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NZ Take-Home Pay Guides by Salary Level 2026

Updated

Your gross salary and your take-home pay are rarely the same number. In New Zealand, every employee has PAYE income tax and the ACC earner levy deducted from their pay before it reaches their bank account. If you also contribute to KiwiSaver or have a student loan, further deductions apply.

These guides break down exactly what you take home at each common salary level — weekly, fortnightly, and monthly — using the current 2026–27 PAYE tax tables and ACC levy rate.

What Is Deducted from Your NZ Pay?

PAYE income tax is calculated progressively across five tax brackets. You don’t pay 30% on your entire salary if you earn $70,000: you pay 10.5% on the first $15,600, 17.5% on the next portion, and 30% only on income above $53,500.

ACC earner levy is currently $1.75 per $100 of liable earnings (up to a levy cap of $156,641 in earnings, for a maximum annual levy of $2,741.22). This is paid by all employees and covers the costs of treatment and compensation for work and non-work accidents.

KiwiSaver contributions (3.5%, 4%, 6%, 8%, or 10%) are optional in the sense that you can apply for a savings suspension, but you are automatically enrolled when you start a new job. The minimum employee and employer contribution rate is 3.5% (rising from 3% from 1 April 2026). These deductions go directly into your KiwiSaver account and count as your savings.

Student loan repayments are deducted at 12% of income above the repayment threshold ($24,128 for the 2026–27 tax year). These appear on your pay slip if IRD has your student loan on record.

How to Use These Guides

Each take-home pay guide shows:

  • Annual, monthly, fortnightly, and weekly net pay
  • Breakdown of PAYE tax paid at each bracket
  • ACC levy amount
  • Impact of KiwiSaver contributions at different rates
  • Student loan repayment impact
  • Comparison to the NZ median salary

These guides use the M tax code (standard employed, no student loan as default). If you use a different tax code (e.g., SB, SH, ST), your actual deductions will differ.

Take-Home Pay Guides by Salary