SCHADS Award Pay Rates
Social, community, home care & disability services minimums, nationwide
The Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award — the SCHADS award (MA000100) — sets the national minimum pay for community services, disability support, crisis accommodation, family day care and home care work without an enterprise agreement (a level 2 support worker from $36.22 an hour, and the social and community services stream spanning $54,439 to $140,674 a year). Use the calculator below for your level's hourly, casual, weekly and annual rate, or switch on take-home in the tables to see pay after tax.
Crisis accommodation
SCHADS award minimum rates for crisis accommodation employees, levels 1–4 (clause 15) — paid at the social and community services level 3–6 rates, including the Equal Remuneration Order uplift.
Crisis accommodation minimums
4 bands · $80,007–$120,440
Family day care
SCHADS award minimum rates for family day care employees, levels 1–5 (clause 16).
Family day care minimums
5 bands · $54,501–$95,035
Home care
SCHADS award minimum rates for home care employees (clause 17) — separate disability-care and aged-care scales.
Home care minimums
11 bands · $53,914–$80,179
Home care employee level 1 — disability care Entry-level home care work for a person with a disability, under direct supervision (clause 17.1(a)). $53,914Open in pay calculator ↗ |
Home care employee level 1 — aged care Introductory aged-care home carer (clause 17.2). Structure introduced 1 January 2025 following the aged-care work value case. $64,428Open in pay calculator ↗ |
Home care employee level 2 — aged care Home carer providing services to an aged person (clause 17.2). $68,006Open in pay calculator ↗ |
Home care employee level 3 — aged care Qualified aged-care home carer (clause 17.2). $71,588Open in pay calculator ↗ |
Home care employee level 4 — aged care Senior aged-care home carer (clause 17.2). $74,448Open in pay calculator ↗ |
Home care employee level 5 — aged care Specialist aged-care home carer (clause 17.2). $77,314Open in pay calculator ↗ |
Home care employee level 6 — aged care Aged-care home care team leader (clause 17.2). $80,179Open in pay calculator ↗ |
How these figures work
- ·Rates are the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (MA000100) minimums — the legal pay floor for employees not covered by a registered enterprise agreement.
- ·Social and community services (levels 2–8) and crisis accommodation rates include the Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) uplift — the operative rate an award-reliant employer must pay, as published in the Fair Work pay guide. Social and community services level 1 is not covered by the ERO.
- ·Annual figures are the award weekly wage multiplied by 52, based on 38 ordinary hours per week. Casual employees are paid 1/38th of the weekly rate per hour plus 25% casual loading (clause 10.4).
- ·Current rates apply from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, following the Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2026 (+4.75% to modern award minimum wages).
- ·Shift, weekend, public-holiday and overtime penalty rates apply on top of these base rates — see the Fair Work pay guide for the full penalty tables.
Award figures are legal minimums; many employers pay above them. Verify your rate with your employer or your enterprise agreement.
SCHADS award pay rates calculator
Pick a stream, level and pay point to see the full-time hourly, casual, weekly and annual award rate, with an estimated take-home figure and super. Open the calculator for pay frequency, HECS-HELP and salary sacrifice.
Sits in the lower of Social & community services pay.
Key Information
SCHADS award pay facts and what it covers before comparing rates.
Current rates from
July 2026
Employer super
12%
Support worker entry (level 2)
$36.22/hr
Coverage
Social & community services, disability support, crisis accommodation, family day care & home care workers without an enterprise agreement
These are national award minimums. Social and community services (levels 2–8) and crisis accommodation rates include the Equal Remuneration Order uplift; many employers pay above the award under enterprise agreements.
SCHADS award Salary Guide by Classification
Quick reference for every SCHADS award classification and what it pays in 2026–2027— gross salary plus the estimated take-home pay, employer super, and total package the salary table doesn't show. Select any level to calculate your exact take-home pay after tax, Medicare, and super.
