What is the minimum hourly rate for a law graduate under the Legal Services Award?

From 1 July 2026, the minimum hourly rate for a Level 5 Law Graduate is $33.99 per hour. For a full‑time employee working 38 ordinary hours per week, the weekly minimum weekly rate is $1,291.80. Casual employees receive a 25% loading on top, making the casual hourly rate $42.49 per hour.

How do I calculate the annual salary from an hourly rate for a juris doctor role?

Multiply the hourly rate by the number of hours worked per week, then by 52. For a 38‑hour week: annual gross = hourly rate × 38 × 52. For example, $33.99 × 38 × 52 = $67,173.60. This assumes the same rate every week with no unpaid overtime, penalty rates or allowances.

What tax and super should I expect on a juris doctor salary?

For 2026–27, the resident tax scale applies: nil up to $18,200, then 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000, and 45% above that. Medicare levy is generally 2%. Super guarantee is 12% of ordinary earnings paid on top, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. For a $67,173.60 salary, super adds about $8,060.83 per year.

Juris Doctor Salary: Converting Hourly Rates to Annual Pay Under the Legal Services Award

A juris doctor salary at the Level 5 Law Graduate classification under the Legal Services Award pays $33.99 per hour, or $1,291.80 per week for a 38‑hour week, totalling about $67,173.60 per year before tax and super.

Understanding a Juris Doctor Salary: From Hourly to Annual

If you are considering a career in law or have recently graduated, you may be looking at a juris doctor salary and wondering how it translates from an hourly rate to annual, fortnightly or weekly pay. In Australia, the legal profession is covered by the Legal Services Award 2020 (MA000121), which sets minimum rates for legal clerical and administrative employees, including law graduates and law clerks. This guide uses the latest award rates from the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data to help you convert your pay accurately.

The 38‑Hour Week and the 52‑Week Year

The standard full‑time week under the Legal Services Award is 38 ordinary hours (clause 9.1 of the award). To get your annual gross annual pay, use the formula:

Annual gross = hourly rate × hours per week × 52

For a Level 5 Law Graduate under the award, the minimum hourly rate from 1 July 2026 is $33.99 per hour. That gives:

Weekly: $33.99 × 38 = $1,291.80
Fortnightly: $1,291.80 × 2 = $2,583.60
Annual: $33.99 × 38 × 52 = $67,173.60

This calculation assumes you work the same hours every week with no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, no allowances, and no salary sacrifice. It is a useful starting point for comparing offers.

Award Rates vs National Minimum Wage

The National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour for a 38‑hour week ($1,004.90 per week). A juris doctor salary at the Law Graduate level is well above that—$33.99 per hour is about 28% higher. The award also sets rates for other legal clerical roles, from Level 1 ($28.24 per hour) to Level 5 ($33.99 per hour). For a full list, see the pay guides. For a Level 5 Law Graduate, the casual rate is $33.99 × 1.25 = $42.49 per hour. The casual loading compensates for not receiving paid leave or other entitlements.

Superannuation is paid on top of your ordinary earnings. The super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings (from 1 July 2026), up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. For a $67,173.60 annual salary, super adds about $8,060.83 per year. This is not deducted from your pay; it is an extra contribution by your employer. For more details, see super and packaging.

Tax on Your Juris Doctor Salary

For the 2026–27 financial year, the resident tax rates are:

Nil on the first $18,200
15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000
45% on income above $190,000

Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (generally). For a $67,173.60 annual salary, the tax and Medicare would be approximately:

Tax: $18,200 × 0% + ($45,000 – 18,200) × 0.15 + ($67,173.60 – 45,000) × 0.30 = $0 + $4,020 + $6,652.08 = $6,652.08
Medicare: $67,173.60 × 0.02 = $1,343.47
Total tax + Medicare = $6,652.08 + 1,343.47 = $7,995.55

This is an estimate only. Use the take‑home pay calculator for a more precise figure.

Fortnightly Pay

Most employers pay wages fortnightly under the award (clause 16.1 of the award). For a Level 5 Law Graduate, the fortnightly gross is $1,291.80 × 2 = $2,583.60. If you are comparing a salary offer that is quoted as an annual figure, divide by 26 to get the fortnightly amount.

Comparing to Average Earnings

According to the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, the median full‑time full‑time non‑managerial employees in solicitors earn $2,070 per week (about $54.47 per hour). The award rate for a Law Graduate is lower than that median, reflecting that graduates are at the start of their career. For more data, see average pay.

Important Disclaimer

Annual pay here is hourly rate × hours per week × 52. It assumes the same rate every week, no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, no allowances, and no salary sacrifice. Super is estimated at 12% of ordinary earnings only, paid on top, and stops at the $270,830 maximum contribution base. Tax is the 2026–27 resident scale with full tax‑free threshold. Medicare uses the 2025–26 single reduction thresholds because the 2026–27 reduction thresholds were not confirmed here. HELP, Medicare levy surcharge, and salary packaging are not deducted. This is an estimate, not a determination of your pay or tax.

For more detailed calculations, use the reference tables on this site.