How much tax do you pay on $30,000 a year in Australia? (FY2025–26)
On $30,000 a year in FY2025–26, you sit in the 16% bracket above $18,200. After the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) and a small Medicare Levy phase-in, your effective tax rate stays low and you keep most of what you earn.
Annual take-home
$28,613
Effective tax rate: 4.6%
Annual total tax
$1,387
Marginal rate: 16.0%
Tax breakdown (annual)
- Gross income
- $30,000
- Taxable income
- $30,000
- Income tax (Stage 3 brackets)
- $1,888
- LITO low income offset
- − $700
- Net income tax
- $1,188
- Medicare Levy (2%)
- $199
- Total taxes
- $1,387
- Annual take-home
- $28,613
Default scenario: single filer, has appropriate private hospital cover, no HECS. If you have HECS or no private health cover, use our main calculator for the full picture.
Who earns $30,000?
$30,000 is well below the median Australian wage and typical of part-time retail and hospitality workers, first-year university students balancing casual jobs, working-holiday makers in their early months on a 417/462 visa, and parents returning to work on reduced hours. At this income, tax planning is less about complex deductions and more about claiming every offset you are entitled to — particularly the full Low Income Tax Offset — and making sure your employer is using your TFN correctly so you are not over-taxed on each pay run.
Deduction tips at this income level
- 1Claim the full $700 Low Income Tax Offset automatically by lodging a return — you do not need to apply, but you must lodge to receive it.
- 2Track uniform laundry, work-related travel between jobs, and any tools or phone use — small claims add up quickly at this income level.
- 3Make sure you have lodged a TFN declaration with every employer to avoid the 47% no-TFN withholding rate eating your pay.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I have to lodge a tax return if I earn $30,000?
Yes — once you earn above the $18,200 tax-free threshold and have had any PAYG tax withheld from your wages, you must lodge a return by 31 October (or later if you use a registered tax agent). Lodging is also how you claim your Low Income Tax Offset and any work-related deductions, which usually triggers a refund. Even casual and part-time workers who earned under $30,000 should lodge — the ATO does not automatically refund over-withheld tax.
How much Medicare Levy do I pay on $30,000?
The Medicare Levy is 2% of taxable income but phases in gradually for low earners. At $30,000 you fall inside the phase-in zone (roughly $28,011–$35,013 for singles in FY2025–26), so you pay a reduced levy rather than the full 2%. The exact amount depends on whether you are single, have dependants, or hold a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. International students on most visas are exempt and can claim a Medicare Entitlement Statement to remove the levy entirely.
What is the Low Income Tax Offset and how much do I get at $30,000?
The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) is a non-refundable tax offset worth up to $700 for Australians earning $37,500 or less. Because $30,000 falls under the threshold, you receive the full $700 LITO. It reduces the tax you owe but does not produce a cash refund on its own — meaning if your gross tax is already below $700, the offset just zeroes it out. LITO is applied automatically by the ATO when you lodge.
Authoritative sources
All rates and thresholds on this page are sourced from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
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