Social and community services employee level 1 Salary
A Social and community services employee level 1 earns $54,439–$58,193 gross — roughly $47,000–$49,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$61,000–$65,000 total package). Entry-level community services work under close direction — routine clerical, activity and personal-care support duties (Schedule B.1). Level 1 is the only SACS level whose rate does not carry the Equal Remuneration Order uplift.
Calculate Social and community services employee level 1 take-home pay →Social and community services employee level 2 Salary
A Social and community services employee level 2 earns $71,577–$78,101 gross — roughly $58,000–$63,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$80,000–$87,000 total package). Support and disability support workers exercising judgement under general guidance — typically Certificate III/IV qualified or with equivalent experience (Schedule B.2). Rate includes the Equal Remuneration Order uplift.
Calculate Social and community services employee level 2 take-home pay →Social and community services employee level 3 Salary
A Social and community services employee level 3 earns $80,007–$85,798 gross — roughly $64,000–$68,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$90,000–$96,000 total package). Experienced support workers, case workers and qualified staff working with limited supervision (Schedule B.3). Rate includes the Equal Remuneration Order uplift.
Calculate Social and community services employee level 3 take-home pay →Social and community services employee level 4 Salary
A Social and community services employee level 4 earns $92,286–$99,295 gross — roughly $72,000–$77,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$103,000–$111,000 total package). Senior case workers, coordinators and degree-qualified practitioners responsible for a program area or small team (Schedule B.4). Rate includes the Equal Remuneration Order uplift.
Calculate Social and community services employee level 4 take-home pay →Social and community services employee level 5 Salary
A Social and community services employee level 5 earns $105,570–$110,351 gross — roughly $80,000–$83,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$118,000–$124,000 total package). Specialists and team leaders exercising a high level of skill and supervising other staff (Schedule B.5). Rate includes the Equal Remuneration Order uplift.
Calculate Social and community services employee level 5 take-home pay →Social and community services employee level 6 Salary
A Social and community services employee level 6 earns $115,337–$120,440 gross — roughly $87,000–$90,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$129,000–$135,000 total package). Senior coordinators and managers responsible for significant programs, budgets or teams (Schedule B.6). Rate includes the Equal Remuneration Order uplift.
Calculate Social and community services employee level 6 take-home pay →Social and community services employee level 7 Salary
A Social and community services employee level 7 earns $124,745–$129,958 gross — roughly $93,000–$96,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$140,000–$146,000 total package). Program managers and senior specialists directing major programs or functions (Schedule B.7). Rate includes the Equal Remuneration Order uplift.
Calculate Social and community services employee level 7 take-home pay →Social and community services employee level 8 Salary
A Social and community services employee level 8 earns $135,343–$140,674 gross — roughly $100,000–$103,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$152,000–$158,000 total package). Senior managers directing the operations of an organisation or major department (Schedule B.8). Rate includes the Equal Remuneration Order uplift.
Calculate Social and community services employee level 8 take-home pay →Take-home and total package figures are estimates. Take-home excludes HECS/HELP, the Medicare Levy Surcharge, and salary sacrifice, and assumes a resident taxpayer claiming the tax-free threshold. Total package adds employer super to gross salary.
About SCHADS Award Pay Rates
The Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS, MA000100) sets the national minimum pay for community services, disability support, crisis accommodation, family day care and home care work when no enterprise agreement applies. The social and community services stream runs from $54,439 to $140,674 a year full-time across eight levels. The take-home figures in the tables already account for income tax and the Medicare levy.
Levels, pay points & progression
Each classification level spans several pay points; employees move up a pay point with each year of service at their level, and between levels when their role and responsibility change. These rates are legal minimums — many employers pay above them.
- Most direct support roles sit at level 2–3: a level 2 employee earns $36.22–$39.53 an hour ($71,577–$78,101 full-time).
- Social and community services levels 2–8 and all crisis accommodation rates include the 2012 Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) uplift — the operative minimum, higher than the award's base wage tables.
