A Data Engineer earning the median salary of A$141K in Australia takes home approximately $104,940/year ($8,745/month) after Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, using 2026-27 rates.
2026 median salary for each level in Australia, and what it leaves after Income Tax and the Medicare Levy. Australian resident individual, no HECS-HELP. 2026-27 rates.
| Level | Gross / year | Take-home / year | Per month | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | $103,000 | $79,520$6,627/mo | $6,627 | 22.8% |
| Mid-levelHeadline median | $141,000 | $104,940$8,745/mo | $8,745 | 25.6% |
| Senior | $180,000 | $128,730$10,728/mo | $10,728 | 28.5% |
| Lead / Principal | $228,000 | $154,970$12,914/mo | $12,914 | 32.0% |
The biggest pay step is Senior to Lead / Principal: $48,000 more a year before tax, of which $26,240 reaches take-home. 45% of that raise goes to Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, against an average 28% on the Senior salary, because the extra pay is taxed at the top of your bands rather than spread across all of them.
For Mid-level roles, the middle half of Data Engineer salaries in Australia run from $137,000 to $146,000 a year, which is $102,500 to $107,990 after Income Tax and the Medicare Levy.
The table above uses the Data Engineer median. Enter your own gross salary below for a precise figure.
2026-27 tax year
Tax-free up to $18,200. 15% to $45,000. 30% to $135,000. 37% to $190,000. 45% above. Plus 2% Medicare Levy.
Common salaries:
Estimated annual take-home pay
$104,940
Per fortnight
$4,036
Per month
$8,745
Per week
$2,018
Effective tax rate
25.6%
Employer superannuation (on top, not deducted)
$16,920/year
Under the Super Guarantee, your employer must pay an extra 12.0% of your ordinary time earnings into your super fund on top of your salary. This is not subtracted from your take-home pay above: it's a separate, additional payment your employer makes on your behalf toward retirement.
How your $141,000 annual salary is split
$104,940
74.4%
$33,240
23.6%
$2,820
2.0%
| Gross salary | $141,000 |
| Income Tax | -$33,240 |
| Medicare Levy (2%) | -$2,820 |
| Total deductions | -$36,060 |
| Net take-home (annual) | $104,940 |
Calculations use 2026-27 Australian resident tax brackets and the 2% Medicare Levy, applying the low-income threshold as a simple cutoff rather than modelling the exact phase-in band. Fortnightly results annualise your entered pay across 26 pay periods; actual PAYG withholding can differ because payroll uses the current ATO withholding tables and your tax-file details. Superannuation Guarantee is shown as an employer contribution on top of salary and is not subtracted from take-home pay. The optional HECS/HELP amount is an annualised estimate. This does not account for the Medicare Levy Surcharge, private health insurance rebates, or other offsets. For precise advice consult a registered tax agent or the ATO.
Permanent median
$141,000
$104,940 take-home
Contract median
$966/day
≈ $212,520 gross a year
At a median $966/day, contract work grosses about $212,520 a year over 220 billable days, 51% more than the $141,000 permanent median. That premium has to pay for what an employer would otherwise cover: paid holiday and sick days, pension contributions, and the gaps between contracts.
Contract and permanent benchmarks come from separate samples, so treat the gap as a guide rather than a like-for-like quote. See Data Engineer contract rates and contractor take-home →
A Data Engineer earning the median salary of A$141K in Australia takes home approximately $104,940 per year ($8,745 per month) after Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, using 2026-27 ATO resident rates.
On a median Data Engineer salary of A$141K, the effective tax rate (Income Tax and Medicare Levy combined) is 25.6%, leaving $104,940 as take-home pay.
On a A$141K salary, a Data Engineer pays approximately $33,240 in Income Tax per year under 2026-27 resident brackets (tax-free to $18,200, then 15%, 30%, 37%, and 45%).
On a A$141K salary, the Medicare Levy is approximately $2,820 per year at the standard 2% rate (above the low-income threshold).
No. The Superannuation Guarantee (12% for 2026-27) is an employer contribution paid on top of gross salary and is not deducted from the employee take-home figures on this page.
A senior Data Engineer in Australia earns a median $180,000 a year and takes home approximately $128,730 ($10,728 per month) after Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, an effective rate of 28.5%.
A junior Data Engineer in Australia earns a median $103,000 a year and takes home approximately $79,520 ($6,627 per month) after Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, an effective rate of 22.8%.
The biggest pay step is Senior to Lead / Principal: $48,000 more a year before tax, of which $26,240 reaches take-home. 45% of that raise goes to Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, against an average 28% on the Senior salary, because the extra pay is taxed at the top of your bands rather than spread across all of them.
At a median $966/day, contract work grosses about $212,520 a year over 220 billable days, 51% more than the $141,000 permanent median. That premium has to pay for what an employer would otherwise cover: paid holiday and sick days, pension contributions, and the gaps between contracts. Contract and permanent benchmarks come from separate samples, so treat the gap as a guide.
Data Engineer Salary Benchmarks
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