Principal salary Victoria: what you can expect to take home in 2026–27

Principal salary Victoria: the official scale

If you're a principal or aspiring to become one in Victoria's public schools, your salary is set by the Department of Education under the Victorian Government Schools Agreement. The current scale for 2026–27 ranges from $156,335 for a principal at a smaller school (Range 2-1) up to $238,676 for the largest schools (Range 6-4). Assistant principals (called assistant principals in Victoria) earn between $136,022 and $191,811. These figures are published by the department and confirmed by the guide.

How schools are classified

Your pay depends on the size and complexity of the school you lead. Victoria groups schools into bands, and each band has several pay steps. The more students and the greater the complexity, the higher the band. This means two principals with the same years of experience can earn different amounts if they lead different schools.

Take-home pay after tax and Medicare

Using the Australian Taxation Office's 2026–27 resident tax rates, we can estimate what lands in your bank account each fortnight. For a principal on $156,335, the annual tax (including Medicare levy) is approximately $39,000, leaving about $117,335 per year, or $4,513 per fortnight. However, the guide calculates take-home at $4,396 per fortnight for the lower end, which may account for the Medicare levy shading and the low-income tax offset. At the top end of $238,676, tax and Medicare take about $78,000, leaving $160,676 per year, or $6,180 per fortnight. The guide shows $6,178. These are estimates only; your actual take-home depends on your specific circumstances, including any HELP/HECS repayments or salary sacrifice arrangements. For more details, see our Take-home pay and Tax and Medicare guides.

Medicare levy thresholds

The Medicare levy is 2% of taxable income, but there are reduced rates for low-income earners. The latest published single-person thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. For full-time salaries like a principal's, you pay the full 2% because your income is well above the upper threshold.

How principal pay compares to national benchmarks

The national minimum wage from Fair Work Ombudsman is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or $52,255 per year. Even the lowest principal salary in Victoria is three times that. The average full-time adult ordinary time earnings, according to the ABS, is $2,083.70 per week or $108,352 per year. A principal at the bottom of the scale earns about 44% more than that average, and at the top more than double. See our Benchmarks page for more comparisons, and the Minimum wage page for the latest rates.

What about super and other benefits?

Employer superannuation contributions are 12% from 1 July 2026, paid on top of your salary. So your total remuneration package is higher than the salary figure. Many principals also have access to salary packaging for items like cars or laptops, which can reduce taxable income. However, the take-home estimates here are from the salary alone, before any packaging. For more on super, see our Super guide.

Final thoughts

The principal salary Victoria is competitive, reflecting the responsibility of leading a school. Whether you're considering a move into leadership or negotiating a new position, understanding the full picture of take-home pay helps you plan your finances. Use our Clearance tool to estimate your own take-home based on your exact salary and deductions.