Median salary
$20,520
ANZSCO 4312 · Hospitality workers
Café worker salary in Australia
Median salary for an Australian café worker is $20,520 per year (2022-23 tax return data), with $20,520 take-home after tax at current FY2025-26 rates.
After tax (yr)
$20,520
Fortnightly
$789
Tax returns
59,540
Income distribution
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics 2022-23, Table 15 (ANZSCO unit group 4312, based on 59,540 tax returns).
| Metric | Taxable income | Salary / wages | Total income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | $24,777 | $20,520 | $25,267 |
| Average (mean) | $28,474 | $24,693 | $29,136 |
Taxable income = gross income minus allowable deductions. Salary / wages = PAYG-reported income only. Total income = all sources including investment, business, etc.
Take-home pay on the median $café worker salary
| Gross salary (median) | $20,520 |
| Income tax | −$0 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | −$0 |
| Low-income tax offset | +$700 |
| Take-home pay | $20,520 |
| + Employer super | $2,462 |
See the $30,000 salary page for full breakdown (monthly, fortnightly, weekly, daily and hourly), or
open the calculator prefilled with $20,520 to model salary sacrifice, HELP, or novated lease.
Related occupations · Hospitality workers
Other occupations within the same ANZSCO sub-major group.
| Occupation | Tax returns | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Waiter | 151,050 | $21,870 |
| Bar attendant or barista | 113,707 | $31,788 |
| Other hospitality worker | 78,353 | $28,839 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a café worker earn in Australia?
The median salary or wage income for an Australian café worker in 2022-23 was $20,520, based on 59,540 lodged tax returns. The average (mean) was $24,693; the mean is pulled up by high earners so the median is a better guide for a typical café worker.
What is a café worker salary after tax?
On the median $20,520 salary for a café worker, take-home pay in FY2025-26 is about $20,520 per year after income tax and the 2% Medicare levy — roughly $789 per fortnight or $395 per week.
How much tax does a café worker pay?
On the median $20,520 salary, a café worker in FY2025-26 pays about $0 in total tax — $0 income tax plus $0 Medicare levy. Effective rate: 0.0%.
How many people work as a café worker in Australia?
59,540 Australians lodged a tax return as a café worker in 2022-23. This is the count of individuals who classified themselves under ANZSCO unit group 4312 on their return.
What is the average vs median café worker salary?
Average (mean): $24,693. Median: $20,520. The median is usually lower because a small number of very high earners pull the average up. For a realistic picture of what a typical café worker earns, use the median.
Data sources
Salary data: Australian Taxation Office — Taxation Statistics 2022-23, Table 15. Used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia licence.
Take-home pay calculated at paycalculator.page using ATO-published FY2025-26 brackets, 2% Medicare levy, and default settings (Australian resident, private hospital cover, tax-free threshold claimed).