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Free calculator 2026–27 rates

When will I reach the top of the pay scale?

Enter your state, current step and start date to see when you move up each step, what you'll earn at each one, and when you reach the top of the classroom scale.

⚙Your details

Your increment or anniversary date, from your payslip or HR portal.

You reach the top of the classroom scale

18 June 2032

Step 7 · $133,422 a year then · 6 steps to go

Next step

Step 2

18 June 2027

Next step pay

$99,889

+$7,007 a year

Steps to go

6

of 7 classroom steps

Pay at the top

$133,422

Step 7, 9 October 2026 column

DateWhat happensPay columnSalaryTake-home / fnvs now
Now (16 October 2026)Step 1 · Graduate (entry)9 October 2026$92,882$2,794–
18 June 2027Move to Step 2 · Graduate9 October 2026$99,889$2,977+$7,007
18 June 2028Move to Step 3 · Proficient (entry) · gate: Requires Proficient accreditation9 October 2026$104,156$3,089+$11,274
18 June 2029Move to Step 4 · Proficient9 October 2026$108,421$3,200+$15,539
18 June 2030Move to Step 5 · Proficient9 October 2026$115,972$3,398+$23,090
18 June 2031Move to Step 6 · Proficient9 October 2026$124,696$3,626+$31,814
18 June 2032Move to Step 7 · Proficient (top of incremental scale)9 October 2026$133,422$3,854+$40,540

How progression works in NSW

One step after each 203 days of full-time service (about a school year) with a satisfactory Performance and Development process. Step 2 to Step 3 also needs Proficient accreditation from NESA.

Beyond the top step

  • HA/Lead · Highly Accomplished / Lead Teacher ($141,997): Requires HA or Lead accreditation plus 1 year at Step 7

Dates assume full-time service, satisfactory performance and no leave without pay; part-time service and unpaid leave can delay increments. Salary on each date uses the pay column in force then, including proposed columns. Senior and promotion steps are not projected. Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award 2024, verified 16 October 2026.

In short

Most Australian teachers reach the top of the classroom pay scale in 6 to 10 years. A NSW graduate who gains Proficient on time reaches Step 7 ($133,422) in about 6 years, ACT teachers take 7 years from TL1 to TL8, NT teachers about 8 years from CT1 to CT9, and Victorian teachers need 10 progressions from 1-1 to 2-6.

How to use the pay step timeline

  1. 1

    Choose your state and current step

    Pick the step you're on now. If you're not sure, it's on your payslip or in your employment letter.

  2. 2

    Enter the date you started that step

    Use the date your current step began. In the ACT everyone moves on 27 January; in Victoria progression runs on a 1 May to 30 April cycle.

  3. 3

    Add any time at part-time or on leave

    If you work part-time or take leave without pay, some states take longer to credit a year of service. Adjust the setting so dates stay realistic.

  4. 4

    Read your timeline

    See the date you move to each step, the salary at each one and the date you reach the top of the classroom scale.

How progression works in each state

Classroom teacher progression rules, government schools (October 2026)
StateStepsHow you move upGates that need more than time
NSWStep 1 to Step 7, then HA/LeadEach 203 days of full-time serviceProficient accreditation for Step 2 → 3; HALT plus 1 year at Step 7 for HA/Lead
VIC1-1 to 2-6 (11 subdivisions)One per annual cycle (1 May to 30 April), after a successful PDPMeet Range 2 standards to move 1-5 → 2-1
QLDBand 2 Step 1 to Band 3 Step 4AnnualSenior Teacher and EST are opt-in, with an application
WALevel 2.1 to 2.9Annually on your anniversary, if service is satisfactorySenior Teacher needs 12 months at 2.9 plus PD and extra duties
SAStep 1 to Step 9Steps through the scaleStep 9 by application after 207 duty days on Step 8
TASL1 to L13 (Band 1)AnnualL13 needs full registration and 12 months at L12
ACTTL1 to TL8Every 27 January, subject to performance and developmentNone within the classroom scale
NTCT1 to CT9Each 12 months' service, continuous or brokenRapid progression to CT4 at the start of year 3 is optional

Sources: state agreements and department pages, checked 16 October 2026.

