§-Career vs cost
Welder: salary vs cost of living
Median full-time earnings for Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers are $1,755 a week before tax ($91,260 a year). After 2026-27 income tax, the Medicare levy and a $3,260 HELP repayment, that is about $1,313 a week. Median unit rent would take 42% of it in Adelaide and 61% in Gold Coast.
From gross to take-home
| Median full-time earnings | Per year | Per week |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $91,260 | $1,755 |
| Income tax (2026-27 resident rates) | -$17,898 | -$344 |
| Medicare levy | -$1,825 | -$35 |
| HELP compulsory repayment (2026-27) | -$3,260 | -$63 |
| Take-home pay | $68,277 | $1,313 |
HELP at the median: 15c for each $1 over $69,528 (($91,260 - $69,528) x 15% = $3,259.80). Without a HELP debt, take-home at the median is $1,376 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