How is the annual paramedic salary calculated?

Multiply the hourly rate by the number of hours worked per week, then by 52 weeks. For a full-time paramedic under the award, ordinary hours are 38 per week. So annual gross = hourly rate × 38 × 52. For example, an Ambulance Officer at $34.46/hour gives $34.46 × 38 × 52 = $68,092.96 per year before tax and super.

What is the casual loading for paramedics?

Under the Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award, casual paramedics receive a loading of 25% on weekdays, 75% on Saturdays and Sundays, and 100% on public holidays, instead of weekend or public holiday penalty rates. The loading is paid on top of the base hourly rate. For a casual Ambulance Officer (year 1), the weekday rate becomes $34.46 × 1.25 = $43.08 per hour.

How does superannuation affect a paramedic's total remuneration?

Superannuation is paid on top of the base salary. The Super Guarantee rate is 12% of ordinary earnings (up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830). For a full-time Ambulance Officer earning $68,092.96, the employer contributes an extra $8,171.16 per year into super. This is not deducted from the employee's take-home pay.

Paramedic Salary Guide: Award Rates, Casual Loading, and Take-Home Pay

A full-time Ambulance Officer (year 1) earns $34.46 per hour, or $1,309.50 per week, based on 38 ordinary hours under the award.

Understanding the Paramedic Salary Under the Award

If you're researching a paramedic salary in Australia, the key reference is the Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award 2020 from the Fair Work Ombudsman. This award sets minimum pay rates for paramedics, ambulance officers, patient transport officers, and other roles. The rates are updated annually, with the latest figures applying from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026.

For a full-time Ambulance Officer in their first year, the minimum hourly rate is $34.46, with a weekly rate of $1,309.50 for 38 ordinary hours. This is well above the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 per hour. The award also covers student paramedics, station officers, and communications staff, each with their own classification and pay point.

How to Calculate Annual Pay from an Hourly Rate

The standard formula for annual gross pay is:

Hourly rate × hours per week × 52 weeks

For full-time employees under the award, ordinary hours are 38 per week (or an average of 38 over a roster cycle). So for an Ambulance Officer:

$34.46 × 38 × 52 = $68,092.96 per year

This calculation assumes the same rate every week, no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, no allowances, and no salary sacrifice. It's a baseline estimate. If you work part-time or casual, adjust the weekly hours accordingly.

Fortnightly and Weekly Pay

Many employers pay fortnightly. To find your fortnightly gross:

Weekly rate × 2

For the Ambulance Officer: $1,309.50 × 2 = $2,619.00 per fortnight before tax and super.

Casual Loading for Paramedics

Casual employees under the award receive a loading instead of weekend or public holiday penalty rates. The loading is:

25% on weekdays
75% on Saturdays and Sundays
100% on public holidays

This loading is paid on top of the base hourly rate. For a casual Ambulance Officer (year 1) working a weekday shift, the rate becomes $34.46 × 1.25 = $43.08 per hour. Note that casual loading does not apply to overtime hours; overtime is paid at the rates in clause 20 of the award.

Casual employees are also entitled to a minimum of 3 hours' pay per engagement (unless agreed otherwise). They do not receive paid leave, public holidays, or notice of termination.

Tax and Superannuation

Income Tax (2026–27 Resident Rates)

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

Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (single reduction thresholds not confirmed for 2026–27, so the 2025–26 thresholds are used here).

For the Ambulance Officer earning $68,092.96:

Tax on $18,200–$45,000: ($45,000 – $18,200) × 0.15 = $4,020
Tax on $45,001–$68,092.96: ($68,092.96 – $45,000) × 0.30 = $6,927.89
Total tax: $4,020 + $6,927.89 = $10,947.89
Medicare levy: $68,092.96 × 0.02 = $1,361.86
Total deductions: $12,309.75
Estimated annual take-home pay: $55,783.21

Superannuation Guarantee

Employers must pay 12% of ordinary earnings into super, on top of the salary. For the Ambulance Officer, that's $68,092.96 × 0.12 = $8,171.16 per year (up to the $270,830 maximum contribution base). Super is not deducted from your pay; it's an additional contribution.

Comparing the Paramedic Salary to Other Benchmarks

The award rate for an Ambulance Officer ($34.46/hour) is significantly higher than the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 per hour. It also exceeds the ABS Average Weekly Earnings for full-time adult ordinary time earnings ($2,083.70 per week (May 2026), though that figure includes all industries. The paramedic rate is a minimum; many paramedics receive allowances that increase pay further.

Allowances and Additional Pay

The award includes several allowances that can boost a paramedic's pay. Examples from the Fair Work Ombudsman's pay guide:

Intensive care paramedic skills allowance: $3.69–$5.43 per hour depending on experience
Continuing education program allowance: $0.60–$0.74 per hour
Shift allowance: $59.71 per shift for finishing between 6pm and 8am or starting between 6pm and 6.30am
On-call allowance: $4.38 per hour or part hour

These are paid in addition to the base rate and can significantly increase annual earnings.

Using the Timesheet Calculator

Our timesheet lets you enter a base hourly rate and optionally add 25% casual loading. It then calculates annual, fortnightly, and weekly gross pay, plus estimated tax and super. Use it to compare different scenarios, such as full-time versus casual work.

For more details on award rates, visit our pay guides and reference tables. If you're comparing roles, see our job pay page for other occupations.

Summary

The paramedic salary under the Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award starts at $34.46 per hour for a first-year Ambulance Officer. Annual gross is around $68,093, with super of $8,171 paid on top. Casual loading adds 25% on weekdays, and various allowances can increase take-home pay. Always check the latest award rates from the Fair Work Ombudsman, as they are updated each July.

For a personalised estimate, use our hourly conversion tool or read about casual loading and super and packaging.