Northern Territory Teacher Salaries
Government school pay by classification
Government schools
Teachers in Northern Territory government schools, paid under Northern Territory Public Sector Educators' 2024–2027 Enterprise Agreement — the clearest pay benchmark.
Northern Territory government school teacher pay
3 bands · $96,180–$214,369
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 Northern Territory government pay.
Key Information
Northern Territory teacher pay facts, agreement context and conditions to check before comparing pay.
Current rates from
Jan 2026
Next increase
4.3% from 1 Jan 2027
Employer super
12%
Graduate entry
$96,180/yr
Agreement expiry
31 Dec 2027
Northern Territory government school teachers are paid under the Northern Territory Public Sector Educators' 2024–2027 Enterprise Agreement.
Northern Territory teacher Salary Guide by Classification
Quick reference for every Northern 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 $96,180–$136,997 gross — roughly $75,000–$101,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$108,000–$153,000 total package). CT1–CT9 classroom teacher salary scale (clause 37.1).
Calculate Classroom Teacher take-home pay →Senior Teacher Salary
A Senior Teacher earns $145,286–$196,907 gross — roughly $106,000–$136,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$163,000–$221,000 total package). ST1–ST8 promotion-based senior teacher classifications (clause 37.2).
Calculate Senior Teacher take-home pay →Principal Salary
A Principal earns $147,068–$214,369 gross — roughly $107,000–$145,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$165,000–$240,000 total package). PLO1–PLO7 principal (school leader) classifications, two pay points each (clause 37.3).
Calculate Principal 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 Northern Territory Teacher Pay Scales
Northern Territory government schools set teacher pay through Northern Territory Public Sector Educators' 2024–2027 Enterprise Agreement. The classroom-teacher scale runs from $96,180 for a graduate to $136,997 at the top step, with leadership and principal classifications reaching $214,369. The take-home figures in the table already account for income tax and the Medicare levy.
Pay points & progression
A Northern Territory classroom teacher starts at $96,180 and steps up the scale each year for experience, reaching $136,997 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 $214,369.
- Non-government schools in Northern Territory are covered by their own agreements or the national teachers' award.
How pay rises work
Pay moves with each new salary column of the agreement; the current column took effect 1 January 2026. The agreement runs to its nominal expiry, when a new agreement is negotiated.
- A later salary column applies from 1 January 2027; the table above shows the current rates.
Superannuation
Northern Territory pays 12% employer superannuation on base pay.
Total package
Base salary plus 12% employer super. You can lift retirement savings further by salary sacrificing into super.
Source: Northern Territory Public Sector Educators' 2024–2027 Enterprise Agreement
Award-reliant schools in Northern Territory
Non-government schools without their own agreement pay the national Educational Services (Teachers) Award minimum.
Northern Territory public service pay
Browse Northern Territory public-sector salary bands across every classification, beyond teaching.
More reading
Related guides
Background reading on tax, super, and salary topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do teachers earn in Northern Territory?
Northern Territory government school teachers are paid under Northern Territory Public Sector Educators' 2024–2027 Enterprise Agreement, with a classroom-teacher scale from $96,180 (graduate) to $136,997 at the top, before leadership and principal roles. Non-government schools in Northern Territory are covered by their own agreements or the national teachers' award.
What does a graduate teacher earn in Northern Territory?
A graduate teacher in a Northern Territory government school starts at about $96,180 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.
When do Northern Territory teachers get a pay rise?
Northern Territory teacher pay rises under Northern Territory Public Sector Educators' 2024–2027 Enterprise Agreement. Pay rises 4.3% from 1 Jan 2027. Teachers also move up a step on the scale each year for experience, separate from these across-the-board increases.
Which teachers earn the most in Northern 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 Northern Territory structure. The full bands are in the table above.
How do I work out my Northern 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.
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