NSW Teacher Payslip Explained: 2026 Lines, Rise and Checks

On this page (8 sections)

Where NSW teachers find their payslip
Each line on a NSW payslip
What every NSW step should look like each fortnight
Worked example: a Step 5 payslip after the rise
How the 9 October 2026 rise shows up
Step changes: the error that costs the most
Who to contact about a NSW payslip
FAQs

The short answer

NSW Department of Education teachers are paid fortnightly on a Thursday, and payslips appear in SAP Employee Self Service (ESS) within a day of payday. From the first full pay period on or after 9 October 2026, a full-time Step 5 teacher ($115,972) should see about $4,460 gross a fortnight, about $1,064 PAYG withheld and about $535 super to Aware Super.

The 3% rise applies to all salaries, casual rates and allowances.
It starts from the first full pay period on or after 9 October 2026, not the day itself.
Super is 12%, paid on top of salary.
No further rise is scheduled before the award expires on 8 October 2027.

Where NSW teachers find their payslip

NSW Department of Education payslips are in SAP Employee Self Service (ESS), the Department's online HR system for pay, leave and other benefits. The Department's Pay and benefits policy says payslips are available in SAP ESS within one day of each payday. Income statements from 2019–20 onwards are in your ATO account through myGov; older ones are in SAP ESS.

NSW Department of Education payroll timetable

What	When
Pay day	A Thursday every fortnight
Payslip available in SAP ESS	Within one day of payday
Payroll closes	5pm on the Friday of each non-pay week
Changes to where your pay is deposited	Submit in SAP ESS by 6pm on the Monday of the pay week
Casual timesheets	Through SAP ESS or ASTP Online by 5pm on the Friday of the non-pay week; casuals are paid for work up to the Thursday of the week before payroll closes

Source: NSW DoE Pay and benefits policy, PD-2024-0483-04 (last updated 6 Sep 2024).

Is your payslip right? Check your base pay, tax, super and back pay against the agreement in NSW. Your first check is free. Check my payslip →

Each line on a NSW payslip

NSW teacher payslip lines and what to check

Line	What it means in NSW	Check
Classification / step	Step 1–7 or HA/Lead under the 2024 award	Step 3 needs Proficient accreditation; moves after each 203 days' full-time service
FTE	Your time fraction, e.g. 0.6 for three days	Matches your approved arrangement
Salary / ordinary pay	Annual step rate × FTE for the fortnight	About annual ÷ 26 (table below)
Allowances	E.g. Rural Teacher Incentive, Year Adviser ($5,183 a year), Teacher in Charge ($5,843), locality or climatic allowances	Went up 3% with the October rise
Leave	Sick leave, extended (long service) leave, leave without pay	Leave without pay reduces gross; check the dates
Arrears / adjustments	Corrections for earlier fortnights	Covers the right dates and step
Salary sacrifice	Pre-tax super contributions (up to 100% of salary is allowed under the award)	The amount you asked for
PAYG tax	Income tax and Medicare levy withheld	Close to the ATO table figure for your gross
HELP	Extra withholding if you declared a study loan	Only there if you have a debt
After-tax deductions	NSW Teachers Federation fees, health fund, donations	Each one authorised by you
Superannuation	12% employer contribution, usually to Aware Super	12% of ordinary pay; SSS and SASS members have defined benefit rules

What every NSW step should look like each fortnight

These are the rates from the first full pay period on or after 9 October 2026. We've divided by 26 to get a fortnight; the award doesn't publish a fortnightly formula, so your payslip may differ by a few dollars.

NSW public school teachers: fortnightly pay from October 2026 (full-time)

Step	Annual	Gross a fortnight	PAYG withheld	Super (12%)
Step 1 (Graduate)	$92,882	$3,572.38	About $780	$428.69
Step 2 (Graduate)	$99,889	$3,841.88	About $866	$461.03
Step 3 (Proficient)	$104,156	$4,006.00	About $920	$480.72
Step 4	$108,421	$4,170.04	About $972	$500.40
Step 5	$115,972	$4,460.46	About $1,064	$535.26
Step 6	$124,696	$4,796.00	About $1,172	$575.52
Step 7	$133,422	$5,131.62	About $1,278	$615.79
HA/Lead	$141,997	$5,461.42	About $1,404	$655.37

Annual rates: Award 2024 Schedule 1A, confirmed by Teach.NSW (12 Oct 2026). PAYG from our 2026–27 tax engine, tax-free threshold claimed, no HELP.

Worked example: a Step 5 payslip after the rise

Worked example

NSW Step 5, full-time, with a HELP debt

Ordinary pay ($115,972 ÷ 26): $4,460.46
PAYG withheld: About $1,064
HELP withheld (approx.): About $268
Union fees: As authorised
Net before union fees: About $3,128
Employer super (12%, on top): $535.26

Change from the old Step 5 rate ($112,594) About $130 more gross a fortnight

HELP is approximate: our engine puts the 2026–27 repayment at this income at about $6,967 a year, ÷ 26. The actual HELP withholding uses ATO tables.

