Median salary
$56,372
ANZSCO 3513 · Food trades workers
Chef salary in Australia
Median salary for an Australian chef is $56,372 per year (2022-23 tax return data), with $47,699 take-home after tax at current FY2025-26 rates.
After tax (yr)
$47,699
Fortnightly
$1,835
Tax returns
133,086
Income distribution
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics 2022-23, Table 15 (ANZSCO unit group 3513, based on 133,086 tax returns).
| Metric | Taxable income | Salary / wages | Total income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | $55,610 | $56,372 | $57,994 |
| Average (mean) | $55,874 | $55,226 | $58,134 |
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 $chef salary
| Gross salary (median) | $56,372 |
| Income tax | −$7,545 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | −$1,127 |
| Low-income tax offset | +$154 |
| Take-home pay | $47,699 |
| + Employer super | $6,765 |
See the $55,000 salary page for full breakdown (monthly, fortnightly, weekly, daily and hourly), or
open the calculator prefilled with $56,372 to model salary sacrifice, HELP, or novated lease.
Related occupations · Food trades workers
Other occupations within the same ANZSCO sub-major group.
| Occupation | Tax returns | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Cook | 41,251 | $37,168 |
| Baker or pastrycook | 19,012 | $56,300 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a chef earn in Australia?
The median salary or wage income for an Australian chef in 2022-23 was $56,372, based on 133,086 lodged tax returns. The average (mean) was $55,226; the mean is pulled up by high earners so the median is a better guide for a typical chef.
What is a chef salary after tax?
On the median $56,372 salary for a chef, take-home pay in FY2025-26 is about $47,699 per year after income tax and the 2% Medicare levy — roughly $1,835 per fortnight or $917 per week.
How much tax does a chef pay?
On the median $56,372 salary, a chef in FY2025-26 pays about $8,673 in total tax — $7,545 income tax plus $1,127 Medicare levy. Effective rate: 15.4%.
How many people work as a chef in Australia?
133,086 Australians lodged a tax return as a chef in 2022-23. This is the count of individuals who classified themselves under ANZSCO unit group 3513 on their return.
What is the average vs median chef salary?
Average (mean): $55,226. Median: $56,372. 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 chef 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).