On this page (7 sections)
The short answer
As at 20 October 2026, the QIRC hasn't made a final decision on Queensland state teacher pay. Teachers are on a 3% interim rise from 7 September 2026, or the higher award rate (up 4.75% from 1 September 2026) where that's bigger, which covers most classroom teachers. No hearing or decision dates have been published; a decision is expected in late 2026 or 2027.
- Graduate (Band 2 Step 1): $90,164. Top of the incremental scale (Band 3 Step 4): $119,357.
- The 3% was paid in the fortnight ending 4 October; the 4.75% award rise was due in the fortnight ending 18 October.
- Any back-dating of the final rates is up to the Full Bench.
- Catholic school staff are voting on a separate deal from 19 to 29 October.
Interim rise
3%
From 7 Sep 2026
Award rise
4.75%
From 1 Sep 2026
Final decision
Pending
Checked 20 Oct 2026
QTU claim
24%
3% + 7% + 7% + 7%
Where the arbitration is up to (20 October 2026)
Queensland's state school teachers have been without a new agreement since the State School Teachers' Certified Agreement 2022 (CA2022) reached its nominal expiry on 30 June 2025. Bargaining failed, members rejected the government's October 2025 offer, and the dispute was referred to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) for arbitration. A Full Bench will set the new pay and conditions, and its decision binds both sides. Protected industrial action generally isn't available while arbitration runs.
When we checked on 20 October 2026, the QTU's salary page was last updated on 1 October 2026 and listed no hearing dates. Its homepage had no new arbitration news in October. We found no final decision on the QIRC site or in news reports.
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⚙Your details
New pay rates
Default: the new rates' operative date, 1 September 2026.
When the back pay lands. Default: six weeks from today. New rates apply from the following pay.
E.g. a sign-on or cost-of-living payment in the agreement (gross).
Back pay owed (before tax)
$1,193
New salary
$90,164
+4.8% on $86,068
Rise per fortnight
$158
$107 after tax
Tax on back pay
$382
32% of the lump
Back pay in hand
$811
What this means
From 1 September 2026 you should have been paid $158 more each fortnight. Because the new rates weren't paid yet, the difference builds up and arrives as one back payment: about $1,193 before tax. After that, your fortnightly take-home goes from $2,616 to $2,723.
Payroll taxes back pay at your marginal rate rather than spreading it, so roughly 32% comes off. That's your actual tax on the money: it doesn't push the rest of your salary into a higher bracket. These are the latest rates already in force: if they are on your payslip, nothing is owed. This shows what you're owed if payroll was late applying them.
Estimate only. Back pay = (new − old) fortnightly pay × fortnights between the two dates, using the pay column in force at the start of each fortnight. Tax uses the ATO marginal-rate method on your annual salary for 2026–27; back pay for an earlier financial year over $1,200 may be taxed differently and is reported as a lump sum E. Old rates: 1 September 2025 column; Department of Education State School Teachers' Certified Agreement 2022, verified 16 October 2026.
Arbitration timeline
Sources: QTU Queensland Teachers' Journal (Vol 131 Nos 1 and 4), QTU salaries page (updated 1 Oct 2026), QTU salary schedule (1 Oct 2026), Queensland Government ministerial statement (27 Oct 2025).
Current rates while the case runs
You're paid the higher of two rates: the CA2022 rate plus the 3% interim rise, or the award rate after the 4.75% State Wage Case rise. For Bands 1–3, Senior Teacher and Experienced Senior Teacher the award rate is higher. For Coaches, HATs, Lead Teachers and school leaders the interim rate applies.
Department of Education salary schedule (updated 1 Sep 2026) and QTU schedule (1 Oct 2026). *2026–27 tax after LITO plus Medicare, no HELP debt, from our tax engine. Supply teachers: $515.75 a day from 1 Sep 2026.
What a final decision could mean for your pay
Here's the part most coverage misses. Because classroom teachers on Bands 1–3 are already on the award rate, a final decision only lifts their pay if the new agreement rate beats the award rate. By our calculation from the CA2022 rates of 1 July 2024, the agreement rate would need to rise by about 7.2% at Band 2 Step 1 and about 6.9% at Band 3 Step 4 before those teachers gained anything. For HATs, Lead Teachers, Coaches and leaders, any final rise above the interim 3% shows up straight away.
These percentages are examples, not predictions, and they aren't the parties' positions. Our calculation: CA2022 1 July 2024 rate × (1 + X%), minus today's rate, for the 175 days from 7 Sep 2026 to 28 Feb 2027. After-tax figures from our 2026–27 tax engine (no HELP). The Full Bench could choose a different back-pay date, different steps or a different structure. A 2027 State Wage Case could also lift award rates again.
The QTU's claim is reported as 3% + 7% + 7% + 7%, or 24% over the agreement. The government's rejected October 2025 offer promised every current classroom teacher at least $100,000 and a new $135,000 classroom level by the end of the agreement. Neither is a decision. Until the Full Bench rules, budget on today's rates. For every rise since 2022, see the Queensland pay rise page.
Free calculator
Teacher back pay calculator
Choose Queensland, your band and step, and a back-pay date. Check the 4.75% award back pay from 1 September now, and model a final decision later.
Check my QLD back payCheck your September back pay now
On your 4 October and 18 October 2026 payslips
- Coach, HAT, Lead Teacher, HOD, deputy or principal: the 3% rise and back pay to 7 September should have arrived in the fortnight ending 4 October.
- Band 1–3, Senior Teacher or EST: the 4.75% award rate and back pay to 1 September were due in the fortnight ending 18 October. If payroll applied the 3% first, the balance should be topped up.
- Supply teachers: $515.75 a day from 1 September, up from $492.38.
- If something looks wrong, raise it with your payroll team; QTU members can also ask the union.
Catholic school staff: a separate vote this month
Frequently asked questions
When will Queensland teachers get a pay rise?
QLD teacher pay rise 2026: when will it be paid?
Will Queensland teachers get back pay from arbitration?
When will the QIRC decide Queensland teacher pay?
Why did some Queensland teachers get 4.75% and others 3%?
Can Queensland teachers strike during arbitration?
What does a graduate teacher earn in Queensland now?
Sources we checked · last verified 2026-10-20
- 1.QTU: Salaries under CA2022 (updated 1 Oct 2026)
- 2.QTU: Updated salary schedule flyer (1 Oct 2026, PDF)
- 3.Qld Department of Education: Salary schedule (updated 1 Sep 2026)
- 4.QTU: EB referred to arbitration (QTJ Vol 131 No 1)
- 5.QTU: Pathway to arbitration and QTU submissions (QTJ Vol 131 No 4)
- 6.Queensland Government ministerial statement (27 Oct 2025)
- 7.IEU-QNT: Action now (Catholic EB11 ballot)
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CalculateAbout this page
Written and fact-checked by the TeacherPay AU Editorial Team against the enterprise agreements, awards and official pages listed in the sources. It is general information, not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it, usually within a day. See our editorial policy and how we calculate.
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