Updated 11 October 2026 7 income years
HECS / HELP Repayment Thresholds
The minimum repayment threshold for 2026–27 is $69,528. Below this table you will find every published threshold and rate back to 2020–21 — including the year the calculation method changed.
Minimum threshold by year
This is the income at which compulsory repayments begin. It is indexed annually.
| Income year | Minimum threshold | Change | Calculation method |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026–27 | $69,528 | + $2,528 | Marginal rates |
| 2025–26 | $67,000 | + $12,565 | Marginal rates |
| 2024–25 | $54,435 | + $2,885 | Single rate on total income |
| 2023–24 | $51,550 | + $3,189 | Single rate on total income |
| 2022–23 | $48,361 | + $1,347 | Single rate on total income |
| 2021–22 | $47,014 | + $394 | Single rate on total income |
| 2020–21 | $46,620 | — | Single rate on total income |
Source: Australian Taxation Office, checked 11 October 2026.
2026–27 — current thresholds and rates
Marginal rates apply: each band is charged only on the income above its starting point.
| Repayment income | Repayment on this income |
|---|---|
| $0 – $69,528 | Nil |
| $69,529 – $129,717 | 15c for each $1 over $69,528 |
| $129,718 – $186,050 | $9,028 plus 17c for each $1 over $129,717 |
| $186,051 and over | 10% of your total repayment income |
2025–26 — previous year
The first year of the marginal system.
| Repayment income | Repayment on this income |
|---|---|
| $0 – $67,000 | Nil |
| $67,001 – $125,000 | 15c for each $1 over $67,000 |
| $125,001 – $179,285 | $8,700 plus 17c for each $1 over $125,000 |
| $179,286 and over | 10% of your total repayment income |
The method changed in 2025–26 — and most older pages get it wrong
From 2025–26 the ATO uses marginal rates. Before that, a single rate applied to your entire repayment income. The same salary therefore produced a very different repayment:
| Repayment income | 2024–25 (single rate on total) | 2026–27 (marginal) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | $600.00 | $0.00 | − $600.00 |
| $90,000 | $4,500.00 | $3,070.80 | − $1,429.20 |
| $120,000 | $9,000.00 | $7,570.80 | − $1,429.20 |
| $160,000 | $16,000.00 | $14,176.11 | − $1,823.89 |
If you are comparing an old Notice of Assessment to a current calculator, check which system it is using — the difference at $60,000–90,000 is substantial.
Full bands for every earlier year
In these years the percentage was applied to your whole repayment income, not just the part above a threshold.
2024–25 — threshold $54,435, rates 1.0% to 10.0%
| Repayment income | Repayment rate (% of total income) |
|---|---|
| Below $54,435 | Nil |
| $54,435 – $62,850 | 1.0% |
| $62,851 – $66,620 | 2.0% |
| $66,621 – $70,618 | 2.5% |
| $70,619 – $74,855 | 3.0% |
| $74,856 – $79,346 | 3.5% |
| $79,347 – $84,107 | 4.0% |
| $84,108 – $89,154 | 4.5% |
| $89,155 – $94,503 | 5.0% |
| $94,504 – $100,174 | 5.5% |
| $100,175 – $106,185 | 6.0% |
| $106,186 – $112,556 | 6.5% |
| $112,557 – $119,309 | 7.0% |
| $119,310 – $126,467 | 7.5% |
| $126,468 – $134,056 | 8.0% |
| $134,057 – $142,100 | 8.5% |
| $142,101 – $150,626 | 9.0% |
| $150,627 – $159,663 | 9.5% |
| $159,664 and over | 10.0% |
2023–24 — threshold $51,550, rates 1.0% to 10.0%
| Repayment income | Repayment rate (% of total income) |
|---|---|
| Below $51,550 | Nil |
| $51,550 – $59,518 | 1.0% |
| $59,519 – $63,089 | 2.0% |
| $63,090 – $66,875 | 2.5% |
| $66,876 – $70,888 | 3.0% |
| $70,889 – $75,140 | 3.5% |
| $75,141 – $79,649 | 4.0% |
| $79,650 – $84,429 | 4.5% |
| $84,430 – $89,494 | 5.0% |
| $89,495 – $94,865 | 5.5% |
| $94,866 – $100,557 | 6.0% |
| $100,558 – $106,590 | 6.5% |
| $106,591 – $112,985 | 7.0% |
| $112,986 – $119,764 | 7.5% |
| $119,765 – $126,950 | 8.0% |
| $126,951 – $134,568 | 8.5% |
| $134,569 – $142,642 | 9.0% |
