Salary package vs base salary Australia (2025-26 super included vs on top)
Two Australian job offers with the same headline number can produce different cash pay depending on whether super is included in the package or paid on top of base salary. This page helps you compare package offers on a like-for-like basis before you judge take-home pay.
Quick answers
- Base salary + super on top: the cash salary is higher because employer super sits above the quoted salary.
- Total package includes super: part of the headline number is redirected into super, which lowers the cash salary component.
- Why does take-home pay change? Tax is applied to the cash salary you actually receive, not the total package headline alone.
- Best comparison method: split every offer into cash salary, employer super and estimated net pay using the same assumptions.
Key difference
Base salary usually means your salary before tax, with employer super added on top. Salary package or total remuneration often means the employer super amount is already bundled into the advertised figure.
So if both employers advertise the same headline amount, the package offer can still leave you with less cash salary and lower take-home pay.
How to compare offers fairly
- Ask whether the quoted amount is total package, total remuneration or base salary.
- Separate the employer super amount from the package before comparing cash salary.
- Use one super assumption across both offers.
- Estimate take-home pay only after you have aligned both offers to the same basis.
Useful calculators and guides
FAQ
What is the difference between salary package and base salary?
Base salary is usually your cash salary before tax, with employer super paid on top. A salary package often includes super inside the quoted amount.
Does salary package include super in Australia?
Often yes when the employer refers to total package or total remuneration. Always check the wording in the offer because that determines the real cash salary.
Why can two job offers with the same number pay different take-home amounts?
If one number includes super and the other has super on top, the cash salary differs. That changes the amount that flows through to take-home pay after tax.
Related guides for salary, super and take-home checks
- Read the superannuation guide for the broader salary-includes-super vs super-on-top explanation.
- Use the take-home pay calculator to compare net outcomes once you know the real cash salary.
- Use the salary calculator Australia to convert annual salary into monthly, fortnightly and weekly gross pay.