Guide
Workers' compensation insurance cost calculator: rates by state
Updated
Your premium is your own scheme's rate for your industry, applied to your wages. The state averages below are the starting point the schemes themselves publish.
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How this calculator works
- Superannuation guarantee at 12%. The ATO's published table gives 12.00% for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 and for 1 July 2027 onwards, so the step-up schedule has finished (ATO).
- From 1 July 2026 the guarantee is calculated on qualifying earnings, not ordinary time earnings. Contributions must reach the employee's fund within 7 business days of paying them (ATO, payday super).
- We treat the salary you enter as qualifying earnings; overtime and some allowances may sit outside it.
- Super stops accruing above the maximum contribution base. From 1 July 2026 that is an annual figure, $270,830 for 2026-27, replacing the old quarterly limit (ATO).
- Payroll tax is a state and territory tax with its own threshold and rate in each jurisdiction, so we do not assume one. We apply your rate to wages plus superannuation, because Revenue NSW states that all superannuation contributions are liable for payroll tax (Revenue NSW). Each jurisdiction defines taxable wages in its own Act: confirm yours.
- Workers compensation is compulsory and must be bought from an authorised insurer, with the laws varying in each state and territory (business.gov.au). Premium rates depend on your industry classification and claims history, so the field is yours to fill from your policy.
- Fringe benefits tax is not included. FBT runs from 1 April to 31 March, at 47% for the FBT years ending 31 March 2023 to 31 March 2027. It applies to the grossed-up value of benefits you provide (ATO).
- If you package a car or entertainment, budget for it separately.
- Award wages, penalty rates, allowances and leave loading are not modelled. The National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour or $1,004.90 a week. Most employees are covered by an award that pays more (Fair Work Ombudsman).
Average workers compensation rates by state
Three state schemes publish an average premium rate for 2026-27, read through our fetch service in September and October 2026. New South Wales (icare), Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Comcare publish no average we could read, so they are not shown.
| Scheme | Average premium rate | Premium on a $90,000 salary |
|---|---|---|
| WorkSafe Victoria | 1.8% of rateable remuneration | $1,620 |
| WorkCover Queensland | $1.343 per $100 of wages | $1,208.70 |
| ReturnToWorkSA | 1.85% | $1,665 |
| Australia, standardised average (Safe Work Australia, 2021-22) | 1.34% of payroll | $1,206 |
Sources: WorkSafe Victoria, WorkCover Queensland, ReturnToWorkSA and Safe Work Australia. The $90,000 column is that rate times $90,000.
How to work out your workers comp cost
- Find your industry classification on your policy or your scheme's rate table.
- Take the premium rate your scheme sets for that classification, not the state average.
- Multiply it by your total wages for the year, as your scheme defines them.
- Enter the rate in the employee cost calculator to see it beside super and payroll tax.
Why your rate is not the average
An average premium rate is the scheme's total premium over total wages. Your own rate is set by your industry classification and, for larger employers, your claims history, so a warehouse and an office in the same state pay very different rates. The average is a budget check, not a quote.
Workers compensation insurance is compulsory for employers in every state and territory. Confirm your premium with your own scheme or insurer; nothing here is advice.