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

What your enrolled nurse salary really means

When you see an enrolled nurse salary advertised, it’s usually the gross amount before tax, Medicare, and super. Understanding what lands in your bank account each week or fortnight helps you budget and compare job offers. This guide uses the latest award rates from and the 2026–27 tax rates to show your likely take-home pay.

Award rates for enrolled nurses

Under the Nurses Award 2020, enrolled nurses are classified into five pay points. For a full-time employee working 38 hours per week, the minimum weekly rates from 1 August 2026 are:

• Pay Point 1: $1,139.90 per week ($30.00 per hour)
• Pay Point 2: $1,155.00 per week ($30.39 per hour)
• Pay Point 3: $1,170.40 per week ($30.80 per hour)
• Pay Point 4: $1,187.20 per week ($31.24 per hour)
• Pay Point 5: $1,199.20 per week ($31.56 per hour)

These rates are the minimum. Many employers pay above award, and experience or shift penalties can increase your pay. The Jobs and Skills Australia profile notes that full-time enrolled nurses average 41 hours per week, so actual earnings may be higher.

From gross to take-home: a worked example

Let’s take an enrolled nurse at Pay Point 1 earning $1,139.90 per week. Annualised: $1,139.90 × 52 = $59,274.80.

Income tax (2026–27)

• Tax on $59,275: $4,020 plus 30¢ for each dollar over $45,000 = $4,020 + $4,282 = $8,302
• Low Income Tax Offset (LITO): $325 minus 1.5¢ per dollar over $45,000 = $325 – $214 = $111
• Tax after LITO: $8,302 – $111 = $8,191

Medicare levy

• Full 2% applies because income is above $35,013: $59,275 × 2% = $1,186

Total deductions: $8,191 + $1,186 = $9,377

Take-home pay: $59,275 – $9,377 = $49,898 per year

• Weekly: $959
• Fortnightly: $1,919

This is your cash after tax and Medicare. It does not include salary sacrifice or HELP repayments. For a quick estimate, use our Clearance tool.

Superannuation is extra

Your enrolled nurse salary is almost always quoted as ‘plus super’. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee rate is 12%. On $59,275, your employer adds $7,113 to your super fund. This money is not part of your take-home pay, but it builds your retirement savings. See our Super guide for more.

Medicare thresholds to know

The latest single-person Medicare thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. If your taxable income is below $28,011, you pay no Medicare levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, you pay a reduced rate of 10¢ per dollar over the lower threshold. Above $35,013, the full 2% applies. Most full-time enrolled nurses will be above the upper threshold, so the full levy applies.

Comparing your enrolled nurse salary to benchmarks

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week. An enrolled nurse at Pay Point 1 earns $30.00 per hour, which is 13.5% above the minimum. The average full-time adult ordinary time earnings are $2,083.70 per week, so an enrolled nurse’s base rate is below the all-employees average. See our Benchmarks page for more comparisons.

Key takeaways

• Your enrolled nurse salary is the gross amount before tax, Medicare, and super.
• Take-home pay at Pay Point 1 is about $960 per week.
• Super is paid on top and does not reduce your take-home.
• The Medicare levy is a flat 2% for most full-time nurses.
• Actual pay can be higher with experience, shift penalties, or above-award rates.

For a personalised estimate, try our Take-home pay calculator.