South Australia Teacher Salaries
Government school pay by classification
Government schools
Teachers in South Australia government schools, paid under Department for Education (SA) School Teacher salary rates — effective 8 May 2026 — the clearest pay benchmark.
South Australia government school teacher pay
8 bands · $84,971–$233,774
Advanced Skills Teacher 2 AST2 — single-rate promotional classification above classroom Tier 9. $127,798Open in pay calculator ↗ |
Highly Accomplished Teacher AITSL Highly Accomplished career stage — single rate (equals Leader Band B-1). $133,736Open in pay calculator ↗ |
Lead Teacher AITSL Lead career stage — single rate, top of the classroom-teacher promotional path (the leadership Band A/B scales are separate). $141,365Open in pay calculator ↗ |
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 South Australia government pay.
Key Information
South Australia teacher pay facts, agreement context and conditions to check before comparing pay.
Current rates from
May 2026
Employer super
12%
Graduate entry
$84,971/yr
South Australia government school teachers are paid under the Department for Education (SA) School Teacher salary rates — effective 8 May 2026.
South Australia teacher Salary Guide by Classification
Quick reference for every South Australia 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 $84,971–$123,236 gross — roughly $67,000–$92,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$95,000–$138,000 total package). Ongoing classroom teacher salary scale, Tiers 1–9 (excludes the ~1% higher fixed-term 'Teacher – Contract' loading scale).
Calculate Classroom Teacher take-home pay →Temporary Relieving Teacher Salary
A Temporary Relieving Teacher earns $106,214–$154,045 gross — roughly $81,000–$111,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$119,000–$173,000 total package). TRT (relief/casual) rate — the Teacher scale plus a 25% loading in lieu of paid leave; paid per day worked ($407.21 at Tier 1 up to $590.59 at Tier 9).
Calculate Temporary Relieving Teacher take-home pay →Advanced Skills Teacher 2 Salary
An Advanced Skills Teacher 2 earns $127,798–$127,798 gross — roughly $95,000–$95,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$143,000–$143,000 total package). AST2 — single-rate promotional classification above classroom Tier 9.
Calculate Advanced Skills Teacher 2 take-home pay →Highly Accomplished Teacher Salary
A Highly Accomplished Teacher earns $133,736–$133,736 gross — roughly $99,000–$99,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$150,000–$150,000 total package). AITSL Highly Accomplished career stage — single rate (equals Leader Band B-1).
Calculate Highly Accomplished Teacher take-home pay →Lead Teacher Salary
A Lead Teacher earns $141,365–$141,365 gross — roughly $103,000–$103,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$158,000–$158,000 total package). AITSL Lead career stage — single rate, top of the classroom-teacher promotional path (the leadership Band A/B scales are separate).
Calculate Lead Teacher take-home pay →Leader Band B Salary
A Leader Band B earns $128,390–$172,842 gross — roughly $95,000–$122,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$144,000–$194,000 total package). Deputy principals, senior leaders and coordinators — Band B-0 to B-6 (Schedule 1.3).
Calculate Leader Band B take-home pay →Leader Band A Salary
A Leader Band A earns $146,492–$222,484 gross — roughly $106,000–$149,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$164,000–$249,000 total package). Principals and preschool directors — Band A-1 to A-9 (Schedule 1.3); the band is set by school size and complexity (SSACR).
Calculate Leader Band A take-home pay →Principal – Site Classification Salary
A Principal – Site Classification earns $156,111–$233,774 gross — roughly $112,000–$155,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$175,000–$262,000 total package). Site Classification principal structure (SC1–SC6) — runs alongside Band A with a higher ceiling; the level reflects the site's classification.
Calculate Principal – Site Classification 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 South Australia Teacher Pay Scales
South Australia government schools set teacher pay through Department for Education (SA) School Teacher salary rates — effective 8 May 2026. The classroom-teacher scale runs from $84,971 for a graduate to $123,236 at the top step, with leadership and principal classifications reaching $233,774. The take-home figures in the table already account for income tax and the Medicare levy.
Pay points & progression
A South Australia classroom teacher starts at $84,971 and steps up the scale each year for experience, reaching $123,236 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 $233,774.
- Non-government schools in South Australia 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 8 May 2026. Rates are updated when a new agreement is registered.
Superannuation
South Australia 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: Department for Education (SA) School Teacher salary rates — effective 8 May 2026
Award-reliant schools in South Australia
Non-government schools without their own agreement pay the national Educational Services (Teachers) Award minimum.
South Australia public service pay
Browse South Australia 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 South Australia?
South Australia government school teachers are paid under Department for Education (SA) School Teacher salary rates — effective 8 May 2026, with a classroom-teacher scale from $84,971 (graduate) to $123,236 at the top, before leadership and principal roles. Non-government schools in South Australia are covered by their own agreements or the national teachers' award.
What does a graduate teacher earn in South Australia?
A graduate teacher in a South Australia government school starts at about $84,971 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.
How much do relief teachers earn in South Australia?
South Australia pays relief (casual) teachers on the Temporary Relieving Teacher scale — the classroom-teacher rate plus a loading in lieu of paid leave, equivalent to $106,214 to $154,045 full-time and paid per day worked. The full scale, including the daily rate, is in the table above.
Which teachers earn the most in South Australia?
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 South Australia structure. The full bands are in the table above.
How do I work out my South Australia 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.