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NSW vs VIC teacher pay: which state pays more in 2026?

NSW vs VIC teacher salaries compared step by step: graduate $92,882 vs $79,589, top of scale, take-home, super, leave and incentives.

✓ Fact-checked against official sources Updated 16 October 2026 6 min read

NSW graduate

$92,882

VIC graduate

$79,589

NSW top

$133,422

VIC top

$118,063

On this page (6 sections)
  1. Side by side
  2. At every career stage
  3. What's different about NSW
  4. What's different about VIC
  5. Incentives and leave
  6. FAQs

The short answer

A graduate teacher earns $92,882 in NSW and $79,589 in VIC, so NSW pays $13,293 more to start. At the top of the classroom scale it's $133,422 vs $118,063 (NSW ahead by $15,359, about $402 a fortnight after tax). Rates are those in force on 16 October 2026.

NSW vs VIC at a glance

New South WalesVictoria
Graduate salary$92,882$79,589
Top of classroom scale$133,422$118,063
Highest classroom step$141,997$129,544
Years from graduate to topabout 6about 10
Casual / relief day rate$480.43$425.80
Employer super12%12%
Employer paid parental leave14 weeks16 weeks
Long service leave8.8 weeks after 10 yrs13 weeks after 10 yrs
RegistrationNESA: $100 per calendar yearVIT: $131.30 a year if paid by 30 September ($173.10 if paid late), for 1 Sep 2026 to 31 Aug 2027. Initial registration $175.60 (Victorian qualifications) or $203.00 (interstate or overseas), plus $77.40 for the national criminal history check.
Rates in force from9 October 20261 July 2025
Next pay columnnone scheduled1 October 2026 (proposed)
Highest principal salary$253,369$238,676

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).

Career stageNSW salaryVIC salaryGapGap after tax / fortnight
Graduate (first year) (Step 1 vs 1-1)$92,882$79,589+$13,293 NSW$348
About 5 years in (Step 6 vs 2-1)$124,696$94,415+$30,281 NSW$792
Top of classroom scale (Step 7 vs 2-6)$133,422$118,063+$15,359 NSW$402
Highest classroom step (HALT / senior) (HA/Lead vs 3-2)$141,997$129,544+$12,453 NSW$307

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 Victoria

Victoria is mid-reset: VGSA 2026 was approved by 93.1% of staff in September 2026 and, once the Fair Work Commission signs off, lifts graduate pay from $79,589 to $92,882 and the top classroom step from $118,063 to $133,456 from 1 October 2026, with back pay and a $2,000 lump sum. It gives more long service leave than NSW (3 months after 10 years), caps face-to-face teaching at 21 hours in primary and 18.5 in secondary, and pays up to $50,000 upfront to fill hard-to-staff rural schools.

Classroom teachers have 11 subdivisions: Range 1 (1-1 to 1-5) and Range 2 (2-1 to 2-6). You move up one subdivision per annual cycle (1 May to 30 April) after a successful performance and development assessment. It is not automatic, but there is no quota, and you need at least 6 months' eligible service at a subdivision in the cycle. Moving from Range 1 to Range 2 requires meeting the Range 2 standards. Starting salary is 1-1 plus one subdivision for each year of approved experience (including CRT work in Victorian schools since 2005) up to 2-6. Learning Specialist and Leading Teacher (Range 3) are promotion positions, usually fixed-term. From May 2027 VGSA 2026 adds a 1% top-of-range allowance for teachers at 2-6 or 3-2 for 12 months.

Full details: VIC pay scale, VIC salary after tax and VIC 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.

NSWVIC
Rural / recruitment incentives listed12 (see NSW)4 (see VIC)
Biggest incentiveRecruitment bonusTargeted Financial Incentives (hard-to-staff rural and regional schools)
Parental leaveUp to 14 weeks paid parental leave for eligible birth and non-birth parents after 40 weeks' continuous service, plus 2 bonus weeks when leav16 weeks' paid primary caregiver leave (can be taken at half pay) and 20 days' paid secondary caregiver leave. Proposed VGSA 2026 removes qu
WorkloadPrimary teachers teach up to 21h45m face-to-face a week (excluding RFF). High school teachers teach up to 28 x 40-minute periods a week plus38-hour week. Face-to-face teaching is capped at 21 hours a week in primary and special schools and 18.5 hours in secondary, under the '30 p

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Frequently asked questions

Do teachers get paid more in NSW or VIC?
NSW pays more at the top of the classroom scale: $133,422 against $118,063. For graduates, NSW is ahead by $13,293 a year. Pay changes when either state's agreement moves, so check the dates on each state page.
How much more would I take home in NSW?
At the top of the classroom scale the gap is $10,444 a year after tax and Medicare, or about $402 a fortnight, using 2026–27 tax rates and no HECS. For a graduate the after-tax gap is $9,039 a year.
Is super better for teachers in NSW or VIC?
NSW pays 12% employer super and VIC pays 12%. At the top step that's $16,011 a year in NSW and $14,168 in VIC. Default funds: Aware Super (NSW) and Aware Super Future Saver (Department default product) or your choice of fund (VIC).
Can I move from NSW to VIC and keep my experience?
Usually your teaching experience counts toward the step you're placed on, but the new employer assesses it, so ask for your service to be recognised when you're offered a job. You'll also need registration with Victorian Institute of Teaching under mutual recognition, which is normally straightforward if you're registered in NSW. Long service leave recognition between states varies, so check before you resign.
Which state pays casual relief teachers more, NSW or VIC?
The standard casual day rate is $480.43 in NSW and $425.80 in VIC (rates from 9 October 2026 and 1 July 2025). Higher tiers can apply with experience or accreditation; see each state's casual page.
When is the next teacher pay rise in NSW and VIC?
NSW: Final 3% rise paid from Oct 2026; award expires 8 Oct 2027 with no further rise scheduled. VIC: VGSA 2026 approved by staff (93.1%), awaiting Fair Work approval; back pay to 10 Aug 2026

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.

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