What is the VPS5 salary range?

VPS5 salary ranges are set by the Victorian Government and published by the Victorian Public Sector Commission. They vary by classification level and year. For the most current rates, refer to the Victorian Government's enterprise agreements or the Commission's website.

How do I convert my VPS5 salary to an hourly rate?

Divide your annual salary by 52 weeks, then divide by your weekly hours. For a standard 38-hour week, the formula is: hourly rate = annual salary ÷ (38 × 52). For example, an $80,000 annual salary equals about $40.49 per hour.

Does the VPS5 salary include superannuation?

No, the advertised VPS5 salary is base pay. Superannuation is paid on top at 12% of ordinary earnings (from 1 July 2026), up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. Check your enterprise agreement for any additional super contributions.

Understanding Your VPS5 Salary: Hourly to Annual Conversion and Tax

A VPS5 salary is typically expressed as an annual range; converting to hourly assumes 38 hours per week and 52 weeks per year.

Understanding Your VPS5 Salary

If you’re looking at a VPS5 role in the Victorian Public Service, you’ll typically see an annual salary range. But you might also be offered an hourly rate, especially if you’re a casual or contractor. This guide shows how to convert your VPS5 salary between hourly, weekly, fortnightly, and annual figures, and what to expect for tax and super.

The Standard Conversion Formula

Annual gross pay = hourly rate × hours per week × 52.

For full-time VPS5 employees, the standard week is 38 hours. So if your hourly rate is $50.00, your annual gross is:

$50.00 × 38 × 52 = $98,800.

If you’re paid fortnightly, that’s $98,800 ÷ 26 = $3,800 per fortnight (before tax and super).

VPS5 Salary and Award Coverage

VPS5 is a classification under the Victorian Public Service enterprise agreement, not a modern award. That means your minimum pay is set by that agreement, not the National Minimum Wage. However, the National Minimum Wage (from 1 July 2026, $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for 38 hours) acts as a floor for all employees not covered by an award or agreement. VPS5 rates are well above this.

If you’re a casual VPS5 employee, you’re entitled to a 25% casual loading on top of the base hourly rate. Our timesheet includes a checkbox to add that loading automatically — never enter a rate that already includes casual loading.

Tax on Your VPS5 Salary

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

$0 – $18,200: nil
$18,201 – $45,000: 15% for each dollar over $18,200
$45,001 – $135,000: 30% for each dollar over $45,000
$135,001 – $190,000: 37% for each dollar over $135,000
$190,001+: 45% for each dollar over $190,000

Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (with possible reductions for low-income earners).

For a $98,800 annual VPS5 salary, the tax would be:

Nil on first $18,200
15% on $26,800 ($18,201–$45,000) = $4,020
30% on $53,800 ($45,001–$98,800) = $16,140
Total tax = $20,160
Medicare levy (2% of $98,800) = $1,976
Total tax + Medicare = $22,136
Net annual pay = $76,664

That’s about $2,948 per fortnight after tax.

Superannuation on Top

Super guarantee is 12% of your ordinary earnings, paid on top of your base salary. For a $98,800 salary, that’s an extra $11,856 per year, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. Your employer pays this directly to your super fund — it’s not deducted from your pay.

Fortnightly Pay and Budgeting

Most VPS roles pay fortnightly. To estimate your take-home per fortnight:

Calculate weekly gross: hourly rate × 38.
Multiply by 2 for fortnightly gross.
Subtract estimated tax and Medicare (use our take-home pay guide for a detailed breakdown).

For the $50/hour example:

Weekly gross: $1,900
Fortnightly gross: $3,800
Estimated tax + Medicare per fortnight: $22,136 ÷ 26 = $851
Fortnightly net: $2,949

Casual Loading and Award Rates

If you’re a casual VPS5 employee, your base rate is increased by 25%. That means a $50/hour base becomes $62.50/hour. The loading compensates for not receiving paid leave. Our casual loading page explains how this works across different industries.

For award-covered employees (not VPS), the Fair Work Ombudsman publishes pay guides with minimum rates, allowances, and penalty rates. VPS5 is covered by an enterprise agreement, so those guides don’t apply, but they’re a useful reference for understanding how minimum wages are structured.

Distinguishing Minimum Wage, Award Rates, and Enterprise Agreements

National Minimum Wage: The legal floor — $26.44/hour from 1 July 2026. Applies to award/agreement-free employees.
Award rates: Minimum pay for employees under a specific modern award. Higher than the national minimum wage, with penalty rates for overtime, weekends, and weekends.
Enterprise agreement rates: VPS5**: Set by the Victorian Government, often above award rates and well above the minimum.

Important Notes

This conversion assumes you’re working 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 the full tax-free threshold. Medicare uses the 2025–26 single reduction thresholds because the 2026–27 reduction thresholds were not confirmed here. This is an estimate, not a determination of your pay or tax.

For more detailed VPS5 salary figures, check the Fair Work Commission’s reference tables or the Fair Work Ombudsman’s minimum wage page. The average pay page also has ABS average weekly earnings figures for context.