ANZSCO 6211 · Sales assistants and salespersons
Retail sales assistant salary in Australia
Median salary for an Australian retail sales assistant is $29,958 per year (2022-23 tax return data), with $28,503 take-home after tax at current FY2025-26 rates.
Income distribution
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics 2022-23, Table 15 (ANZSCO unit group 6211, based on 386,691 tax returns).
| Metric | Taxable income | Salary / wages | Total income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | $33,825 | $29,958 | $34,630 |
| Average (mean) | $37,419 | $33,089 | $38,343 |
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 $retail sales assistant salary
| Gross salary (median) | $29,958 |
| Income tax | −$1,181 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | −$274 |
| Low-income tax offset | +$700 |
| Take-home pay | $28,503 |
| + Employer super | $3,595 |
Related occupations · Sales assistants and salespersons
Other occupations within the same ANZSCO sub-major group.
| Occupation | Tax returns | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Other sales assistant or salesperson | 83,993 | $32,137 |
| Pharmacy sales assistant | 39,731 | $31,865 |
| Retail sales consultant | 32,473 | $33,261 |
| Retail supervisor | 24,928 | $52,970 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a retail sales assistant earn in Australia?
The median salary or wage income for an Australian retail sales assistant in 2022-23 was $29,958, based on 386,691 lodged tax returns. The average (mean) was $33,089; the mean is pulled up by high earners so the median is a better guide for a typical retail sales assistant.
What is a retail sales assistant salary after tax?
On the median $29,958 salary for a retail sales assistant, take-home pay in FY2025-26 is about $28,503 per year after income tax and the 2% Medicare levy — roughly $1,096 per fortnight or $548 per week.
How much tax does a retail sales assistant pay?
On the median $29,958 salary, a retail sales assistant in FY2025-26 pays about $1,455 in total tax — $1,181 income tax plus $274 Medicare levy. Effective rate: 4.9%.
How many people work as a retail sales assistant in Australia?
386,691 Australians lodged a tax return as a retail sales assistant in 2022-23. This is the count of individuals who classified themselves under ANZSCO unit group 6211 on their return.
What is the average vs median retail sales assistant salary?
Average (mean): $33,089. Median: $29,958. 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 retail sales assistant 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).