before using an advertised package as salary. Separate recurring allowances from overtime or a discretionary bonus. This ABS measure includes some regular allowances but excludes overtime, employer super and irregular annual bonuses. Getting those categories clear makes the job-to-job comparison more useful.
Keep the household budget specific
A below-national mean does not establish what a home, commute or family budget costs in South Australia. Enter your expected housing, utilities, travel, debt payments and savings allowance using one pay cycle. The amount left after those costs matters more than a generic label such as a good Adelaide salary.
When an offer rises, compare the extra take-home cash with any new work costs. Another office day, a longer journey or unpaid hours can use part of the increase. Use the pay-rise and real hourly wage tools to see those changes beside the state benchmark.
Common questions
Do most South Australian workers earn the annual average?
No. The headline is a mean for full-time adult employee jobs. It is not the middle salary or a figure for all workers.
Is this an Adelaide average?
The headline covers South Australia. The separate Greater Adelaide figure is an all-employee main-job median from August 2025.
Sources you can check
Sources checked for this page on 2 October 2026. Statistics keep their own measurement dates.