Teacher salary in Australia: award rates and take-home pay for 2026–27

Teacher salary under the Educational Services (Teachers) Award

Teacher salary in Australia is set by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020, which covers teachers in preschools, schools and long day care centres. The award sets minimum rates for full-time employees, with classifications from Level 1 to Level 2 to Level 3, Level 4 and Level 5. The rates differ between preschools and schools and long day care centres. For example, a Level 1 teacher in a preschool or school gets $1,455.40 a week ($75,941 a year) for a Level 2 teacher in a long day care centre gets $1,654.40 a week ($86,324 a year. The award also provides for part-time and casual employees with hourly rates and penalty rates.

Take-home pay after tax and Medicare levy

When you receive a teacher salary, you pay income tax and the Medicare levy. For the 2026–26 tax year, the tax-free threshold is $18,200. For a Level 1 teacher in a preschool or school, the annual salary of $75,941, the tax is $4,020 plus 30c per $1 over $45,000, so total tax $13,302. Medicare levy 2% is $1,518. So take-home is $61,119. For a Level 5 teacher in a long day care centre at $105,076, the tax is $22,042. Medicare $2,101. Take-home $80,931. The take-home range from $61,119 to $80,931 depending on classification and setting.

Comparison with the national minimum and full-time ordinary time

The national minimum wage is $26.44 an hour and $1,004.90 a week ($52,255 a year). The full-time adult ordinary time earnings is $108,352 a year. A Level 1 teacher is above the minimum but below the full-time average. A Level 5 teacher is close to the full-time average. The teacher salary in Australia is competitive, especially for experienced teachers.

Super is not deducted from take-home

When you see a teacher salary advertised, it is often plus super. The super guarantee rate is 12% from 1 July 2026. Super is not deducted from your take-home pay; it is additional. For a Level 1 teacher, the employer contributes about $9,113 a year to super.

Tax and Medicare thresholds

The Medicare levy is 2% of taxable income. The latest published single-person thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. Full-time salaries pay the full 2%. The low income tax offset (LITO) may reduce tax for lower incomes, but for most teachers it phases out.

For more details on take-home pay, see our Take-home pay guide. For tax rates, see Tax and Medicare.