Australian Capital Territory Teacher Salaries
Government, Catholic & independent school pay by classification
Government schools
Teachers in Australian Capital Territory government schools, paid under ACT Education Directorate (Teaching Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2023–2026 — the clearest pay benchmark.
Australian Capital Territory government school teacher pay
4 bands · $91,396–$225,158
Catholic schools
Catholic systemic school teachers in Australian Capital Territory, paid under NSW and ACT Catholic Systemic Schools Enterprise Agreement 2025 — Schedule A, Table A2 (ACT, Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn).
Australian Capital Territory catholic school teacher pay
2 bands · $91,397–$136,848
Highly Accomplished/Lead Teacher Above-classroom salary step for accredited HA/Lead teachers. $136,848Open in pay calculator ↗ |
Independent schools
Independent (private) school teachers in Australian Capital Territory, paid under Independent Schools (Teachers) Cooperative Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2025 — Table 2 (ACT Teachers).
Australian Capital Territory independent school teacher pay
1 band · $92,186–$130,643
Catholic and independent school teachers without a school agreement are paid the national teachers' award minimum — see the award page.
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 Australian Capital Territory government pay.
Key Information
Australian Capital Territory teacher pay facts, agreement context and conditions to check before comparing pay.
Current rates from
Dec 2025
Employer super
12.5%
Graduate entry
$91,396/yr
Agreement expiry
31 Mar 2026
Australian Capital Territory government school teachers are paid under the ACT Education Directorate (Teaching Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2023–2026. Catholic and Independent school scales are shown on this page where published.
Australian Capital Territory teacher Salary Guide by Classification
Quick reference for every Australian Capital Territory teacher 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.
Classroom Teacher Salary
A Classroom Teacher earns $91,396–$129,106 gross — roughly $72,000–$96,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12.5% employer super (~$103,000–$145,000 total package). Teacher Level structure TL1–TL8. New Educator = TL1–TL3, Experienced Teacher = TL4–TL8. (Permit to Teach $82,796 is a separate sub-graduate provisional rate.).
Calculate Classroom Teacher take-home pay →School Leader C Salary
A School Leader C earns $145,938–$149,107 gross — roughly $106,000–$108,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12.5% employer super (~$164,000–$168,000 total package). School Leader C (Executive Teacher), SLC1/SLC2.
Calculate School Leader C take-home pay →School Leader B Salary
A School Leader B earns $168,900–$173,125 gross — roughly $119,000–$122,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12.5% employer super (~$190,000–$195,000 total package). School Leader B (Deputy Principal), SLB1/SLB2.
Calculate School Leader B take-home pay →School Leader A Salary
A School Leader A earns $195,885–$225,158 gross — roughly $135,000–$150,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12.5% employer super (~$220,000–$253,000 total package). School Leader A (Principal), Levels 1–3 by Schools Weighted Index.
Calculate School Leader A 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 Australian Capital Territory Teacher Pay Scales
Australian Capital Territory government schools set teacher pay through ACT Education Directorate (Teaching Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2023–2026. The classroom-teacher scale runs from $91,396 for a graduate to $129,106 at the top step, with leadership and principal classifications reaching $225,158. The take-home figures in the table already account for income tax and the Medicare levy.
Pay points & progression
A Australian Capital Territory classroom teacher starts at $91,396 and steps up the scale each year for experience, reaching $129,106 at the top before moving into Highly Accomplished/Lead, leadership or principal roles by promotion.
- Graduate teachers start on the first step and move up automatically each year — progression is by service, not negotiation.
- Leadership and principal classifications sit above the classroom scale, up to $225,158.
- Australian Capital Territory catholic and independent schools mostly pay at or above this government scale; their published rates are shown on this page.
How pay rises work
Pay moves with each new salary column of the agreement; the current column took effect 4 December 2025. The agreement passed its nominal expiry and continues to apply while a replacement is negotiated.
Superannuation
Australian Capital Territory pays 12.5% employer superannuation on base pay, above the statutory Super Guarantee.
Total package
Base salary plus 12.5% employer super. You can lift retirement savings further by salary sacrificing into super.
Source: ACT Education Directorate (Teaching Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2023–2026
Award-reliant schools in Australian Capital Territory
Non-government schools without their own agreement pay the national Educational Services (Teachers) Award minimum.
More reading
Related guides
Background reading on tax, super, and salary topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do teachers earn in Australian Capital Territory?
Australian Capital Territory government school teachers are paid under ACT Education Directorate (Teaching Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2023–2026, with a classroom-teacher scale from $91,396 (graduate) to $129,106 at the top, before leadership and principal roles. Australian Capital Territory catholic and independent schools mostly pay at or above this scale — their rates are shown further down the page.
What does a graduate teacher earn in Australian Capital Territory?
A graduate teacher in a Australian Capital Territory government school starts at about $91,396 a year on the first step of the classroom-teacher scale and moves up a step each year. Switch on "Take-home" in the table above to see pay after income tax and the Medicare levy at each step.
Do Catholic and independent schools in Australian Capital Territory pay more than government schools?
Australian Capital Territory catholic and independent schools generally pay at or close to the government classroom-teacher scale, and some independent schools pay above it. The exact rate depends on each school's enterprise agreement; the tables on this page show the published systemic and independent scales alongside the government one so you can compare like for like.
Which teachers earn the most in Australian Capital Territory?
Beyond the classroom-teacher scale, Highly Accomplished/Lead Teacher, leading-teacher and learning-specialist roles, and the principal classes (assistant principal, deputy and principal) sit at the top of the Australian Capital Territory structure. The full bands are in the table above.
How do I work out my Australian Capital Territory teaching take-home pay?
Switch on "Take-home" in the table above to see pay after income tax and the Medicare levy, or open the pay calculator to include HECS/HELP and superannuation for your exact salary and pay frequency.
More tools
Explore related calculators
Convert hours, pay, tax, super, and planning questions.