Median salary
$79,750
ANZSCO 2124 · Arts and media professionals
Journalist or other writer salary in Australia
Median salary for an Australian journalist or other writer is $79,750 per year (2022-23 tax return data), with $63,442 take-home after tax at current FY2025-26 rates.
After tax (yr)
$63,442
Fortnightly
$2,440
Tax returns
16,084
Income distribution
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics 2022-23, Table 15 (ANZSCO unit group 2124, based on 16,084 tax returns).
| Metric | Taxable income | Salary / wages | Total income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | $82,890 | $79,750 | $86,174 |
| Average (mean) | $93,605 | $85,292 | $97,416 |
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 $journalist or other writer salary
| Gross salary (median) | $79,750 |
| Income tax | −$14,713 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | −$1,595 |
| Take-home pay | $63,442 |
| + Employer super | $9,570 |
See the $80,000 salary page for full breakdown (monthly, fortnightly, weekly, daily and hourly), or
open the calculator prefilled with $79,750 to model salary sacrifice, HELP, or novated lease.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a journalist or other writer earn in Australia?
The median salary or wage income for an Australian journalist or other writer in 2022-23 was $79,750, based on 16,084 lodged tax returns. The average (mean) was $85,292; the mean is pulled up by high earners so the median is a better guide for a typical journalist or other writer.
What is a journalist or other writer salary after tax?
On the median $79,750 salary for a journalist or other writer, take-home pay in FY2025-26 is about $63,442 per year after income tax and the 2% Medicare levy — roughly $2,440 per fortnight or $1,220 per week.
How much tax does a journalist or other writer pay?
On the median $79,750 salary, a journalist or other writer in FY2025-26 pays about $16,308 in total tax — $14,713 income tax plus $1,595 Medicare levy. Effective rate: 20.4%.
How many people work as a journalist or other writer in Australia?
16,084 Australians lodged a tax return as a journalist or other writer in 2022-23. This is the count of individuals who classified themselves under ANZSCO unit group 2124 on their return.
What is the average vs median journalist or other writer salary?
Average (mean): $85,292. Median: $79,750. 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 journalist or other writer 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).