§-Career vs cost
Mental-health worker: salary vs cost of living
Median full-time earnings for Welfare Support Workers are $1,688 a week before tax ($87,776 a year). After 2026-27 income tax, the Medicare levy and a $2,737 HELP repayment, that is about $1,278 a week. Median unit rent would take 44% of it in Adelaide and 63% in Gold Coast.
From gross to take-home
| Median full-time earnings | Per year | Per week |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $87,776 | $1,688 |
| Income tax (2026-27 resident rates) | -$16,853 | -$324 |
| Medicare levy | -$1,756 | -$34 |
| HELP compulsory repayment (2026-27) | -$2,737 | -$53 |
| Take-home pay | $66,430 | $1,278 |
HELP at the median: 15c for each $1 over $69,528 (($87,776 - $69,528) x 15% = $2,737.20). Without a HELP debt, take-home at the median is $1,330 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