Your Guide to the Sterilisation Technician Salary in Australia

Understanding the Sterilisation Technician Salary

If you're looking into a career as a sterilisation technician, you're probably wondering about the pay. The short answer is that there isn't a single published median salary for this role. Jobs and Skills Australia, the government agency that tracks occupation data, lists the median weekly earnings for sterilisation technicians as 'N/A'. That means the data is not available or not reliable enough to report. So how do you figure out what you might earn?

Where the Data Comes From

Jobs and Skills Australia compiles information from the ABS Census and the Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours. For many detailed occupations (6-digit ANZSCO codes like 711914 for sterilisation technicians), median earnings are not produced because the sample size is too small. What we do know from the 2021 Census is that there are about 4,800 people employed as sterilisation technicians, 67% are female, the median age is 50, and 58% work full-time hours. The average full-time week is 41 hours.

The National Minimum Wage as a Floor

Every employee in Australia is entitled to at least the national minimum wage. As of 1 July 2026, that rate is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week (based on a 38-hour week). Fair Work Ombudsman sets this rate, and it applies to employees not covered by an award or agreement. Most sterilisation technicians are likely covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award or a similar award, which may have higher minimum rates. You can check the Modern Awards Pay Database from the Fair Work Commission for exact classification rates.

How the Sterilisation Technician Salary Compares to Benchmarks

To give you context, here are two key benchmarks from the on-site reference:

• National minimum wage: $26.44/hour, $1,004.90/week, $52,255/year (rounded).
• Full-time adult ordinary time earnings: $2,083.70/week, $108,352/year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, seasonally adjusted, excludes overtime and employer super).

A sterilisation technician salary likely falls somewhere between these two figures. Given that the role is classified under 'Other Machine Operators' and requires a Certificate III/IV (38.8% of workers have that level of education), it's reasonable to expect pay above the minimum wage but below the all-employees average. However, without a published median, we can't give a precise number.

Estimating Take-Home Pay

Once you have a gross salary figure, you can estimate your take-home pay using the 2026–27 tax rates. For a resident individual:

• First $18,200: tax-free
• $18,201 to $45,000: 15c per $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 to $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c per $1 over $45,000
• Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (full rate for singles earning over $35,013)
• The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) can reduce tax for incomes up to $66,667.

For example, if you earn $60,000 per year:

• Tax on $60,000 = $4,020 + 30% of ($60,000 - $45,000) = $4,020 + $4,500 = $8,520
• Medicare levy = 2% of $60,000 = $1,200
• LITO = $325 minus 1.5c per $1 over $45,000 = $325 - $225 = $100 (but capped at reducing tax to zero; here tax is $8,520, so full $100 applies)
• Total tax + Medicare = $8,520 + $1,200 - $100 = $9,620
• Take-home = $60,000 - $9,620 = $50,380 per year, or about $1,938 per fortnight.

Use our Clearance tool to calculate your own take-home pay.

Factors That Affect Your Salary

Your actual sterilisation technician salary will depend on:

• Employer: Public hospitals, private hospitals, and sterilisation service providers may have different pay scales.
• Experience and qualifications: Certificate III/IV in Sterilisation Services is common; higher qualifications may lead to higher pay.
• Location: Wages in Sydney or Melbourne may be higher than in regional areas.
• Shift work: Many sterilisation technicians work shifts, which attract penalty rates under the award.
• Full-time vs part-time: 42% work part-time, which affects annual earnings.

Superannuation

Remember that super is paid on top of your salary. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of your ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. So if your salary is $60,000, your employer will also contribute $7,200 to your super fund. This is not deducted from your take-home pay. Learn more on our Super page.

Medicare Levy Thresholds

For the 2026–27 tax year, the Medicare levy single thresholds are $28,011 (lower) and $35,013 (upper). If your taxable income is below $28,011, you pay no Medicare levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, you pay 10c per $1 over the lower threshold. Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. Most full-time sterilisation technicians will be above $35,013, so the full 2% applies.

Final Thoughts

While a precise sterilisation technician salary figure isn't publicly available, you can use the national minimum wage as a starting point and adjust for award rates, experience, and location. The role offers stable employment in the health care sector, with a high proportion of part-time work and a mature workforce. For personalised calculations, check our Tax and Medicare guide and the Benchmarks page for the latest wage data.