Median salary
$72,862
ANZSCO 5513 · Numerical clerks
Payroll clerk salary in Australia
Median salary for an Australian payroll clerk is $72,862 per year (2022-23 tax return data), with $58,758 take-home after tax at current FY2025-26 rates.
After tax (yr)
$58,758
Fortnightly
$2,260
Tax returns
16,907
Income distribution
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics 2022-23, Table 15 (ANZSCO unit group 5513, based on 16,907 tax returns).
| Metric | Taxable income | Salary / wages | Total income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | $73,316 | $72,862 | $75,429 |
| Average (mean) | $75,717 | $73,390 | $77,833 |
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 $payroll clerk salary
| Gross salary (median) | $72,862 |
| Income tax | −$12,647 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | −$1,457 |
| Take-home pay | $58,758 |
| + Employer super | $8,743 |
See the $72,000 salary page for full breakdown (monthly, fortnightly, weekly, daily and hourly), or
open the calculator prefilled with $72,862 to model salary sacrifice, HELP, or novated lease.
Related occupations · Numerical clerks
Other occupations within the same ANZSCO sub-major group.
| Occupation | Tax returns | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting clerk | 89,974 | $63,666 |
| Bank teller, officer or employee | 68,352 | $79,311 |
| Bookkeeper | 34,693 | $45,000 |
| Insurance, money market or statistical clerk | 30,920 | $76,298 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a payroll clerk earn in Australia?
The median salary or wage income for an Australian payroll clerk in 2022-23 was $72,862, based on 16,907 lodged tax returns. The average (mean) was $73,390; the mean is pulled up by high earners so the median is a better guide for a typical payroll clerk.
What is a payroll clerk salary after tax?
On the median $72,862 salary for a payroll clerk, take-home pay in FY2025-26 is about $58,758 per year after income tax and the 2% Medicare levy — roughly $2,260 per fortnight or $1,130 per week.
How much tax does a payroll clerk pay?
On the median $72,862 salary, a payroll clerk in FY2025-26 pays about $14,104 in total tax — $12,647 income tax plus $1,457 Medicare levy. Effective rate: 19.4%.
How many people work as a payroll clerk in Australia?
16,907 Australians lodged a tax return as a payroll clerk in 2022-23. This is the count of individuals who classified themselves under ANZSCO unit group 5513 on their return.
What is the average vs median payroll clerk salary?
Average (mean): $73,390. Median: $72,862. 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 payroll clerk 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).