§-Career vs cost
Case manager: salary vs cost of living
Median full-time earnings for Welfare, Recreation and Community Arts Workers are $1,926 a week before tax ($100,152 a year). After 2026-27 income tax, the Medicare levy and a $4,594 HELP repayment, that is about $1,404 a week. Median unit rent would take 40% of it in Adelaide and 57% in Gold Coast.
From gross to take-home
| Median full-time earnings | Per year | Per week |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $100,152 | $1,926 |
| Income tax (2026-27 resident rates) | -$20,566 | -$395 |
| Medicare levy | -$2,003 | -$39 |
| HELP compulsory repayment (2026-27) | -$4,594 | -$88 |
| Take-home pay | $72,990 | $1,404 |
HELP at the median: 15c for each $1 over $69,528 (($100,152 - $69,528) x 15% = $4,593.60). Without a HELP debt, take-home at the median is $1,492 a week.
Rent as a share of median take-home pay
Rent above 30% of take-home pay is a common marker of rental stress. On median earnings for this career, median unit rent is at or under 30% in 0 of 10 cities.
Sources
- Median weekly earnings: yourcareer.gov.au (sourced 2026-09-23)
- ATO: tax rates for Australian residents and study and training loan repayment thresholds