Traffic Control Salary: How to Convert Your Hourly Rate to Annual, Fortnightly, and Weekly Pay
For a traffic controller on a 38-hour week, annual gross pay is hourly rate × 38 × 52; the National Minimum Wage is $26.44/hour ($1004.90/week) from 1 July 2026.
Understanding Your Traffic Control Salary
If you work in traffic control or are considering a role in the industry, you’ve probably seen hourly rates advertised and wondered what that means for your annual, fortnightly, or weekly pay. This guide explains how to convert an hourly rate into a yearly figure, what the National Minimum Wage means for you, and how award rates, casual loading, and superannuation affect your traffic control salary.
The Basic Formula: Hourly × Hours × 52
The standard way to estimate annual gross pay is:
Annual gross pay = hourly rate × hours worked per week × 52 weeks
Most full-time roles are based on a 38-hour week, as set by the Fair Work Act. If you work 38 hours every week, the calculation becomes:
Annual gross = hourly rate × 38 × 52
For example, at the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 per hour (from 1 July 2026), the annual figure is:
$26.44 × 38 × 52 = $52,245.44
This is the gross amount before tax and before super. The Fair Work Commission publishes the National Minimum Wage and award rates on its minimum wage page.
Fortnightly and Weekly Pay
Many employers pay fortnightly. To find your fortnightly gross pay, multiply your weekly pay by 2. Weekly pay is hourly rate × 38. For the National Minimum Wage:
- Weekly: $26.44 × 38 = $1,004.72 (the official figure is $1,004.90 due to rounding)
- Fortnightly: $1,004.90 × 2 = $2,009.80
If you work irregular hours, your fortnightly pay will vary. The the timesheet on this site lets you enter your base hourly rate and see the breakdown for any number of hours.
National Minimum Wage vs Award Rates
The National Minimum Wage is the legal minimum for award/agreement-free employees. However, most traffic controllers are covered by a modern award, such as the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020. Award rates are typically higher than the National Minimum Wage and include specific classifications for traffic controllers.
The Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database contains the exact minimum rates for each classification, including wage-related allowances and penalty rates. You can access this data through the reference tables on this site, which link to the official spreadsheets.
For a traffic control salary, the award rate depends on your level of experience and the type of work. For example, a traffic controller (Level 1) under the Building Award may have a higher base rate than the National Minimum Wage. Always check the specific award or use the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) for your exact rate.
Casual Loading
If you’re employed as a casual, you’re entitled to a 25% loading on top of the base hourly rate. This is set by the National Minimum Wage Order and most awards. For a traffic controller earning an award rate of, say, $28.00/hour, the casual rate would be:
$28.00 × 1.25 = $35.00/hour
When calculating your annual traffic control salary as a casual, use the loaded rate in the formula. The casual loading page explains how this affects your pay.
Superannuation: Paid on Top
Superannuation is not included in your hourly rate. The super guarantee requires your employer to pay 12% of your ordinary time earnings into a super fund. This is on top of your gross pay. For a traffic controller earning $30.00/hour, the super contribution is $3.60/hour, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year.
Your take-home pay is the hourly rate before super. The super and packaging page has more details on how super works.
Tax on Your Traffic Control Salary
Income tax is deducted from your gross pay. For the 2026–27 financial year, the resident tax rates are:
- $0 – $18,200: Nil
- $18,201 – $45,000: 15% on excess over $18,200
- $45,001 – $135,000: 30% on excess over $45,000
- $135,001 – $190,000: 37% on excess over $135,000
- Over $190,000: 45% on excess over $190,000
Plus a Medicare levy of 2% (with reductions for low-income earners). Use the take-home pay calculator to estimate your net pay after tax and Medicare.
Example: Traffic Control Salary Calculation
Let’s say you’re a full-time traffic controller on a 38-hour week, earning the award rate of $30.00 per hour (casual).
- Hourly rate (including casual loading): $30.00
- Weekly gross: $30.00 × 38 = $1,140.00
- Fortnightly gross: $1,140.00 × 2 = $2,280.00
- Annual gross: $30.00 × 38 × 52 = $59,280.00
- Super (12%): $7,113.60 per year (paid on top)
- Estimated tax (using 2026–27 rates): approximately $9,267 plus Medicare levy of $1,185.60, leaving net annual pay around $48,827.40
This is an estimate. Your actual traffic control salary may differ due to allowances, overtime, or penalty rates. The job pay section covers how additional payments affect your total earnings.
Important Notes
- The formula assumes you work the same hours every week with no unpaid overtime.
- Award rates and the National Minimum Wage change each year after the Annual Wage Review.
- Always refer to the Fair Work Commission or Fair Work Ombudsman for the most current rates.
- Super is paid on top of ordinary earnings and does not reduce your take-home pay.
For a personalised calculation, use the hourly conversion tool or the the timesheet on this site.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.