On this page (6 sections)
The short answer
A graduate teacher earns $92,882 in NSW and $85,313 in TAS, so NSW pays $7,569 more to start. At the top of the classroom scale it's $133,422 vs $122,393 (NSW ahead by $11,029, about $288 a fortnight after tax). Rates are those in force on 16 October 2026.
NSW vs TAS at a glance
Government school classroom teachers. Leadership, Catholic and independent school pay differ; see each state's role pages.
Pay and take-home at every career stage
Steps don't line up exactly between states, so we compare like-for-like career stages: the usual graduate entry step, about five years in, the top of the incremental classroom scale, and the highest classroom step (reached through HALT, Senior Teacher or a similar classification).
After-tax figures use 2026–27 resident tax rates, Medicare levy, no HECS-HELP and no salary sacrifice.
What's different about teaching in New South Wales
NSW pays one of the highest graduate salaries in Australia ($92,882 from 9 Oct 2026) and reaches the top of the classroom scale ($133,422) in about 6 years, with HA/Lead teachers on $141,997. Pay is tied to NESA accreditation, and the country package is the deepest in the nation: a $20,000-$30,000 a year Rural Teacher Incentive, up to 90% rent subsidy and fee-paying teach.Rural scholarships. The catch is that no rise is scheduled after October 2026, with the award expiring in October 2027.
8 pay points: Steps 1-2 (Graduate), Steps 3-7 (Proficient), then Highly Accomplished/Lead. You move up one step after each year of service (203 days full-time) with a satisfactory Performance and Development process. Step 2 to Step 3 also needs confirmed Proficient accreditation from NESA. Step 7 to HA/Lead needs HA or Lead accreditation plus at least a year at Step 7. Pay depends on keeping your accreditation. A full-time graduate who reaches Proficient on time gets to Step 7 in about 6 years.
Full details: NSW pay scale, NSW salary after tax and NSW pay rise tracker.
What's different about teaching in Tasmania
Tasmania's headline pay is among the lowest, $85,313 for a Level 5 graduate and $122,393 at the top of Band 1, but its Teachers Agreement 2025 locks in 3% in March 2027 and 2.75% in March 2028. Isolated schools add a Level 8 start ($99,010), a $5,000 settling-in payment and retention payments, and TRB registration costs $121.32 a year.
One Band 1 scale of 13 levels with annual increments. Your starting level depends on your training: 4-year trained teachers start at Level 4 and 5-year trained at Level 5, and DECYP says the usual beginning salary is Level 5 (Level 8 in isolated schools). Moving to Level 13 needs full TRB registration and 12 months at Level 12. In the 3-year trained and transition streams, Levels 9 and 10 each take two years.
Full details: TAS pay scale, TAS salary after tax and TAS pay rise tracker.
Country incentives, leave and the things salary tables miss
Headline salary is only part of the deal. Country and remote postings can add thousands a year, and leave rules change what a career is worth.
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About 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.