| $142,643 – $151,200 | 9.5% |
| $151,201 and over | 10.0% |
2022–23 — threshold $48,361, rates 1.0% to 10.0%
| Repayment income | Repayment rate (% of total income) |
|---|---|
| Below $48,361 | Nil |
| $48,361 – $55,836 | 1.0% |
| $55,837 – $59,186 | 2.0% |
| $59,187 – $62,738 | 2.5% |
| $62,739 – $66,502 | 3.0% |
| $66,503 – $70,492 | 3.5% |
| $70,493 – $74,722 | 4.0% |
| $74,723 – $79,206 | 4.5% |
| $79,207 – $83,958 | 5.0% |
| $83,959 – $88,996 | 5.5% |
| $88,997 – $94,336 | 6.0% |
| $94,337 – $99,996 | 6.5% |
| $99,997 – $105,996 | 7.0% |
| $105,997 – $112,355 | 7.5% |
| $112,356 – $119,097 | 8.0% |
| $119,098 – $126,243 | 8.5% |
| $126,244 – $133,818 | 9.0% |
| $133,819 – $141,847 | 9.5% |
| $141,848 and over | 10.0% |
2021–22 — threshold $47,014, rates 1.0% to 10.0%
| Repayment income | Repayment rate (% of total income) |
|---|---|
| Below $47,014 | Nil |
| $47,014 – $54,282 | 1.0% |
| $54,283 – $57,538 | 2.0% |
| $57,539 – $60,991 | 2.5% |
| $60,992 – $64,651 | 3.0% |
| $64,652 – $68,529 | 3.5% |
| $68,530 – $72,641 | 4.0% |
| $72,642 – $77,001 | 4.5% |
| $77,002 – $81,620 | 5.0% |
| $81,621 – $86,518 | 5.5% |
| $86,519 – $91,709 | 6.0% |
| $91,710 – $97,212 | 6.5% |
| $97,213 – $103,045 | 7.0% |
| $103,046 – $109,227 | 7.5% |
| $109,228 – $115,781 | 8.0% |
| $115,782 – $122,728 | 8.5% |
| $122,729 – $130,092 | 9.0% |
| $130,093 – $137,897 | 9.5% |
| $137,898 and over | 10.0% |
2020–21 — threshold $46,620, rates 1.0% to 10.0%
| Repayment income | Repayment rate (% of total income) |
|---|---|
| Below $46,620 | Nil |
| $46,620 – $53,826 | 1.0% |
| $53,827 – $57,055 | 2.0% |
| $57,056 – $60,479 | 2.5% |
| $60,480 – $64,108 | 3.0% |
| $64,109 – $67,954 | 3.5% |
| $67,955 – $72,031 | 4.0% |
| $72,032 – $76,354 | 4.5% |
| $76,355 – $80,935 | 5.0% |
| $80,936 – $85,792 | 5.5% |
| $85,793 – $90,939 | 6.0% |
| $90,940 – $96,396 | 6.5% |
| $96,397 – $102,179 | 7.0% |
| $102,180 – $108,309 | 7.5% |
| $108,310 – $114,809 | 8.0% |
| $114,810 – $121,698 | 8.5% |
| $121,699 – $128,999 | 9.0% |
| $129,000 – $136,739 | 9.5% |
| $136,740 and over | 10.0% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the HECS repayment threshold for 2026–27?
$69,528. Below that repayment income, no compulsory repayment is taken. The threshold is indexed each year and has risen every year since it was last frozen.
How has the threshold changed over time?
It has risen from $46,620 in 2020–21 to $69,528 in 2026–27. The full year-by-year progression is in the table above.
Is the threshold based on my salary or my total income?
Not your salary — your repayment income. That is your taxable income plus reportable fringe benefits, total net investment loss, reportable super contributions and exempt foreign employment income. Salary sacrificing into super, for example, raises your repayment income even though it lowers your take-home pay.
What does the repayment rate actually mean?
Since 2025–26 the rates are marginal, so "15c for each $1 over $69,528" means you pay 15 cents on each dollar above the threshold — not 15% of your whole income. Before 2025–26 the rates were not marginal: a single percentage applied to your entire repayment income.
Do the thresholds apply to VET Student Loans and FEE-HELP too?
Yes. Since 1 July 2019 every Australian Government study and training support loan — HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, VET Student Loans, Trade Support Loans, SA-HELP, OS-HELP, the Student Start-up Loan and old SFSS debts — shares the same thresholds and rates.
Where do these numbers come from?
Every figure on this page is taken from the ATO's published thresholds and rates, checked 11 October 2026. Nothing is estimated.
Related
- HECS / HELP repayment calculator — work out what you actually repay
- HECS debt indexation — the annual rate applied to your balance