From Patrick Cripps Salary to Your Pay: Converting Hourly Rates to Annual, Fortnightly, and Super
For a 38-hour week, annual gross pay is hourly rate × 38 × 52; the National Minimum Wage of $26.44/hour yields about $52,255 per year.
Understanding the 38-Hour Week, the Fortnight, and the 52-Week Year
When you see an hourly rate, the natural question is: what does that mean as an annual salary? The standard formula is simple: hourly rate × hours per week × 52 weeks. For full-time employees in Australia, the benchmark is a 38-hour week, as set by the Fair Work Ombudsman and used in the National Minimum Wage. This page assumes 38 hours unless you adjust it. The result is your gross annual pay before tax, super, and any deductions.
The Fortnightly View
Many Australians are paid fortnightly. To find your fortnightly gross, multiply your weekly pay by two. For a worker on the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 per hour (38 hours), weekly pay is $1,004.90, so fortnightly is $2,009.80. This can help you budget or compare with salary offers that quote fortnightly amounts.
Distinguishing Wage Types
Australia has several minimum pay rates:
- National Minimum Wage: $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week (from 1 July 2026). This applies to award-free employees.
- Award rates: Most industries have modern awards with higher minimums. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides pay guides for each award, updated after the Annual Wage Review. For example, the 2026 increase was 4.75% on award rates.
- Casual loading: Casual employees get a 25% loading on top of the base rate, making the minimum casual rate $33.05 per hour. Our timesheet has a checkbox to add this loading automatically – never enter a rate that already includes it.
- Superannuation: The super guarantee is 12% of ordinary earnings, paid on top of your salary. It is capped at the maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year (2026–27). Even a high-profile salary like Patrick Cripps' reported AFL earnings would exceed that cap, meaning super is calculated only up to the limit.
Tax and Medicare
Your gross annual pay is taxed using the 2026–27 resident tax rates:
- $0–$18,200: nil
- $18,201–$45,000: 15%
- $45,001–$135,000: 30%
- $135,001–$190,000: 37%
- Over $190,000: 45%
Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (with reductions for low incomes based on 2025–26 thresholds, as 2026–27 thresholds were not confirmed here). Tax is withheld by your employer through PAYG.
Putting It All Together: An Example
Take a full-time employee earning $35 per hour (a common award rate). Annual gross = $35 × 38 × 52 = $69,160. Fortnightly gross = $2,660. After tax (using the 2026–27 scale) and Medicare, the take-home pay is approximately $54,000 per year (exact figures depend on your circumstances). Super adds 12% on top: $8,299.20, but only up to the cap.
For a casual on the same base rate, the hourly rate becomes $43.75 with loading. Annual gross = $43.75 × 38 × 52 = $86,450. Fortnightly gross = $3,325. Super still applies on the base ordinary earnings (excluding loading in some interpretations – check your award).
Using the Timesheet
Our the timesheet lets you enter your base hourly rate and optionally add casual loading. It calculates annual, fortnightly, and weekly figures, plus estimated tax and super. Remember: the formula assumes the same rate every week, no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, and no salary sacrifice. It is an estimate, not a determination of your pay.
Where the Data Comes From
The figures in this guide are sourced from the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Commission. The Modern Awards Pay Database provides detailed minimum rates, allowances, and penalty rates for each award. The Fair Work Ombudsman's pay guides are updated after each Annual Wage Review. For average earnings, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports full-time adult ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70 per week (May 2026). The Australian Taxation Office sets the tax scales and super guarantee rules.
Why the 38-Hour Week Matters
A 38-hour week is the standard for full-time work under the National Employment Standards. If you work more or fewer hours, adjust the weekly figure accordingly. Part-time and casual workers should use their actual weekly hours. The 52-week year assumes you work all year; if you take unpaid leave, your annual income will be lower.
The Patrick Cripps Salary Connection
You might wonder how a top AFL salary like Patrick Cripps' compares. While we don't have a precise figure here, his reported earnings are well above the super guarantee cap of $270,830. That means his employer pays super only on the first $270,830 of his ordinary earnings, not on the full amount. This illustrates how the super cap affects high-income earners. For most workers, super is a straightforward 12% on all ordinary earnings.
Final Tips
- Always check your award or enterprise agreement for the correct minimum rate.
- Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay Calculator for personalised estimates.
- Remember that super is paid on top of your salary, not deducted from it.
- Tax estimates here are for residents claiming the full tax-free threshold. Non-residents or those with HELP debts will have different outcomes.
For more details, see our super and packaging page or average pay page.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.