Free calculator

Check your NSW payslip line by line

Enter your step, FTE and payslip lines. The AI checker compares them with the 2024 award, the October 2026 rates and ATO withholding, and drafts an email to payroll if something's off.

Check my payslip

How the 9 October 2026 rise shows up

The award applies each rise from the first full pay period on or after the effective date. If a pay period was already under way on 9 October, the new rate starts with the next full period. That's why some teachers see the rise one payslip later than they expected. It isn't back-dated to 9 October itself.

Your ordinary pay line should jump by about 3%: Step 1 by about $104 a fortnight, Step 7 by about $149.
Allowances paid under the award, such as Year Adviser and Teacher in Charge, also rise 3%.
Casual daily rates rise to CT1 $480.43, CT2 $538.73 and CT3 $599.85.
Super rises with your pay, because it's 12% of ordinary pay.
If the rise was missed for a fortnight, it should be fixed with an arrears line in a later pay.

There's no back pay owed to most NSW government teachers this year, because the rise was set in the award in advance. Back pay mainly arises from a missed step or FTE change. Read the NSW 3% pay rise news and the NSW pay rise page for the full timeline.

Step changes: the error that costs the most

You move up a step after each year of service (203 days full-time) with a satisfactory Performance and Development process. Step 2 to Step 3 also needs confirmed Proficient accreditation from NESA, and HA/Lead needs HA or Lead accreditation plus a year at Step 7. If your accreditation came through but your step didn't change, payroll may not have the record yet.

What being one step behind costs a NSW teacher (from October 2026)

Should be on	Paid on	Lost a fortnight (gross)	Lost a year (gross)
Step 3	Step 2	About $164	$4,267
Step 5	Step 4	About $290	$7,551
Step 6	Step 5	About $336	$8,724
Step 7	Step 6	About $336	$8,726

Differences between the October 2026 annual rates, full-time.

Who to contact about a NSW payslip

1

Check SAP ESS first

Look at your leave records and personal details. A leave entry or FTE change often explains a lower pay.
2

Ask your school's administration manager

They can see whether a change was entered and when. Step and accreditation changes may need paperwork from the school.
3

Raise it with the Department's payroll service

Pay queries go through the Department's staff support channels (EDConnect is the Department's service centre). Put the query in writing and attach the payslip with your TFN and bank details covered.
4

Contact the NSW Teachers Federation

If it isn't fixed, the Federation can take it up. Catholic and independent school teachers contact the IEU NSW/ACT Branch.

Frequently asked questions

When do NSW teachers get paid?

Fortnightly on a Thursday. The Department's policy says payslips are in SAP Employee Self Service within one day of payday.

How do I get my payslip as a NSW teacher?

Log in to SAP Employee Self Service (ESS) through the Department's staff portal. Payslips and pay history are there, and income statements from 2019–20 are in myGov.

When does the NSW teacher pay rise show on my payslip?

From the first full pay period on or after 9 October 2026. If a pay period had already started on 9 October, the rise starts with the next one.

How much is a NSW graduate teacher paid a fortnight?

Step 1 is $92,882 a year from October 2026, about $3,572 gross a fortnight, with about $780 PAYG withheld if you claim the tax-free threshold and have no HELP debt.

How much super do NSW teachers get?

12% of ordinary pay, paid on top of salary, usually to Aware Super. Long-serving SSS and SASS members have defined benefit arrangements.

Will NSW teachers get back pay in 2026?

Not usually. The October 2026 rise was set in advance by the 2024 award. Back pay arises if your rise, step or FTE change was processed late.

My step didn't change after Proficient accreditation. What should I do?

Check that NESA has confirmed your accreditation, then ask your school and payroll in writing to update your step from the right date, with arrears. Keep the reply.

Who do I contact about a NSW teacher payslip error?

Start with your school's administration manager, then the Department's payroll service. If it isn't resolved, contact the NSW Teachers Federation.

Sources we checked · last verified 2026-10-20

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.

Keep reading

Payslips

How to read your teacher payslip: a state-by-state guide

Where to find your payslip in each state, what every line means and a five-minute check you can do every pay.

NSW news

NSW teachers get their final 3% rise from 9 October 2026

The final 3% rise under the NSW 2024 teachers' award took effect from 9 Oct 2026: graduate $92,882, top classroom $133,422.

NSW casual pay

NSW casual teacher levels CT1, CT2 and CT3: rates, rules and how to move up

The three NSW public school casual teacher levels explained: 2026 daily rates, what moves you from CT1 to CT2 and CT3, part days, the 5% loading and what each level is worth over a year.