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The mean adds every earnings amount and divides by the number measured. The median is the middle amount after putting earnings in order. High salaries can raise the mean, so the median often gives a clearer picture of the middle employee.
Five salaries show the difference
Consider five illustrative annual salaries: $50,000, $60,000, $70,000, $80,000 and $240,000. They total $500,000, so the mean is $100,000. The middle salary is $70,000, which is the median. Four of the five people earn less than the mean.
If the highest salary rises to $340,000, the mean increases to $120,000. The median stays at $70,000. That does not make either measure wrong. It shows why an average can move without the middle employee getting a pay rise.
| Group | Mean | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Five salaries, highest $240,000 | $100,000 | $70,000 |
| Same group, highest $340,000 | $120,000 | $70,000 |
The latest figures also use different groups
The ABS May 2026 national headline is average ordinary earnings of $2,083.70 a week for full-time adults. The August 2025 Employee Earnings release gives a full-time main-job median of $1,741 a week. These figures differ in date, method and coverage as well as the type of average.
Do not subtract them and call the difference a precise measure of inequality. For that comparison, use a mean and median from the same survey, population and period. The salary percentile tool keeps its all-job and full-time comparisons within one May 2025 employer survey.
Choose the measure for the question you have
For the middle employee, look for a median that matches full-time or part-time work. For the total earnings bill per employee, a mean has a different useful role. For your position in the wider distribution, published percentile points add information that a single midpoint cannot provide.
For a salary negotiation, use comparable roles and responsibilities too. A national midpoint cannot establish a fair rate for a specialised position. Employer super, overtime, bonuses and ordinary hours should be separated before putting two offers side by side.
Keep the date on annual equivalents
Multiplying a weekly amount by 52 makes it easier to compare with an annual offer. It does not turn a weekly survey into a measured annual salary or update its date. Label the result as a 52-week equivalent.
After making a fair gross-pay comparison, calculate your own take-home pay. Tax circumstances and household costs affect what the salary can do for your budget, even when the national comparison is clear.
Sources you can check
Sources checked for this page on 2 October 2026. Statistics keep their own measurement dates.