Understanding the QLD Minimum Wage: Hourly to Annual Pay Guide

Introduction

If you're looking up the qld minimum wage, you're likely trying to understand how much you should be paid per hour or per year in Queensland. While Queensland does not have its own state minimum wage, the National Minimum Wage applies to most employees across Australia, including those in Queensland. From 1 July 2026, the National Minimum Wage is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a 38-hour week. Casual employees receive at least $33.05 per hour, which includes a 25% casual loading.

This guide explains how to convert an hourly rate to an annual salary, how tax and super affect your take-home pay, and how Queensland's average earnings compare with the national figures. Use our the timesheet to enter your own base rate and see the full breakdown.

How to Convert Hourly to Annual

The standard formula for annual gross pay is:

Hourly rate × hours per week × 52 weeks

For a full-time employee, we assume 38 hours per week (the ordinary hours under the Fair Work Act). For example:

• $26.44 per hour × 38 hours × 52 weeks = $52,285.44 per year
• $30.00 per hour × 38 hours × 52 weeks = $59,280.00 per year

This calculation gives you the gross annual amount before tax and before super. It assumes you work the same number of hours every week, with no unpaid overtime, penalty rates, allowances, or salary sacrifice. For part-time or casual roles, adjust the weekly hours to your typical schedule.

If you have a salary offer and want to find the equivalent hourly rate, divide the annual salary by 52 weeks, then by your weekly hours. For a 38-hour week, a $70,000 salary equals about $35.43 per hour.

For more detail on the conversion, see our hourly conversion page.

Fortnightly and Weekly Pay

Many employers pay fortnightly. To find your fortnightly gross pay, simply double your weekly pay. Using the minimum wage:

• Weekly: $1,004.90
• Fortnightly: $2,009.80

For a $30 per hour rate:

• Weekly: $1,140.00
• Fortnightly: $2,280.00

Knowing your fortnightly amount helps with budgeting and comparing salary offers. The pay guides on our site provide award-specific rates that may differ from the minimum.

Tax and Super

Tax (2026–27 resident rates)

Your annual gross pay is taxed on a sliding scale. The tax-free threshold is $18,200. Above that:

• 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

A 2% Medicare levy generally applies. The 2025–26 single reduction thresholds are used here because the 2026–27 thresholds were not confirmed. For a worker on the minimum wage ($52,285), the estimated tax plus Medicare is about $6,700, leaving take-home pay around $45,585 per year.

Use our take-home pay page for a more personalised estimate.

Superannuation Guarantee

Employers must pay super on top of your ordinary earnings. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12% of ordinary time earnings, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. Super is not deducted from your pay; it is an additional cost to the employer.

For the minimum wage:

• Super: $52,285 × 12% = $6,274.20 per year

For a $30 per hour rate:

• Super: $59,280 × 12% = $7,113.60 per year

Super is paid on top of your gross pay, so your total employment cost is higher. See our super and packaging page for more on salary packaging and contribution caps.

State Differences in Ordinary-Time Earnings

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) for full-time adult ordinary time. The national average for May 2026 was $2,083.70 per week. In Queensland, the average was $2,039.70 per week. This is an average across all industries and occupations, not a median for any specific job. It shows that Queensland's full-time ordinary-time earnings are slightly below the national average.

If you are comparing your pay to these averages, remember they include a mix of award, enterprise agreement, and above-award rates. The National Minimum Wage is the floor. Many employees earn above the minimum under modern awards or registered agreements. For award-specific pay rates, check the Fair Work Ombudsman's pay guides.

Casual Loading

Casual employees are entitled to a 25% loading on top of the base hourly rate. This compensates for not receiving paid leave. On our the timesheet, you can check a box to add 25% casual loading to your base rate. Do not enter a rate that already includes casual loading; the tool adds it automatically.

For the minimum wage:

• Base: $26.44 per hour
• Casual: $33.05 per hour (including loading)

The loading applies to all ordinary hours. For a casual working 38 hours per week, the annual gross would be $33.05 × 38 × 52 = $65,346.80, with super of $7,841.62 on top.

See our casual loading page for more details.

Important Notes

• The annual pay shown here is an estimate. 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 uses the 2026–27 resident scale with the full tax-free threshold. Medicare uses the 2025–26 single reduction thresholds because the 2026–27 reduction thresholds were not confirmed here.
• HELP, the Medicare levy surcharge, and salary packaging are not deducted.
• This is an estimate, not a determination of your pay or tax.

For more reference data, visit our reference tables and minimum wage pages.