Teacher salaries in Australia. By state, sector & career stage.
Compare what school teachers actually earn — across government schools (state awards and agreements), Catholic and independentschools, and the national teachers' award. Sourced pay scales, not market guesses — with take-home pay a tap away.
These are school-teacher pay scales — not TAFE, university or early-childhood educator rates.
- Salary range
- $74,146 – $137,861
- School sectors
- 4
- State pages
- 8
- Super
- 12%+
Teacher pay by state
Government school pay is set by each state's teaching award or enterprise agreement and is the clearest benchmark for what teachers earn. Pick a state for its full classroom, leadership and principal bands — plus Catholic and independent scales where published.
New South Wales
- Graduate
- $90k
- Top of scale
- $138k
- Leadership
- to $229k
Victoria
- Graduate
- $80k
- Top of scale
- $118k
- Leadership
- to $239k
Queensland
- Graduate
- $74k
- Top of scale
- $112k
- Leadership
- to $236k
Western Australia
- Graduate
- $88k
- Top of scale
- $134k
- Leadership
- to $207k
South Australia
- Graduate
- $85k
- Top of scale
- $123k
- Leadership
- to $234k
Tasmania
- Graduate
- $79k
- Top of scale
- $118k
- Leadership
- to $195k
Australian Capital Territory
- Graduate
- $91k
- Top of scale
- $129k
- Leadership
- to $225k
Northern Territory
- Graduate
- $96k
- Top of scale
- $137k
- Leadership
- to $214k
Catholic and independent school scales appear on each state page where a published agreement exists; award-reliant schools fall back to the national minimum below.
Find your teacher pay
Pick a sector and classification to preview the salary range, an estimated take-home figure and super. Open the calculator for your exact step, frequency, HECS-HELP and salary sacrifice.
Sits in the lower of Victoria government pay.
Government vs Catholic vs independent
The classroom-teacher scale is the like-for-like benchmark. Catholic and independent schools mostly track or exceed the local government scale; the national award is the legal floor for schools without their own agreement.
- Graduate
- $74k
- Top of scale
- $138k
- Classroom range
- $74k–$138k
- Employer super
- 12%+
- Set by
- State agreement
- Graduate
- $73k
- Top of scale
- $130k
- Classroom range
- $73k–$130k
- Employer super
- 12%+
- Set by
- Diocesan agreement
- Graduate
- $92k
- Top of scale
- $133k
- Classroom range
- $92k–$133k
- Employer super
- 12%+
- Set by
- School agreement
- Graduate
- $72k
- Top of scale
- $93k
- Classroom range
- $72k–$93k
- Employer super
- 12%+
- Set by
- National award
Government pay is the negotiated state scale; the award figures are Fair Work minimums — most non-government schools pay above them.
View the teacher award →How teacher pay is set
A teacher's pay is set by classification and step — a published career stage that fixes a salary, plus annual increments for experience. Government school teachers are paid under each state's teaching award or enterprise agreement, negotiated by the education department and the union. Catholic and independent schools have their own agreements, and the national Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 sets the legal minimum for any non-government school without one. Under that award a classroom teacher earns from $72,497 (graduate) to $93,289 a year; government and most systemic agreements pay above it.
Progression follows the AITSL career stages — Graduate, Proficient, then Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher — with leadership and principal classifications above the classroom scale. Graduates move up a step each year automatically; the bigger jumps come from accreditation and promotion. Employer super is 12% for most teaching roles (some government agreements pay more), and the figures on this page are base full-time salaries before allowances. State agreements are renegotiated every few years, and award minimums are reviewed each year in the Fair Work Annual Wage Review, effective the first full pay period on or after 1 July.
To see what a scale is worth after tax, use the rough pay finder above for a quick take-home estimate, or open the take-home pay calculator to add HECS-HELP, salary sacrifice and your pay frequency. The legal minimums come straight from the Educational Services (Teachers) Award (MA000077); teacher registration and the career stages are set by AITSL and each state's teacher regulator.
Comparing across the public sector? Browse public service salaries for every state and federal agency stream.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do teachers earn in Australia?
Teacher pay depends on the state, school sector and career stage. Across government schools a full-time classroom teacher earns roughly $74,146 to $137,861 a year — graduates start near the bottom and step up automatically each year to the top of the standard scale, with Highly Accomplished/Lead and leadership roles paying more again. Catholic and independent schools mostly match or exceed the local government scale.
How much does a graduate teacher earn?
A new graduate teacher starts on the first step of the classroom-teacher scale and moves up a step each year. In government schools that first step is about $74,146 a year in the lowest-paying state and more in others — pick a state above for its exact graduate rate. Most Catholic and independent schools start graduates on a comparable rate.
Do government, Catholic or independent schools pay teachers more?
Government school pay is set by each state's teaching award or enterprise agreement and is the clearest benchmark. Catholic systemic schools usually mirror the local government scale closely, and independent schools set their own agreements — often at or above the government rate, though it varies school to school. Below all three sits the national Educational Services (Teachers) Award, the legal floor for award-reliant non-government schools.
How are teacher salaries set?
Government teacher pay is set by a state award or enterprise agreement negotiated by the education department and the teachers' union. Non-government schools are covered either by their own enterprise agreement or, as a minimum, the national Educational Services (Teachers) Award. Pay rises through annual steps for experience and through promotion to Highly Accomplished/Lead, leadership and principal classifications.
What is the highest teacher salary?
Classroom teachers top out at the senior end of the standard scale; beyond that, Highly Accomplished/Lead Teacher (HALT) certification, leading-teacher and learning-specialist roles, and the principal classes (assistant principal, deputy and principal) pay materially more — principals in larger schools sit at the top of every state structure.
Which state pays teachers the most?
Government classroom-teacher scales differ by state, both at the graduate entry point and at the top step. The state cards above show each state's full range side by side; the highest top-of-scale rates are generally in the states with the most recent enterprise agreements. Use a state page for its exact bands and take-home pay.
What does the national award minimum pay teachers?
The Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 sets the legal minimum for award-reliant non-government schools — a classroom teacher from $72,497 (Level 1, graduate) to $93,289. It is a floor, not a typical wage: most non-government teachers are on agreements paying well above it. See the award page for the full schedule.
Are these teacher figures before or after tax?
The salary scales are gross pay (before tax). Switch on "Take-home" in any table to see pay after income tax and the Medicare levy, or use the pay calculator for a full breakdown including HECS/HELP and superannuation.
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