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In our chosen example, $30 permanent pay for 38 hours across 52 paid weeks gives $59,280 gross. A $37.50 casual quote for 38 hours across 48 paid weeks gives $68,400. Under the starting tax settings, the casual offer leaves about $506 more a month across the year. Fewer paid shifts can change the result.
Compare a paid year, not one attractive hourly rate
Use the full casual rate from the offer, including any loading already built in. For the permanent offer, enter either the quoted hourly rate or the annual cash salary, excluding employer super. Then use paid hours and paid weeks that match each arrangement.
The starting permanent example assumes 52 paid weeks. Paid annual leave and eligible paid public holidays covered by that wage are already inside the year. The casual example uses 48 paid weeks. That is a forecast to change, rather than a promise about your roster.
| Example | Annual gross | Annual cash | Employer super |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent, $30 × 38 × 52 | $59,280 | $50,236 | $7,114 |
| Casual, $37.50 × 38 × 48 | $68,400 | $56,312 | $8,208 |
What hourly rate matches the permanent gross?
The gross break-even rate divides the permanent annual pay by the casual hours you expect to be paid. At 38 hours for 48 weeks, matching $59,280 needs $32.50 an hour. That is an 8.33% increase on the $30 permanent rate, before considering any other employment differences.
A break-even calculation does not say a casual arrangement is equally valuable. It leaves out how dependable the hours are, the ability to take paid leave when needed, notice, unused leave balances and the value you place on flexibility. The displayed rate is a cash comparison under the chosen assumptions.
| Casual paid weeks | Gross break-even rate |
|---|---|
| 52 | $30.00 |
| 48 | $32.50 |
| 44 | $35.46 |
| 40 | $39.00 |
Paid leave protects income without becoming a second salary
Permanent employees generally receive four weeks of annual leave based on ordinary hours, with some qualifying shiftworkers receiving more. A part-time employee working 20 hours a week generally accrues 80 annual-leave hours across a full year. Their paid-week figure still includes that leave when the quoted salary covers it.
Adding the value of four weeks on top of a permanent wage that already pays for all 52 weeks counts the same pay twice. Change the paid weeks only when the offer genuinely has unpaid periods, a part-year start or another reason that reduces the paid year.
Paid sick and carer’s leave is support when it is needed. It is not a guaranteed annual cash bonus, and the usual unused balance is not paid out when a job ends. This comparison does not add an invented sick-leave payout to either offer.
Test the weeks you can reasonably expect
A casual rate can look attractive while the available shifts are uncertain. Try a cautious paid-weeks forecast alongside the optimistic one. If illness or a cancelled shift means losing a paid day, it belongs in that forecast rather than being hidden by the hourly headline.
For an annual budget, the calculator divides annual take-home by 12. It does not treat a month as exactly four weeks or suggest that an average is a guaranteed payslip. Keep a cash buffer in mind if your earnings arrive unevenly.
For a full-time permanent salary at $59,280 and a $37.50 casual rate, about 32.93 casual paid hours a week across 48 weeks matches the annual gross. The tool shows the calculation for your own quote. Matching gross pay uses the same tax settings for both offers; other jobs or employer-specific benefits need a separate comparison.
How fewer paid weeks change the same offer
Hold the quoted $37.50 casual rate and 38 weekly paid hours fixed, then vary only paid weeks. The permanent comparison remains $30 an hour for 38 hours across 52 paid weeks. This isolates one risk hidden by an attractive hourly headline.
The table uses no HELP. The download repeats each row with enough study debt for the full repayment. Additional HELP reduces cash in the 52-week casual example; it also repays the loan faster, so the cash comparison is not a measure of lifetime wealth.
| Casual paid weeks | Annual gross | Annual cash | Cash difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | $57,000 | $48,720 | -$1,516 |
| 44 | $62,700 | $52,511 | $2,274 |
| 48 | $68,400 | $56,312 | $6,076 |
| 52 | $74,100 | $60,188 | $9,952 |
Tax, HELP and cover can change the cash gap
Income tax is recalculated on each annual gross figure, rather than applying one flat percentage to the pay difference. Turn on HELP if you have a study loan and choose the hospital-cover and household settings that apply. The year selection changes the tax and repayment rules.
Employer super is shown separately and assumes an eligible adult employee receiving ordinary earnings. Penalties, overtime, allowances, award minimums and any annual leave loading are outside this simple quote comparison. Check those amounts in the actual offers before treating either as complete.
Before accepting a role, ask for the expected or guaranteed hours, cancellation arrangements, the complete pay components and the employment terms in writing. The annual cash gap is useful evidence for that conversation, but it cannot settle every difference between the jobs.
Data and citation
Download the eight calculations behind the paid-weeks comparison, including both quoted rates, paid hours, tax, HELP, annual cash, super and the gross break-even rate. These are chosen job-offer scenarios, not wage-survey findings or minimum pay rates.
Keep the source dates and method with any figures you reuse.
Paycalcmate, Casual Paid-Weeks Comparison, 2026-27. Eight calculated scenarios. By Dan, checked 3 October 2026. https://paycalcmate.au/casual-vs-permanent-pay-calculator/
Common questions
Can I compare casual and permanent part-time work?
Yes. Enter each offer’s own weekly hours and paid weeks. A permanent part-time offer can have paid leave based on its ordinary hours; do not add that leave again to a wage already covering the paid year.
Does the casual rate include loading?
Enter the complete quoted casual rate. Use the loading calculator first if you only have a base rate and loading percentage.
Why are casual paid weeks set to 48?
It is an editable example allowing four weeks without earnings. Your own paid weeks can be higher or lower, depending on shifts, holidays and other time off.
Is the break-even rate a legal minimum?
No. It is the rate that matches the annual gross in your chosen forecast. Legal pay and employment entitlements come from the relevant award, agreement and workplace laws.
Does sick leave add extra cash to the permanent result?
No. The tool does not price a sick-leave balance as an annual bonus. Paid leave covered by the permanent wage is already inside the paid-year calculation.
Sources you can check
Sources checked for this page on 3 October 2026. Statistics keep their own measurement dates.
- Fair Work: annual leave and part-time hours
- Fair Work: paid sick and carer’s leave
- Fair Work: final pay and unused leave
- Fair Work: casual employees and employment terms
- ATO: resident income tax rates
- ATO: study loan repayment thresholds
- ATO: super from your employer and eligibility exceptions
- 2026 Tax Reform Act: standard work deduction, Schedule 4