Median salary
$95,146
ANZSCO 4421 · Protective service workers
Prison officer salary in Australia
Median salary for an Australian prison officer is $95,146 per year (2022-23 tax return data), with $73,911 take-home after tax at current FY2025-26 rates.
After tax (yr)
$73,911
Fortnightly
$2,843
Tax returns
23,915
Income distribution
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics 2022-23, Table 15 (ANZSCO unit group 4421, based on 23,915 tax returns).
| Metric | Taxable income | Salary / wages | Total income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | $93,788 | $95,146 | $97,254 |
| Average (mean) | $95,026 | $94,664 | $98,674 |
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 $prison officer salary
| Gross salary (median) | $95,146 |
| Income tax | −$19,332 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | −$1,903 |
| Take-home pay | $73,911 |
| + Employer super | $11,418 |
See the $95,000 salary page for full breakdown (monthly, fortnightly, weekly, daily and hourly), or
open the calculator prefilled with $95,146 to model salary sacrifice, HELP, or novated lease.
Related occupations · Protective service workers
Other occupations within the same ANZSCO sub-major group.
| Occupation | Tax returns | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Police | 66,108 | $105,851 |
| Security officer or guard | 59,497 | $66,873 |
| Defence force member - other ranks | 24,940 | $77,339 |
| Fire or emergency service worker | 20,731 | $109,650 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a prison officer earn in Australia?
The median salary or wage income for an Australian prison officer in 2022-23 was $95,146, based on 23,915 lodged tax returns. The average (mean) was $94,664; the mean is pulled up by high earners so the median is a better guide for a typical prison officer.
What is a prison officer salary after tax?
On the median $95,146 salary for a prison officer, take-home pay in FY2025-26 is about $73,911 per year after income tax and the 2% Medicare levy — roughly $2,843 per fortnight or $1,421 per week.
How much tax does a prison officer pay?
On the median $95,146 salary, a prison officer in FY2025-26 pays about $21,235 in total tax — $19,332 income tax plus $1,903 Medicare levy. Effective rate: 22.3%.
How many people work as a prison officer in Australia?
23,915 Australians lodged a tax return as a prison officer in 2022-23. This is the count of individuals who classified themselves under ANZSCO unit group 4421 on their return.
What is the average vs median prison officer salary?
Average (mean): $94,664. Median: $95,146. 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 prison officer 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).