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The short answer
A graduate teacher earns $79,589 in VIC and $84,971 in SA, so SA pays $5,382 more to start. At the top of the classroom scale it's $118,063 vs $123,236 (SA ahead by $5,173, about $135 a fortnight after tax). Rates are those in force on 16 October 2026.
VIC vs SA 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 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.
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.
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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.