NSW Catholic school teacher pay 2026

Catholic systemic schools in NSW are covered by a Fair Work Commission-approved enterprise agreement ([2025] FWCA 4325), negotiated with the Independent Education Union. Its NSW pay table (Table A1) copies the government scale to the dollar, with the same 3% rises in October 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Catholic systemic school teacher pay in New South Wales

Where Catholic and government pay match, and where they don't

Broken Bay and Parramatta dioceses have separate but related agreements, and ACT Catholic schools use different rates on an August cycle (Step 1 $94,596 and Step 7 $133,625 from August 2026). Check which agreement covers your school.

Casual rates in Catholic schools

• CT1 $480.42, CT2 $538.74 and CT3 $599.86 a day, a cent away from government rates because of rounding.
• Half-day rates are published, for example CT1 $240.21.
• The daily rate is the annual rate divided by 203, plus 5%.

Government schools have no half-day rate, so a Catholic half day can be simpler to check on a payslip. Compare with NSW public school casual rates.

Back pay and timing

The agreement started operating on 24 December 2025, more than a year after its first rise was due. Teachers were owed back pay to 9 October 2024. If you worked in a NSW Catholic systemic school during that period and left before the agreement was approved, check with your former employer that you received it. Back pay is taxed as ordinary income in the year it is paid; see tax on teacher back pay.

Primary Assistant Principals

Instead of a single executive salary, Catholic primary Assistant Principals receive an allowance on top of their teacher salary, from $32,924 to $49,399 a year depending on enrolment (October 2026). Government primary Assistant Principals are paid a flat $153,531.

Salary packaging

Most Catholic schools are rebatable employers for fringe benefits tax, not fully exempt ones, so packaging limits differ from hospitals and charities. What you can package depends on your employer's arrangements. See teacher salary packaging and our Catholic and independent school pay guide.