Wondering how much super you need for your age? Here you’ll:
- Discover the median and average balances for your age range
- Consider how your retirement expectations shape what you’ll need, and
- Learn simple steps you can take now to grow your super.
What does median vs average super balance mean?
- The median super balance is the middle super balance for your age group.
- The average super balance is the total of all superannuation for your age group, divided by the number of accounts.
- High-balance accounts will pull the average super balance upwards, which is why the average is higher than the median.
- With this in mind, the median can be considered a more useful indicator of ‘typical’ retirement savings than the average.
How much super should I have in my 20s?
In your 20s, you’re more likely to be working in roles that are entry-level, part-time or casual, as well as studying or training. Since you’re towards the beginning of your working life, your super balance might not be that high, and that’s normal – you have plenty of time to boost your super before retirement.
| Age range | Median super balance | Average super balance |
|---|---|---|
| 18 to 24 | $4,045 | $7,740 |
| 25 to 29 | $17,381 | $24,740 |
Young woman on the phone
How can I boost my super in my 20s?
- Compare your super fund options. When you start your first job in your teens and 20s, it's common to be placed into your employer's default super fund if you haven't made your own choice. But you can choose or change your super fund at any time. Are you in a stable option or a growth-focused one? Knowing how your super is invested can help it work harder for you over time.
- Consider a one-off contribution. Topping up with before and after-tax contributions can help grow your super.[S1]
- Check if you’re eligible for a government co-contribution. If you earn under $62,488 during the 2025/26 financial year and make a personal contribution to your super, you could get a government co-contribution of up to $500.[S3]
How much super should I have in my 30s?
Your 30s can be a time of change; maybe you’re changing careers, pursuing further study, or starting a family. These milestones can affect both your income and the amount of super you’re able to build.
For example, if you take parental leave, your employer may not pay super during some or all of that time, depending on their policy. Or you may change jobs and maybe also change super providers, meaning your super is spread across multiple funds. This makes your 30s a good time to take stock of your financial situation, including your super.
| Age range | Median super balance | Average super balance |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 34 | $38,681 | $51,400 |
| 35 to 39 | $65,417 | $86,140 |
How can I boost my super in my 30s?
- Find lost or unclaimed super you may have. If your fund has lost contact with you or you haven’t made a contribution in the last five years, there may be super you can claim. Either log in to your super account and follow the relevant prompts, or visit the ATO website.
- Combine multiple super accounts. Multiple super accounts could be costing you money, so combine your accounts where you can.[C1] You can search for multiple accounts (and combine them) through your fund’s online portal. If you’re an Aware Super member, you can do this on our app too.
- Use My Retirement PlannerTM to see how much you need at retirement. This free online tool is designed to help you estimate and optimise your super. All you need to do is:
- enter some information,
- choose your preferred retirement lifestyle, then
- you’ll get a picture of what your future might look like and an action plan to help you achieve your goals.
How much super should I have in my 40s?
Your 40s are the key years to build your super balance and take advantage of the compounding interest you’ve been working hard to accrue over time. This time can be a good opportunity to do some super catch-up if you paused work in your 30s, and, if you have capacity, to make some additional super contributions.
| Age range | Median super balance | Average super balance |
|---|---|---|
| 40 to 44 | $91,590 | $123,993 |
| 45 to 49 | $116,886 | $166,937 |
A father father carrying his baby son
How can I boost my super in my 40s?
- Talk to your employer about salary sacrifice. You can arrange to have an extra portion of your before-tax salary put into your super. This it can help you boost your super and could mean you pay less tax.[S2]
- Consolidate your super. Multiple super accounts could be costing you money, so combine your accounts where you can. You can search for multiple accounts (and combine them) through your fund’s online portal. If you’re an Aware Super member, you can do this on our app too.[C1]
- Use My Retirement PlannerTM to see how much you need at retirement. This free online tool is designed to help you estimate and optimise your super. All you need to do is:
- enter some information,
- choose your preferred retirement lifestyle, then
- you’ll get a picture of what your future might look like and an action plan to help you achieve your goals.
How much super should I have in my 50s?
Thinking about your super in your 50s depends very much on your personal circumstances. For many people, it can be a time of slowing down in the lead-up to retirement. But others aim to grow their super balance significantly in the final years before retirement, especially if they’ve had breaks earlier in their career.
| Age range | Median super balance | Average super balance |
|---|---|---|
| 50 to 54 | $137,930 | $215,115 |
| 55 to 59 | $158,462 | $277,327 |
How can I boost my super in my 50s?
