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Free calculator 2026–27 rates

Compare teacher pay in every state

Compare teacher pay across all eight states and territories at the same career stage: salary, take-home, super, next rise and years to the top of the scale.

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Best-paying state for a graduate (by take-home pay)

Northern Territory

$96,180 a year · $2,880 take-home a fortnight · $11,542 employer super

Highest take-home

$2,880

per fortnight

Lowest take-home

$2,446

per fortnight

Gap per year

$11,282

after tax, best vs worst

Super range

12–12.75%

Employer contribution

RankStateStepSalaryTake-home / fnEmployer superTotal packageNext rise
1 (best)Northern TerritoryCT1$96,180$2,880$11,542$107,7221 January 2027 +4.3%
2New South WalesStep 1$92,882$2,794$11,146$104,028None scheduled
3Australian Capital TerritoryTL1$91,396$2,755$11,425$102,821None scheduled
4QueenslandB0201/B2201$90,164$2,723$11,496$101,660None scheduled
5Western Australia2.1$88,178$2,671$10,581$98,759None scheduled
6TasmaniaB1L5$85,313$2,596$10,238$95,5511 March 2027 +3.0%
7South AustraliaStep 1$84,971$2,587$10,197$95,168None scheduled
8Victoria1-1$79,589$2,446$9,551$89,1401 October 2026 (proposed) +16.7%

Take-home pay per fortnight

  • NT$2,880 ★
  • NSW$2,794
  • ACT$2,755
  • QLD$2,723
  • WA$2,671
  • TAS$2,596
  • SA$2,587
  • VIC$2,446

★ highest. Bars are scaled to the highest take-home.

Reading the comparison

Each state is shown at the step a graduate would usually be on, using today's pay column. Take-home is the same tax calculation everywhere (income tax is federal), so differences come from salary alone; the total package adds employer super, which varies from 12% to 12.75%.

Progression isn't identical: NSW needs Proficient accreditation to pass Step 2, Victoria's Range 2 needs the Range 2 standards, and some states let you start higher with prior experience. A state with a big rise due soon (see "Next rise") can overtake one that is higher today.

Full-time government school rates in force today; proposed columns are not used for the ranking. Take-home assumes an Australian resident claiming the tax-free threshold with no other income, 2026–27 tax rates. Cost of living, rural incentives and allowances are not included. Data from each state's agreement, verified between 16 October 2026 and 16 October 2026. Victoria ranks last at this stage.

In short

The Northern Territory pays Australian government-school teachers the most in October 2026: $96,180 for a graduate and $136,997 at the top classroom step. NSW is second ($92,882 and $133,422). Victoria is lowest until its new agreement is approved, when its rates jump to $92,882 and $133,456. After tax, the gap between states shrinks by about a third.

How to use the teacher pay by state comparison

  1. 1

    Pick a career stage

    Choose graduate, mid-scale, top of the classroom scale or a leadership level. The tool finds the matching step in every state.

  2. 2

    Switch on HELP or sacrifice if they apply

    Add your HECS-HELP debt and any salary sacrifice so take-home figures match your situation.

  3. 3

    Compare the eight columns

    Each state shows salary, take-home per fortnight, employer super, the next scheduled rise and how many years it takes to reach the top of the classroom scale.

  4. 4

    Sort by what matters to you

    Sort by gross salary, take-home or super to see how the ranking changes.

Graduate and top-step pay compared, October 2026

Government school classroom teachers, annual salary in force on 16 October 2026
StateGraduateTop classroom stepNext scheduled rise
NT$96,180$136,9974.3% from Jan 2027
NSW$92,882$133,422None (award ends Oct 2027)
ACT$91,396$129,106None (offer rejected Sep 2026)
QLD$90,164$119,357Awaiting QIRC arbitration
WA$88,178$127,737None (agreement ends Dec 2026)
TAS$85,313$122,3933% from Mar 2027
SA$84,971$123,236None (EA27 bargaining)
VIC$79,589$118,063Pending: $92,882 / $133,456 once approved

Graduate = usual entry step for a four-year trained teacher (TAS: L5; QLD: Band 2 Step 1). Top = top of the incremental classroom scale (SA's Step 9 needs a Professional Development Plan after 207 duty days at Step 8); QLD Senior Teacher ($124,601) and EST ($127,549) sit above it.

