In 2022, a "good" salary varied, but the median personal income in Australia was around $58,216, while full-time median weekly earnings for males were about $1,600 and females $1,438, though higher earnings were common in fields like mining, IT, and finance, with $100k often considered a stable benchmark in capital cities, depending heavily on location, industry, and cost of living.
Personal Income in Australia
During 2022-23: Total personal income was $1.3 trillion. Median personal income was $58,216, up 5.7% on 2021-22. Employee income comprised 83.1% of total personal income.
A good salary in Australia is subjective but generally sits above the average (~$100k+), with many Australians now seeing $150,000+ as a "good" or comfortable wage due to high living costs, though this varies by location (Sydney higher) and generation, with Gen Z needing the most to feel comfortable. An average full-time wage is around $2,000+ weekly (over $100k annually), but significant differences exist by industry, experience, and location, with specialized roles reaching much higher.
Is $90K a Year Considered Middle Class? Depending on where you live and your household size, you may be classified as middle class. According to the Pew Research Center, a middle-class household has an income between $47,189 and $141,568. A $90,000 salary is well within that range.
$100k is around the average and above the median full time salary. It is quite literally a middle class wage which sees you sit somewhere in the middle of society.
"A pay packet of $130,000 might represent significant financial comfort in some areas, whilst barely covering essential expenses in others. Salary expectations are also highly variable according to location.
Most Americans Earn Far Less Than $100k
According to last year's YouGov data, only 18% of U.S. adults earn more than $100,000 annually. And the biggest earners are mostly men—25%—and those aged 35 to 44—25%. For comparison, just 12% of women make six figures.
Top earners across the United States earn nearly least six figures, with an average income of over $99,971 for those in the top 10% in 2022. Earners in the top 1% need to make $1 million annually in states like California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington.
On a £90,000 salary, your take home pay will be £62,757.40 after tax and National Insurance. This equates to £5,229.78 per month and £1,206.87 per week. If you work 5 days per week, this is £241.37 per day, or £30.17 per hour at 40 hours per week.
Typically the criterion is that the person's financial assets (excluding their primary residence) are valued over US$1 million. A secondary level, a very-high-net-worth individual (VHNWI, ), is someone with at least US$5 million in investable assets.
To be in Australia's top 1% of individual taxpayers, you generally need an annual income of around $375,000 to $390,000, though figures vary slightly by source and year, with higher thresholds for households (around $530,000). For context, the median individual income is much lower (around $55,000), and while top earners often include surgeons and anaesthetists, reaching the top 1% of net worth requires significantly more wealth, often exceeding $7 million.
$75,000 a year in Australia is approximately $36 to $38 per hour, depending on the exact hours worked, but generally calculates to around $37.96/hour assuming a standard 38-hour work week, which is about $6,250 monthly before taxes.
The average Australian full-time worker is now earning more than $2000 a week for the first time in history. New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show the average ordinary full-time weekly earnings for adults hit $2011.40 before tax in May.
If someone was earning less than the below amounts (including a government income) in 2022, they were classed as below the poverty line: $454 a week for a single person. $725 for a sole parent with two children. $952 for a couple with two children.
In Australia, the middle-class income range is generally considered to be between 75% to 200% of the median income, which translates roughly to $48,000 to $130,000 annually for individuals, though figures vary by definition (personal vs. household) and year, with some placing the core middle at $90k-$140k household income, supporting a lifestyle of home ownership and family activities, but facing rising costs.
Disposable personal income is the total amount someone has after taxes to spend on necessities, like housing and food. Here's the calculation: DPI = Gross Wages – Taxes. Economists use DPI to look at how much money is actually available to spend in a specific area.
As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median salary in the U.S was $61,984 per year, or $1,192 per week for full-time workers. By that metric, making $80,000 a year means you're doing pretty good — and is likely considered middle class.
Generally speaking, many people can live comfortably making $95,000 per year. However, it depends on several factors, including where you live, how much you spend, and where you put your money. Those who live within a budget feel the most comfortable with that salary.
$40 an hour is how much a year? Therefore, an hourly rate of $40, working 40 hours per week for 52 weeks, would result in an annual salary of $83,200.
$70,000 a year is approximately $33.65 per hour, assuming a standard 40-hour workweek and 52 weeks of work per year, calculated by dividing the annual salary by 2,080 working hours ($70,000 / 2,080 = $33.65).
Is $75K a Year a Good Salary? If you make $75,000 a year, you're earning more than half of all workers in the U.S. And in fact, many people would probably consider the salary as good pay. After all, a $75,000 salary works out to around $6,250 per month, $1,442.31 per week, or $36.06 an hour.
People earning £100,000 or more a year typically positioned themselves in the top 52 per cent relative to the rest of the population, which is just above average. In fact, they are almost right at the top of the earnings tree.
According to ABS data, just 2.61 million Aussies – or about 10 per cent of the population – earn $100,000 or more a year. Many people will never reach a six-figure income in their working lives.
At least 20% of your income should go towards savings. Meanwhile, another 50% (maximum) should go toward necessities, while 30% goes toward discretionary items. This is called the 50/30/20 rule of thumb, and it provides a quick and easy way for you to budget your money.