Doctor salary in Australia after tax — 2026
Nearly every Australian doctor finishes medical school with a HECS-HELP debt, and almost every specialist eventually crosses into Division 293 territory. Both quietly reshape take-home pay in ways the headline salary doesn't show.
Take-home pay by career stage — 2026
Deductions are income tax and the Medicare Levy (2%, tapered below the reduction threshold). Figures below exclude HECS-HELP repayments, which are compulsory once income crosses roughly A$54,000 — see below for what that actually costs a junior doctor.
| Stage | Gross Salary | Monthly Net (excl. HECS) | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intern (PGY1) | A$75,000 | A$5,018/mo | 19.7% |
| Registrar | A$125,000 | A$7,851/mo | 24.6% |
| Specialist (public hospital base) | A$220,000 | A$12,539/mo | 31.6% |
| Senior specialist + private billing (example) | A$400,000 | A$20,489/mo | 38.5% |
Superannuation guarantee (12% in 2026) is paid by the employer on top of most salaried positions — check whether a quoted "package" figure includes super or sits on top of it, since job ads aren't always consistent. Source: AMA award benchmarking, state health department pay scales 2026.
HECS-HELP and Division 293 — the two things that quietly eat into doctor pay
Medicine is one of the most HECS-indebted degrees in Australia — six years of study can leave A$80,000-A$100,000+ in HECS-HELP debt. Once income crosses the compulsory repayment threshold (around A$54,000 in 2025-26), a percentage of income — starting around 1% and rising to 10% at higher incomes — is deducted automatically on top of income tax.
- A registrar on A$125,000 falls into a repayment band of roughly 7-8%, meaning an extra ~A$800-950/month beyond the take-home figures shown above, until the debt is cleared
- HECS debt is indexed annually (to CPI or wage growth, whichever is lower, under 2023 reforms), so it's worth paying attention to even though there's no interest in the traditional sense
- At the top end, Division 293 tax adds an extra 15% tax on concessional (pre-tax) superannuation contributions once combined income plus super contributions exceeds A$250,000 — squarely where senior specialists and consultants with private billing income sit
Neither of these show up in a standard take-home calculator, including this one — they're specific to Australian graduates and high earners respectively, and worth budgeting for separately rather than assuming the headline net figure is the whole story.
Salary distribution — where Australian doctors sit
| Percentile | Gross Annual | Monthly Net |
|---|---|---|
| P25 (Intern/RMO) | ~A$75,000-A$95,000 | ~A$5,020-A$6,150/mo |
| P50 Median (Registrar) | ~A$125,000 | ~A$7,850/mo |
| P75 (Specialist, public base) | ~A$220,000 | ~A$12,540/mo |
| P90 (Specialist + private billing) | ~A$400,000+ | ~A$20,490+/mo |
Excludes HECS-HELP repayments and Division 293 tax where applicable. Surgical and procedural specialists with substantial private practice can earn well above A$400,000 total. Source: AMA, state health award data 2026.
Frequently asked questions
An intern (PGY1) on A$75,000 takes home around A$5,018/month. A registrar on A$125,000 takes home about A$7,851/month. A specialist on the public hospital base of A$220,000 takes home roughly A$12,539/month. These figures exclude HECS-HELP repayments and Division 293 tax where applicable.
Compulsory HECS-HELP repayments kick in around A$54,000 income and scale from about 1% to 10% of income. A registrar on A$125,000 would pay roughly 7-8% — an extra A$800-950/month beyond standard take-home — until the typical A$80,000-A$100,000+ medical degree debt is repaid.
Division 293 adds an extra 15% tax on concessional superannuation contributions once combined income plus super exceeds A$250,000/year. This affects most senior specialists and consultants with meaningful private billing income — worth factoring in when comparing headline specialist salaries.
An Australian specialist on the public base (A$220,000, ~A$12,539/month) earns considerably more than a UK NHS consultant entry point (£113,565, ~£5,801/month before pension) even after currency conversion, and is broadly comparable to a Canadian family physician's after-overhead take-home. This gap is a major driver of doctors moving from the UK and New Zealand to Australia.