- Make the most of before-tax and after-tax contributions. Be it a one-off personal contribution or setting up salary sacrifice with your employer.[S1] [S2]
- Consolidate your super. If you’ve had multiple jobs over the years, then you might have multiple super accounts. Now is a good time to consider combining them into one, if you haven’t already. One fund means one set of fees, one password, and less admin.[C1]
- Consider contributing a lump sum. If you contribute a lump sum now, it means you could make the most of compounding returns. Compounding returns (or ‘compounding’) is when your super earns returns, and those returns are reinvested so your returns earn returns. Over time, this can help your super grow faster because you’re earning returns on a larger balance.[S1]
How much super should I have in my 60s?
Your 60s are a time to be in retirement-planning mode, if you’re not yet in the process of transitioning to partial or full retirement. Australians are increasingly delaying retirement, with both the mean and median ages for retirement currently sitting at 63-65 years old.
| Age range | Median super balance | Average super balance |
|---|---|---|
| 60 to 64 | $183,524 | $361,539 |
| 65 to 69 | $207,540 | $428,738 |
A mother and her adult daughter out in the country
How can I boost my super in my 60s?
- Make the most of before-tax and after-tax contributions. Be it a one-off personal contribution or setting up salary sacrifice with your employer.[S1] [S2]
- Consolidate your super. If you’ve had multiple jobs over the years, then you might have multiple super accounts. Now is a good time to consider combining them into one, if you haven’t already. One fund means one set of fees, one password, and less admin.[C1]
- Consider contributing a lump sum. If you contribute a lump sum now, it means you can make the most of compounding returns. Compounding returns (or ‘compounding’) is when your super earns returns, and those returns are reinvested so your returns earn returns. Over time, this can help your super grow faster because you’re earning returns on a larger balance.[S1]
| Age range | What you can do |
|---|---|
| In your 20s, 30s and 40s | Get a Super Helpful Check-in to see if investing in higher growth investments could be right for you right now.[AD1][AD2] |
| In your 50s and 60s | Schedule a Retire Ready Check-in for advice at no extra cost.[AD1][AD2] |
Yes, you can get the Age Pension if you have money in your super if you meet the eligibility criteria. That’s why it’s generally a helpful idea to include the Age Pension as part of your retirement planning if you intend on applying for it. In fact, My Retirement PlannerTM gives you the option to see how much you might get in addition to your super. This can help you understand how you can take your super further when it’s time to retire.
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) retirement standards can show you what different lifestyles in retirement might look like. Plus, they can help you understand how much you might need to live your life in retirement.
- How much you might need if you're single
- $340,000 for a modest lifestyle while renting (covers the basics and essentials)
- $110,000 for a modest lifestyle while owning a home (covers the basics and essentials)
- $630,000 for a comfortable lifestyle while owning a home (covers the basics, essentials, and extras).
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) retirement standards can show you what different lifestyles in retirement might look like. Plus, they can help you understand how much you might need to live your life in retirement.
How much you might need as a couple:
- $385,000 for a modest lifestyle while renting (covers the basics and essentials)
- $120,000 for a modest lifestyle while owning a home (covers the basics and essentials)
- $730,000 for a comfortable lifestyle while owning a home (covers the basics, essentials, and extras).
It could be enough for you and your preferred lifestyle. But you can always use tools, like My Retirement PlannerTM, to get a better picture of how much you actually need when it comes to retirement.
Where to next?
[AD1] Advice provided by Aware Financial Services Australia Limited (ABN 86 003 742 756, AFSL 238430), wholly owned by Aware Super.
[AD2] Members can get advice about their Aware Super accounts at no extra cost, or advice on their broader needs for a fee.
[C1] Before consolidating, consider if this is right for you, including the loss of any insurance cover from your other funds, the impact on your investments, and potential tax implications and read the PDS and TMD at aware.com.au/pds. You may wish to speak with a qualified financial planner before making this decision.
[M5] Retirement income and investment earnings are not guaranteed. Payments will cease once the account balance is depleted.
[S1] Before contributing, consider the current annual contribution limits. Exceeding these limits may reduce any tax benefits you could receive. Visit Grow your super for more information.
[S2] Salary sacrifice will save tax in many but not all circumstances and will cause a reduction in your take home pay.
[S3] Check your eligibility for the government's super co-contribution before acting on this information.