Understanding your cosmetic nurse salary: from gross to take-home pay

What is a cosmetic nurse salary?

When you search for a cosmetic nurse salary, you will find a wide range of figures. That is because “cosmetic nurse” is not a separate classification under the Nurses Award 2020. Your pay depends on your qualifications, experience, and the type of clinic you work for. Most cosmetic nurses are classified as Registered Nurses (Level 1 to 5) or Enrolled Nurses under the award, unless an enterprise agreement applies.

Fair Work publishes minimum rates for each classification. For example, a Registered Nurse Level 1 at pay point 1 earns a minimum of $1,219.50 per week ($32.09 per hour) from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 August 2026. A more experienced RN Level 1 at pay point 8 earns $1,465.50 per week ($38.57 per hour). These are the base rates before penalty rates for weekends or public holidays.

Gross salary vs package vs take-home

It is easy to confuse the three numbers you see on a job advertisement or contract:

• Gross salary is the amount before any deductions. It is the figure you negotiate.
• Package often includes superannuation. From 1 July 2026, your employer must contribute 12% super on top of your ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year. If an ad says “$80,000 package”, that might mean $71,429 salary plus $8,571 super. Always check.
• Take-home pay is what lands in your bank account after income tax and the Medicare levy. It does not include super, because super is paid separately by your employer.

How tax and Medicare affect your take-home pay

Your take-home pay depends on your taxable income. The Australian Taxation Office applies these 2026–27 resident tax rates:

• Up to $18,200: nil
• $18,201 to $45,000: 15c for each $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 to $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c for each $1 over $45,000
• $135,001 to $190,000: $31,020 plus 37c for each $1 over $135,000
• Over $190,000: $51,370 plus 45c for each $1 over $190,000

You may also be entitled to the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO), which can reduce your tax by up to $700 if your income is below $37,500, phasing out by $66,667.

Medicare levy

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income. However, if you earn below the single lower threshold of $28,011, you pay no levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, the levy is 10c per $1 over the lower threshold. Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. These are the latest published single-person Medicare thresholds. For a full-time cosmetic nurse earning above $35,013, the full 2% applies.

Estimating your take-home pay

To see what your cosmetic nurse salary actually delivers each fortnight, use our Take-home pay tool. It applies the tax rates, LITO, and Medicare levy to your gross salary. Remember that super is not deducted from your pay – it is an extra cost for your employer.

For example, if you are a Registered Nurse Level 1 pay point 3 earning $1,275.00 per week ($66,300 annualised), your gross fortnightly pay would be about $2,550. After tax and Medicare, your take-home might be around $2,050, depending on your exact circumstances. This is an estimate only and does not include HELP/HECS repayments or the Medicare levy surcharge.

The national minimum wage benchmark

For comparison, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour and $1,004.90 per week. A cosmetic nurse should earn well above this, but it is a useful floor. See our Minimum wage page for details.

Superannuation and salary packaging

Your employer must pay 12% super on your ordinary time earnings. This is not part of your take-home pay, but it builds your retirement savings. Some cosmetic clinics offer salary packaging, which can reduce your taxable income by sacrificing part of your salary into super or other benefits. Learn more about Salary packaging and Super.

Final thoughts

A cosmetic nurse salary varies widely. Always check your classification under the Nurses Award or your enterprise agreement. Use our Clearance tool to compare job offers, and our Tax and Medicare guide to understand deductions. The key is knowing the difference between gross, package, and take-home – so you know exactly what you will receive each fortnight.