New Zealand pay in numbers
What 2,840,300 New Zealand wage and salary earners were paid in the year ended 31 March 2026, where any salary sits against theirs, and what a salary is worth after tax.
Where a salary sits
| Salary a year | Earners paid less | In your hand a year | A month |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | 27% | $24,267 | $2,022 |
| $40,000 | 33% | $31,992 | $2,666 |
| $50,000 | 40% | $39,717 | $3,310 |
| $60,000 | 48% | $46,630 | $3,886 |
| $70,000 | 58% | $53,105 | $4,425 |
| $80,000 | 66% | $59,523 | $4,960 |
| $90,000 | 73% | $65,698 | $5,475 |
| $100,000 | 78% | $71,873 | $5,989 |
| $120,000 | 86% | $84,223 | $7,019 |
| $150,000 | 93% | $102,748 | $8,562 |
In your hand after PAYE, the ACC earner levy and 3.5% KiwiSaver, with no student loan, on this year's rates. This is annual wage and salary income, not an advertised salary rate. It includes part-time and part-year earners, so a percentile is against every wage earner rather than against full-time workers in one occupation.
The median, year by year
Tax years ended 31 March. Up 46% since 2019, before prices.
Source: IRD, Wage and salary distributions for individuals. Checked 31 August 2026. Next update 30 June 2027.
Cite this
IRD, Wage and salary distributions for individuals, checked 31 August 2026. Via jobtracker.co.nz/stats/pay.
Tax on pay, this year
| Income a year | PAYE on that part |
|---|---|
| $0 to $15,600 | 10.5% |
| $15,600 to $53,500 | 17.5% |
| $53,500 to $78,100 | 30% |
| $78,100 to $180,000 | 33% |
| Over $180,000 | 39% |
Plus the ACC earner levy of 1.75% on pay up to $156,641. A student loan takes 12% of pay over $24,128. The default KiwiSaver contribution is 3.5%, rising to 4% on 1 April 2028.
Source: Inland Revenue. Checked 24 September 2026. Next update 1 April 2027.
Cite this
Inland Revenue, checked 24 September 2026. Via jobtracker.co.nz/stats/pay.
Comparing two job offers, or a pay rise? jobtracker.co.nz shows every job you apply for at its real take-home pay, and keeps your pay after prices once you are in the job.