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

QLD vs SA teacher salaries compared step by step: graduate $90,164 vs $84,971, top of scale, take-home, super, leave and incentives.

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

QLD graduate

$90,164

SA graduate

$84,971

QLD top

$119,357

SA top

$123,236

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

The short answer

A graduate teacher earns $90,164 in QLD and $84,971 in SA, so QLD pays $5,193 more to start. At the top of the classroom scale it's $119,357 vs $123,236 (SA ahead by $3,879, about $101 a fortnight after tax). Rates are those in force on 16 October 2026.

QLD vs SA at a glance

QueenslandSouth Australia
Graduate salary$90,164$84,971
Top of classroom scale$119,357$123,236
Highest classroom step$147,050$141,365
Years from graduate to topabout 7about 8
Casual / relief day rate$515.75$407.21
Employer super12.75%12%
Employer paid parental leavesee state page16 weeks
Long service leave13 weeks after 10 yrssee state page
RegistrationQCT: About $100.70 a year (unverified; fees were indexed 3.4% from 1 Oct 2025)TRB SA: From 1 Feb 2026 to 31 Jan 2027: application $218; annual fee $137 (or $685 for 5 years); renewal $124; late annual fee penalty $75. The national criminal history check is extra. Fees are indexed each 1 February.
Rates in force from1 September 20268 May 2026
Next pay columnnone schedulednone scheduled
Highest principal salary$242,573$222,484

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 stageQLD salarySA salaryGapGap after tax / fortnight
Graduate (first year) (B0201/B2201 vs Step 1)$90,164$84,971+$5,193 QLD$136
About 5 years in (B0302/B2302 vs Step 6)$111,478$106,890+$4,588 QLD$120
Top of classroom scale (B0304/B2304 vs Step 9)$119,357$123,236−$3,879 SA$101
Highest classroom step (HALT / senior) (A0601/A2601 vs LT)$147,050$141,365+$5,685 QLD$133

After-tax figures use 2026–27 resident tax rates, Medicare levy, no HECS-HELP and no salary sacrifice.

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 South Australia

South Australia pays a Step 1 teacher $84,971 and Step 9 $123,236 from May 2026, but that May 2026 rise was the last under EA 2024 and nothing is scheduled until the EA27 agreement is bargained. Its strengths are 16 to 20 weeks' paid parental leave, country zone allowances of up to $11,391 a year and a phased cut to face-to-face teaching time.

Teachers move up Steps 1 to 8 by annual increment. Step 9 is not automatic: under EA 2024 Schedule 3 Attachment 1 a teacher on Step 8 can apply from one month before completing 207 duty days at Step 8 by submitting a Professional Development Plan, and moves to Step 9 when the plan is accepted or on completing the 207 days. There is no quota and relief teachers (TRTs) are eligible. Above Step 9, Highly Accomplished Teacher and Lead Teacher require national certification (cl. 6.8); AST2 is a legacy rate now used as the Key Teacher Fallback salary. Unregistered staff teaching on Special Authority are paid $74,083. Placement of graduates by qualification sits in the Teachers Award and was not verified; DfE presents Step 1 as the registered-teacher entry rate.

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

QLDSA
Rural / recruitment incentives listed8 (see QLD)7 (see SA)
Biggest incentiveTurn to Teaching Internship ProgramCountry Incentives Zone Allowance – Zone 5
Parental leavePaid maternity, paternity, surrogacy and adoption leave are available; the number of paid weeks was not verified. CA2022 extended eligibilit16 weeks' paid primary carer leave after 12 months' continuous service, or 20 weeks with 5+ years in the SA public sector (EA cl. 4.5.4), on
WorkloadCA2022 includes extra admin time for teaching principals, 3 hours of student-free-day time at teachers' discretion, an encouragement-to-discMaximum face-to-face teaching a week (EA cl. 5.2.12): secondary 21h (minimum 5h40m non-instruction time), primary and school-based preschool

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Frequently asked questions

Do teachers get paid more in QLD or SA?
SA pays more at the top of the classroom scale: $123,236 against $119,357. For graduates, QLD is ahead by $5,193 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 SA?
At the top of the classroom scale the gap is $2,638 a year after tax and Medicare, or about $101 a fortnight, using 2026–27 tax rates and no HECS. For a graduate the after-tax gap is $3,531 a year.
Is super better for teachers in QLD or SA?
QLD pays 12.75% employer super and SA pays 12%. At the top step that's $15,218 a year in QLD and $14,788 in SA. Default funds: Australian Retirement Trust (QSuper product) by default; choice of fund available (QLD) and Super SA (default fund for SA public sector employees); choice of fund available since 30 Nov 2022 (SA).
Can I move from QLD to SA 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 Teachers Registration Board of South Australia under mutual recognition, which is normally straightforward if you're registered in QLD. Long service leave recognition between states varies, so check before you resign.
Which state pays casual relief teachers more, QLD or SA?
The standard casual day rate is $515.75 in QLD and $407.21 in SA (rates from 1 September 2026 and 8 May 2026). Higher tiers can apply with experience or accreditation; see each state's casual page.
When is the next teacher pay rise in QLD and SA?
QLD: In QIRC arbitration: 3% interim rise from 7 Sep 2026 (or the higher 4.75% award rate from 1 Sep 2026); final decision expected late 2026 or 2027 SA: EA 2024 nominally expires about March 2027; final 3% paid May 2026; AEU EA27 campaign under way, no offer yet

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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