Rankings move with every new agreement. Victoria goes from last to near the top once the VGSA 2026 is approved, and the ACT's position depends on how its dispute ends; the minister says the rejected 9% offer would have made ACT teachers the best paid outside the NT from February 2027. For the full story behind the table, read which state pays teachers the most.

Why the gap is smaller after tax

Almost every classroom teacher in Australia pays 30% income tax on each extra dollar, plus 2% Medicare. So a $10,000 difference in salary is roughly a $6,800 difference in take-home pay. Higher-paid states also hit the 37% bracket sooner if you add allowances.

Worked example

NT graduate vs Tasmanian graduate, 2026–27

NT CT1 salary
$96,180
NT take-home
$74,882 a year ($2,880 a fortnight)
TAS L5 salary
$85,313
TAS take-home
$67,493 a year ($2,596 a fortnight)
Gross gap
$10,867
Take-home gap $7,389 a year (about $284 a fortnight)

Site tax engine, 2026–27 rates, no HELP debt. Employer super adds another 12% of each salary on top.

What else differs between states

  • Super: most states pay the 12% Super Guarantee. The ACT pays 12.5% from 1 January 2026, plus an extra 1% if you contribute 3%. Queensland has been reported at 12.75%, though that figure needs re-checking.
  • Years to the top: about 6 years from Step 1 to Step 7 in NSW for a teacher who gains Proficient on time, 7 years from TL1 to TL8 in the ACT, about 8 years from CT1 to CT9 in the NT and 8 increments from 2.1 to 2.9 in WA.
  • Workload: maximum face-to-face teaching ranges from 18.5 hours a week for Victorian secondary teachers to 22h40m for NT primary teachers in 2026.
  • Leave: paid parental leave runs from 14 weeks (NSW, WA, NT) to 24 weeks of birth leave in the ACT. Long service leave rules also differ.
  • Allowances: rural and remote incentives can add $5,000 to $50,000, and HALT allowances in the NT reach $29,184 a year.

Moving interstate: what carries over

Registration transfers between states under mutual recognition, but each employer decides how your experience maps to its scale, so check before you accept a step. Long service leave recognition also varies. Head-to-head pages such as NSW vs Queensland, Victoria vs NSW and Victoria vs WA go deeper, and the best state to teach in Australia weighs pay against cost of living and conditions.

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See your own take-home in detail

Pick your state and step for an exact fortnightly figure with HELP and salary sacrifice.

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Frequently asked questions

Which state pays teachers the most in Australia?
The Northern Territory, as of October 2026. NT graduates earn $96,180 and the top classroom step (CT9) is $136,997, with another 4.3% due from January 2027. NSW is second at $92,882 and $133,422.
Which state pays teachers the least?
Victoria, until its new agreement starts. Victorian teachers are still paid the 1 July 2025 rates ($79,589 graduate, $118,063 top step). Once the VGSA 2026 is approved, they rise to $92,882 and $133,456 from 1 October 2026, with back pay.
Are NSW teachers paid more than Queensland teachers?
Yes, as of October 2026. A NSW graduate earns $92,882 against $90,164 in Queensland, and the NSW top step of $133,422 is well above Queensland's Band 3 Step 4 ($119,357). Queensland's pay is in arbitration and may change.
How much more do NT teachers take home than Tasmanian teachers?
About $7,389 a year at graduate level, or around $284 a fortnight, on 2026–27 tax rates. The gross gap is $10,867, but tax and Medicare take about a third of the difference.
Do teachers get paid more in the ACT?
ACT teachers are mid-table on salary ($91,396 to $129,106) but get some of the best super: 12.5% employer contributions, rising to 13.5% if you contribute 3% (Queensland reports 12.75% without a member contribution). ACT pay has been frozen since December 2025 while the 2026 dispute continues.
Does teaching experience transfer between states?
Your registration transfers under mutual recognition, but each employer sets your starting step under its own rules. For example, the NT places experienced teachers by completed years of service and Victoria adds one subdivision per year of approved experience.

Guides that go with this tool

Choosing a state

The best state to teach in Australia in 2026: pay, incentives and how your experience counts

All eight states and territories compared for incoming teachers: pay now and next, take-home, incentives and how prior experience is credited.