Western Australia Teacher Salaries
Government & Catholic school pay by classification
Government schools
Teachers in Western Australia government schools, paid under School Education Act Employees' (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2023 — the clearest pay benchmark.
Western Australia government school teacher pay
7 bands · $88,178–$206,662
Catholic schools
Catholic systemic school teachers in Western Australia, paid under CEWA Salary Schedule – Teachers (Jan 2026), under the WA Catholic School Teachers Enterprise Agreement 2023.
Western Australia catholic school teacher pay
1 band · $91,449–$130,216
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 Western Australia government pay.
Key Information
Western Australia teacher pay facts, agreement context and conditions to check before comparing pay.
Current rates from
Dec 2025
Employer super
12%
Graduate entry
$88,178/yr
Agreement expiry
5 Dec 2026
Western Australia government school teachers are paid under the School Education Act Employees' (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2023. Catholic school scales are shown on this page where published.
Western Australia teacher Salary Guide by Classification
Quick reference for every Western 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 $88,178–$134,165 gross — roughly $69,000–$99,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$99,000–$150,000 total package). Qualified teacher scale, increments 2.1–2.9, then Senior Teacher (ST1/ST2). Graduate enters at 2.1.
Calculate Classroom Teacher take-home pay →Level 3 Classroom Teacher Salary
A Level 3 Classroom Teacher earns $137,567–$147,077 gross — roughly $101,000–$107,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$154,000–$165,000 total package). Promotional classroom classification, increments 3.1–3.3 (3.3 is a trial rate).
Calculate Level 3 Classroom Teacher take-home pay →Level 3 Principal Salary
A Level 3 Principal earns $150,934–$163,356 gross — roughly $109,000–$117,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$169,000–$183,000 total package). Administrator transition scale (Table 13, increments 3.3–3.6; its 3.5/3.6 equal School Administrator Level 4's 4.1/4.2 per the table's footnote).
Calculate Level 3 Principal take-home pay →School Administrator Level 3 Salary
A School Administrator Level 3 earns $141,551–$154,896 gross — roughly $104,000–$111,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$159,000–$173,000 total package). School Administrator scale Level 3, increments 3.1–3.4 (Table 16). Includes roles such as Level 3 Deputy Principal (Primary).
Calculate School Administrator Level 3 take-home pay →School Administrator Level 4 Salary
A School Administrator Level 4 earns $159,316–$169,438 gross — roughly $114,000–$120,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$178,000–$190,000 total package). School Administrator scale Level 4, increments 4.1–4.4 (Table 16).
Calculate School Administrator Level 4 take-home pay →School Administrator Level 5 Salary
A School Administrator Level 5 earns $173,171–$186,301 gross — roughly $122,000–$130,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$194,000–$209,000 total package). School Administrator scale Level 5, increments 5.1–5.4 including 5.1A (Table 16). Principals of District High Schools are classified Level 5.
Calculate School Administrator Level 5 take-home pay →School Administrator Level 6 Salary
A School Administrator Level 6 earns $193,532–$206,662 gross — roughly $134,000–$141,000 take-home after income tax and Medicare, plus 12% employer super (~$217,000–$231,000 total package). School Administrator scale Level 6, increments 6.1–6.4 (Table 16). Principals of WA Colleges of Agriculture are classified Level 6.
Calculate School Administrator Level 6 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 Western Australia Teacher Pay Scales
Western Australia government schools set teacher pay through School Education Act Employees' (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2023. The classroom-teacher scale runs from $88,178 for a graduate to $134,165 at the top step, with leadership and principal classifications reaching $206,662. The take-home figures in the table already account for income tax and the Medicare levy.
Pay points & progression
A Western Australia classroom teacher starts at $88,178 and steps up the scale each year for experience, reaching $134,165 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 $206,662.
- Western Australia catholic 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 6 December 2025. The agreement runs to its nominal expiry, when a new agreement is negotiated.
Superannuation
Western 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: School Education Act Employees' (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2023
Award-reliant schools in Western Australia
Non-government schools without their own agreement pay the national Educational Services (Teachers) Award minimum.
Western Australia public service pay
Browse Western Australia public-sector salary bands across every classification, beyond teaching.
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Related guides
Background reading on tax, super, and salary topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do teachers earn in Western Australia?
Western Australia government school teachers are paid under School Education Act Employees' (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2023, with a classroom-teacher scale from $88,178 (graduate) to $134,165 at the top, before leadership and principal roles. Western Australia catholic schools mostly pay at or above this scale — their rates are shown further down the page.
What does a graduate teacher earn in Western Australia?
A graduate teacher in a Western Australia government school starts at about $88,178 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 Western Australia pay more than government schools?
Western Australia catholic 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 Western 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 Western Australia structure. The full bands are in the table above.
How do I work out my Western 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.
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