In most states, progression is "not automatic" on paper but rarely refused in practice. Victoria's agreement, for example, says progression depends on a successful performance and development assessment, but no quota applies and it can only be withheld after written notice and a chance to improve. Read how teacher pay steps work for the detail behind each rule.

The accreditation step that catches NSW graduates

NSW graduates start on Step 1 ($92,882 from October 2026) and move to Step 2 ($99,889) after a year. To move to Step 3 ($104,156) they need confirmed Proficient accreditation from NESA as well as a year at Step 2. If accreditation is late, you stay on Step 2 until it's confirmed. That's often the single biggest delay on a NSW timeline, and it's worth tracking from your first term. See Proficient teacher accreditation.

Worked example

A NSW graduate who starts in Term 1 2027 and stays on track

Year 1: Step 1
$92,882
Year 2: Step 2
$99,889
Year 3: Step 3 (Proficient confirmed)
$104,156
Year 4: Step 4
$108,421
Year 5: Step 5
$115,972
Year 6: Step 6
$124,696
Year 7: Step 7, top of the classroom scale $133,422

Uses the scale in force from October 2026. Each new NSW agreement will lift every step, so real salaries along the way should be higher.

Ways to move faster

  • NT Rapid Incremental Progression: complete 2 years in NT government schools within 4 years and pass 2 semester units of postgraduate study, and you jump to CT4 ($109,962) at the start of year 3.
  • Recognised prior service: Victoria adds one subdivision per year of approved experience, including CRT work in Victorian schools since 2005. The NT counts 180 relief days as one year.
  • Start higher: NSW teachers who are already Proficient start on Step 3, and Tasmanian teachers in isolated schools start at L8.
  • Accomplished and lead roles: HALT certification lifts NSW teachers to $141,997, and Queensland HATs and Lead Teachers are paid $134,694 and $147,050.

What the timeline doesn't predict

The timeline uses today's salary for each step. It doesn't guess future pay rises unless they're already scheduled in an agreement, such as the NT's 4.3% from January 2027 or Tasmania's 3% from March 2027. When a new agreement lands, every step moves up, so the real salary at each date should be higher. Track agreements on the pay rise tracker.

Free calculator

See what your whole career earns

Add promotion, HALT and part-time years to project total lifetime earnings.

Open the career earnings calculator

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to reach the top of the teacher pay scale?
About 6 to 10 years in most states. NSW takes about 6 years from Step 1 to Step 7 for a teacher who gains Proficient on time, the ACT 7 years, the NT about 8 years and Victoria 10 progressions from 1-1 to 2-6.
Do teachers move up a step every year?
Usually, yes. Most states move you up after each year of satisfactory service. NSW counts 203 days of full-time service per step, and the ACT moves everyone on 27 January.
Can a teacher's pay progression be refused?
Yes, but it's rare. Victoria and the ACT tie progression to a performance and development process, and Victoria can only withhold it after written notice and a chance to improve. The NT withholds increments only through formal inability or discipline processes.
What happens to my step if I go part-time?
You may progress more slowly. NSW counts 203 days of full-time service for each step, so a part-time year may not equal a full step. Check your state's rules with payroll.
Does relief teaching count towards pay steps?
Often, yes. The NT counts 180 relief days as one year of service, WA casuals move up a step every 200 days worked, and Victoria recognises CRT work in Victorian schools since 2005 when setting your starting subdivision.
What comes after the top of the classroom scale?
Accomplished-teacher and leadership roles. NSW pays HALT-accredited teachers $141,997, WA has Senior Teacher and Level 3 Classroom Teacher, Queensland has Senior Teacher, EST, HAT and Lead Teacher, and every state has head teacher, deputy and principal bands.

Guides that go with this tool

Pay scales

How teacher pay steps work in every Australian state

How many pay steps each state has, what triggers each move, how long it takes to reach the top, and how prior service is counted.

Accreditation

Proficient teacher accreditation: moving from provisional to full registration

What Proficient means, how to move from provisional to full registration in each state, what evidence you need and what it's worth in pay.