Free Australian tax & business calculators

Employee wage and super cost calculator

A wage offer is only part of the hiring budget. Add employer super and your own allowance for insurance, payroll tax and other costs before deciding what the business can afford.

Before you start: A budget for eligible adult employees on equal annual pay. It assumes all entered wages qualify for SG and does not calculate award pay, state payroll tax, workers compensation premiums or exact payment deadlines.

01 / Your numbers

Make it your estimate

All amounts are AUD. An example is loaded; replace it with your figures.

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02 / Your estimate

Annual employment budget

$92,600.00

for 1 employee on the same pay

2026-27 financial year

How the estimate adds up

Annual cash wages, all employees
$80,000.00
Employer super, all employees
$9,600.00
Other employer costs, all employees
$3,000.00
Average monthly budget
$7,716.67
Average fortnightly super allowance
$369.23
Average weekly super allowance
$184.62

Read before using this result

  • Assumes eligible adult employees, the same annual pay for each person, and all entered wages qualify for super. The SG rate is 12%. Enter gross cash wages before employee salary sacrifice. Contractors, overtime, allowances and award-specific rules need checking.
  • Payday Super applies from 1 July 2026. Contributions generally need to reach the fund within 7 business days of payday; limited exceptions apply. The annual maximum contribution base is $270,830 per employee. Period amounts here are budget averages, not payment schedules.
  • Add workers compensation, any state payroll tax, recruitment, equipment and other costs to the separate allowance. No payroll-tax threshold or insurance rate is assumed. Paid leave already included in annual salary should not be counted twice; replacement staff can still create extra cost.

Budget cash wages and super separately

At $80,000 cash wages, 12% employer super adds $9,600. An extra $3,000 allowance for other costs brings the annual budget to $92,600 for one employee. The example allowance is not an insurance quote or a payroll-tax calculation.

The calculator uses the same pay and cost allowance for every employee counted. Run separate scenarios for different roles. Wages that do not qualify for super, under-18 employees and contractor eligibility need a more specific assessment.

Payday Super is already in effect

From 1 July 2026, super generally needs to reach an employee's fund within seven business days of payday, subject to limited exceptions. The old habit of setting aside money until the next quarterly deadline no longer fits ordinary Payday Super payments.

The 2026-27 maximum contribution base is annual: $270,830. The capped setting applies 12% up to that earnings base. Your employment agreement may require more, so the alternative setting applies 12% to all pay. The weekly and fortnightly results are average budget allowances, not a payroll schedule.

Leave room for costs this tool cannot price

Payroll tax depends on state rules, taxable wages, grouping and thresholds. Workers compensation depends on the policy and business. Enter estimates or quotes for these items rather than assuming every small business has the same percentage.

An annual salary usually already covers paid leave. Adding the same wages again as a leave percentage would double count them, although a replacement worker can create another cost. Recruitment time, training and equipment also deserve a place in the hiring decision.

Your next step

Sources and calculation scope

Rules checked 19 September 2026. These are general planning tools, not personal tax advice. A registered tax agent can check how the rules apply to your business.

Found a calculation that needs checking? Tell us which tool and financial year you used. Please leave out tax file numbers and private financial records.