Nurse practitioner salary: what you actually take home after tax
Nurse practitioner award minimums range from $1,877 to $2,222.70 per week depending on setting and experience, before super and tax.
Understanding the nurse practitioner salary landscape
Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who diagnose, prescribe, and manage patient care. According to , around 2,500 nurse practitioners are employed in Australia, with a median age of 48 and 83% female. The role is highly skilled, and salaries reflect that responsibility.
Because nurse practitioners are covered by the Nurses Award 2020, there are minimum pay rates that set a floor for your nurse practitioner salary. Actual earnings can be higher depending on experience, location, and employer, but the award gives you a baseline for comparing offers.
Award minimum rates for nurse practitioners
publishes the current award rates. For a full-time nurse practitioner (38 hours per week) the minimum weekly rates are:
- Non-aged care: 1st year $1,877.00, 2nd year $1,932.70
- Aged care: 1st year $2,158.60, 2nd year $2,222.70
These are before tax, Medicare, and super. The award also has higher classifications for registered nurses at levels 1–5, but nurse practitioners are a distinct classification.
From gross to take-home: what lands in your account
Let’s use the first-year non-aged care rate: $1,877 per week × 52 weeks = $97,604 per year. This is your gross salary before super. Using the 2026–27 tax rates and the Medicare levy (2% for full-time earners), your take-home pay is:
- Income tax: $19,801 (includes the 30% bracket above $45,000)
- Medicare levy: $1,952 (full 2% as your income exceeds the single upper threshold of $35,013)
- Low Income Tax Offset: $0 (phased out above $66,667)
- Annual take-home: $75,851
- Fortnightly take-home: $2,917
Super of 12% is paid on top by your employer – it does not reduce your take-home. So if a job offer says “$97,604 plus super”, your take-home is from that base.
Comparing job offers: look beyond the headline number
When you see a nurse practitioner salary advertised, ask:
- Is it plus super or inclusive? The Super guide explains the difference.
- Does the employer offer Salary packaging (e.g., for not-for-profit hospitals)? This can boost your after-tax income.
- What is the classification level? The award has pay points that increase with experience.
Use our Take-home pay calculator to see exactly what each offer means for your bank account. The Minimum wage benchmark ($26.44/hour, $1,004.90/week) is a useful reference, but nurse practitioners earn well above that.
Remember: the Medicare levy single thresholds ($28,011 and $35,013) mean full-time nurse practitioners always pay the full 2%. Factor that into your comparison.
Questions
What is the minimum nurse practitioner salary under the award?
Under the Nurses Award 2020, a nurse practitioner (other than aged care) earns a minimum of $1,877.00 per week in the first year and $1,932.70 in the second year. For aged care, the rates are $2,158.60 and $2,222.70 per week respectively. These are full-time rates for 38 hours per week, before super and tax.
How much tax and Medicare levy will I pay on a nurse practitioner salary?
Using the award minimum of $97,604 per year (first year, non-aged care), you would pay approximately $19,801 in income tax and $1,952 in Medicare levy (2%) and no Low Income Tax Offset. Your annual take-home pay would be about $75,851 per year, or about $2,917 per fortnight. Super is additional on top of the salary.
Does the nurse practitioner salary include superannuation?
No, the award minimum rates do not include super. Employers must pay 12% super on top of your salary from 1 July 2026. When comparing job offers, check whether the advertised figure is ‘plus super’ or ‘including super’ – this affects your take-home pay.