QLD vs ACT teacher pay: which state pays more in 2026?

QLD vs ACT at a glance

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).

What's different about teaching in Queensland

Queensland is in QIRC arbitration, so classroom teachers are paid the higher of the 3% interim agreement rate and the 4.75% award rate from September 2026: $90,164 for a graduate and $119,357 at the top of the scale. Super is reported at 12.75% into Australian Retirement Trust, long service leave is usable after just 7 years, and remote schools rated TR4-7 add RoRRS, locality allowance and travel on top.

A four-year-trained graduate starts at Band 2 Step 1 and moves up one step a year with satisfactory service through Band 2 Steps 1-4 and Band 3 Steps 1-4. Senior Teacher needs one year at Band 3 Step 4 (or two years at Band 3 Step 1 if three-year trained), an Annual Performance Review and a Senior Teacher Undertaking and Action Plan. Experienced Senior Teacher 1 follows two years as a Senior Teacher (opt-in), and EST2 three years after that. Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher are separate classifications for teachers with national HALT certification.

Full details: QLD pay scale, QLD salary after tax and QLD pay rise tracker.

What's different about teaching in Australian Capital Territory

The ACT pays well at the start ($91,396 at TL1) and has some of the best super of any public system: 12.5%, or 13.5% if you contribute 3% (only Queensland's 12.75% beats the base rate). It also gives new teachers a lighter load for three years and 24 weeks of paid birth leave. The catch in 2026 is that pay has been frozen since 4 December 2025 while teachers and the government fight over a new deal, and there is almost no rural incentive system because there is barely any rural ACT.

All classroom teachers share one increment date, 27 January, and move up one Teacher Level a year from TL1 to TL8, subject to the Teacher Performance and Development Guidelines. Your starting level recognises qualifications and prior teaching and other work experience in full years. Leave without pay can push your increment date back. TL1-TL3 are New Educator levels with a reduced face-to-face load; TL4-TL8 are Experienced Teacher levels. HALT certification earns an extra increment, or a $7,495 a year HALT payment if you are already at TL8 or SLC2.

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