- Crisis accommodation levels 1–4 are paid at the social and community services level 3–6 rates.
- Home care has separate disability-care and aged-care scales; the aged-care scale reflects the aged-care work value case.
- Casual employees receive the hourly rate plus 25% loading; shift, weekend, public-holiday and overtime penalties apply on top of every base rate.
How pay rises work
Award minimums are reviewed each year in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review and take effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. The current rates apply from 1 July 2026. Because the award is national, the same minimums apply in every state and territory.
- The next review applies from 1 July 2027; the tables above show the current rates until the varied award is published.
- Working a standard 38-hour week, the annual figures shown are the weekly award wage × 52.
Superannuation
Employers pay 12% employer superannuation on top of these wages — the statutory Superannuation Guarantee, since the award carries no enterprise super rate.
Total package
Award wage plus 12% employer super. You can lift retirement savings further by salary sacrificing into super.
Source: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (MA000100)
More reading
Related guides
Background reading on tax, super, and salary topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SCHADS award?
SCHADS is the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (MA000100) — the Fair Work modern award covering social and community services, disability support, crisis accommodation, family day care and home care work. It sets the legal minimum pay and conditions for employees whose employer doesn't have a registered enterprise agreement.
What are the current SCHADS award pay rates?
Social and community services rates run from $27.55 an hour (level 1, pay point 1) to $71.19 an hour (level 8, top pay point) — about $54,439 to $140,674 a year full-time. Crisis accommodation, family day care and home care classifications have their own scales, shown in the tables above. Rates apply from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026.
How much does a disability support worker earn under SCHADS?
Most disability support workers are classified as social and community services level 2 or 3. Level 2 pays $36.22–$39.53 an hour ($71,577–$78,101 a year full-time) and level 3 pays $40.49–$43.42 an hour. Shift, weekend and public-holiday penalties apply on top of these base rates.
What are the SCHADS casual rates?
Casual employees are paid 1/38th of the weekly rate per hour plus 25% casual loading (clause 10.4). For example, a casual social and community services level 2, pay point 1 employee earns $45.28 an hour instead of the permanent rate of $36.22. The loading compensates for entitlements casuals don't receive, like paid annual and personal leave.
Why are SCHADS rates higher than the pay table in the award document?
Social and community services (levels 2–8) and crisis accommodation employees are covered by an Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) made in 2012, which lifts their pay above the award's base minimum wage tables. The rates on this page are the ERO-inclusive rates — the amount an award-reliant employer must actually pay, and what the Fair Work pay guide publishes. Social and community services level 1 is the only level not covered by the ERO.
How much do home care workers earn under the SCHADS award?
Home care has two scales. A level 2 home carer providing aged-care services earns $34.42 an hour ($1,307.80 a week) under the structure introduced after the aged-care work value case, while a level 2 home care employee providing disability services earns $28.86–$29.06 an hour. Penalties and the 25% casual loading apply on top.
Do employers have to pay super on top of SCHADS rates?
Yes. Employers pay the statutory Superannuation Guarantee — currently 12% of ordinary-time earnings — on top of these award wages. The award itself doesn't set a higher super rate.
When do SCHADS pay rates increase next?
Award minimum wages are reviewed every year in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review, with changes taking effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July — the next adjustment is expected from 1 July 2027. This page shows the current rates until the varied award is published.
Are these the actual salaries SCHADS workers get paid?
These are the legal minimums for award-reliant employees, working a standard 38-hour week. Many employers — particularly larger NDIS providers, local governments and organisations with enterprise agreements — pay above them, and shift, weekend, public-holiday and overtime penalties raise actual earnings well above the base rate for many rosters.
More tools
Explore related calculators
Convert hours, pay, tax, super, and planning questions.
Social & community services
SCHADS award minimum rates for social and community services employees, levels 1–8 (clause 15). Levels 2–8 include the Equal Remuneration Order uplift.
Social & community services minimums
8 bands · $54,439–$140,674