Understanding pay

Pay can be confusing when you're starting out. These resources help you understand what salary figures actually mean after tax and superannuation, how to research what a role typically pays, and how to handle the salary question if it comes up in an interview. If you're considering tech careers, knowing how to read and compare salary information is especially useful given the wide range of roles and pay levels across the sector.

1. Start with the Pay calculator. Enter any salary figure and see exactly what you'd take home after tax and superannuation. Use it alongside tech salary data to understand what advertised figures actually mean in your pocket.
2. Read the Salary expectations guide to learn how to respond confidently when an interviewer asks what you're hoping to earn. The key advice: do your research beforehand, give a range rather than a single number, and know that it's perfectly fine to ask what the role pays.

Other resources to support these:

• The fastest-growing salaries tool shows which industries and roles have seen the biggest pay increases recently. IT roles feature in the top-growth list, and the key finding that people who change roles earn significantly more than those who stay put is worth knowing early in your career.

Whether you're comparing job ads or just curious about what tech roles pay, these resources give you the tools to make sense of the numbers.