How do I convert a day rate to an equivalent salary?

Multiply the day rate by a realistic number of billable days (not every working day in the year), then subtract the value of the 12% super and paid leave you'd get automatically as an employee to arrive at a genuinely comparable salary figure.

Why isn't day rate multiplied by around 260 working days the right salary?

Because it assumes zero downtime — no leave, no sick days, no gaps between contracts — which almost never matches reality for a contractor, and it ignores that a salaried role also comes with 12% super on top.

What does a given day rate really equal in salary terms?

It depends heavily on your billable-weeks assumption and whether the rate is GST-inclusive — enter your own figures into the calculator above to see your honest equivalent rather than relying on a rough rule of thumb.

Should I include super in the comparison?

Yes — leaving out the 12% Superannuation Guarantee that a salaried employee receives on top of their pay will make a day rate look like a better deal than it actually is.

Day Rate to Salary Calculator (Australia, FY2026-27)

What your day rate is really worth as a salary

A day rate multiplied by the number of working days in a year overstates the equivalent salary, because it ignores the 12% super and paid leave a salaried role includes, and it assumes every single working day is billable — which contractors rarely achieve.

This calculator applies a realistic billable-weeks assumption and adds back the value of super and leave you'd be giving up, so you get an honest 'this day rate is really worth about this much salary' comparison rather than a misleadingly high headline figure.

How to use this calculator

Enter your day rate (or hourly rate)
Set a realistic number of billable weeks for the year
Indicate whether the rate is GST-inclusive or GST-exclusive
Review the equivalent salary figure, including the value of foregone super and leave

Day Rate to Salary Calculator