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The short answer
A graduate teacher earns $88,178 in WA and $84,971 in SA, so WA pays $3,207 more to start. At the top of the classroom scale it's $127,737 vs $123,236 (WA ahead by $4,501, about $118 a fortnight after tax). Rates are those in force on 16 October 2026.
WA 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 Western Australia
WA's 2023 General Agreement pays $88,178 at Level 2.1 rising to $127,737 at 2.9, plus a $2,000 graduate allowance for two years, but no rise is scheduled after December 2025 and the agreement expires on 5 December 2026. Its country deal is among the richest in Australia: $5,000-$13,730 under the Country Teaching Program, $15,370-$20,870 in Remote Teaching Service schools and up to $7,000 more in 2026. Teachers also get 14 weeks' paid parental leave and long service leave from 7 years pro rata.
Qualified teachers start at Level 2.1 (DoE). You move up one increment a year on your anniversary date, subject to satisfactory service, from 2.1 to 2.9 (Award cl 26), so the top of the automatic scale takes eight years. Senior Teacher 1 is by application: full TRBWA registration, 12 months at 2.9, relevant professional learning in the last five years (one pathway is 40 hours aligned to the APST) and one extra duty such as mentoring or curriculum work. Senior Teacher 2 needs 12 months at ST1 and two extra duties. Level 3 Classroom Teacher is reached through a portfolio of five competencies plus a second stage; competencies can be banked for up to three years, and 3.1 moves to 3.2 automatically after 12 months. Level 3.3 is paid only in the trial schools. Relief teachers move up a step after every 200 days worked (Award cl 10(4)).
Full details: WA pay scale, WA salary after tax and WA 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.