A Head of Data & AI earning the median salary of A$252K in Australia takes home approximately $167,690/year ($13,974/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 | $187,000 | $133,000$11,083/mo | $11,083 | 28.9% |
| Mid-level | $238,000 | $160,270$13,356/mo | $13,356 | 32.7% |
| Senior | $298,000 | $192,070$16,006/mo | $16,006 | 35.5% |
| Lead / Principal | $383,000 | $237,120$19,760/mo | $19,760 | 38.1% |
The biggest pay step is Senior to Lead / Principal: $85,000 more a year before tax, of which $45,050 reaches take-home. 47% of that raise goes to Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, against an average 36% on the Senior salary, because the extra pay is taxed at the top of your bands rather than spread across all of them.
Around the headline median, the middle half of Head of Data & AI salaries in Australia run from $238,000 to $266,000 a year, which is $160,270 to $175,110 after Income Tax and the Medicare Levy.
The table above uses the Head of Data & AI 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
$167,690
Per fortnight
$6,450
Per month
$13,974
Per week
$3,225
Effective tax rate
33.5%
Employer superannuation (on top, not deducted)
$30,240/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 $252,000 annual salary is split
$167,690
66.5%
$79,270
31.5%
$5,040
2.0%
| Gross salary | $252,000 |
| Income Tax | -$79,270 |
| Medicare Levy (2%) | -$5,040 |
| Total deductions | -$84,310 |
| Net take-home (annual) | $167,690 |
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
$252,000
$167,690 take-home
Contract median
$1,656/day
≈ $364,320 gross a year
At a median $1,656/day, contract work grosses about $364,320 a year over 220 billable days, 45% more than the $252,000 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 Head of Data & AI contract rates and contractor take-home →
A Head of Data & AI earning the median salary of A$252K in Australia takes home approximately $167,690 per year ($13,974 per month) after Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, using 2026-27 ATO resident rates.
On a median Head of Data & AI salary of A$252K, the effective tax rate (Income Tax and Medicare Levy combined) is 33.5%, leaving $167,690 as take-home pay.
On a A$252K salary, a Head of Data & AI pays approximately $79,270 in Income Tax per year under 2026-27 resident brackets (tax-free to $18,200, then 15%, 30%, 37%, and 45%).
On a A$252K salary, the Medicare Levy is approximately $5,040 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 Head of Data & AI in Australia earns a median $298,000 a year and takes home approximately $192,070 ($16,006 per month) after Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, an effective rate of 35.5%.
A junior Head of Data & AI in Australia earns a median $187,000 a year and takes home approximately $133,000 ($11,083 per month) after Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, an effective rate of 28.9%.
The biggest pay step is Senior to Lead / Principal: $85,000 more a year before tax, of which $45,050 reaches take-home. 47% of that raise goes to Income Tax and the Medicare Levy, against an average 36% 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 $1,656/day, contract work grosses about $364,320 a year over 220 billable days, 45% more than the $252,000 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.
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