On this page (6 sections)
The short answer
A graduate teacher earns $84,971 in SA and $85,313 in TAS, so TAS pays $342 more to start. At the top of the classroom scale it's $123,236 vs $122,393 (SA ahead by $843, about $22 a fortnight after tax). Rates are those in force on 16 October 2026.
SA 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 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.
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.
Free calculator
Moving from overseas?
See your experience mapped to a starting step in every state, with take-home pay.
Open the calculatorFrequently asked questions
Do teachers get paid more in SA or TAS?
How much more would I take home in SA?
Is super better for teachers in SA or TAS?
Can I move from SA to TAS and keep my experience?
Which state pays casual relief teachers more, SA or TAS?
When is the next teacher pay rise in SA and TAS?
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.