On this page (8 sections)
The short answer
NT government teachers received a 4.3% pay rise from the first full pay period on or after 1 January 2026, taking CT1 to $96,180 and CT9 to $136,997. A final 4.3% rise is due from the first full pay period on or after 1 January 2027, lifting CT1 to $100,316 and CT9 to $142,888.
Both rises come from the NT Public Sector Educators' 2024–2027 Enterprise Agreement. Members voted more than 90% yes in September 2024 and the Fair Work Commission approved it on 31 October 2024. The rises are locked in, so you don't need to wait on bargaining or a vote.
Where NT teacher pay stands right now
Agreement in force to 31 Dec 2027; final 4.3% rise due January 2027; no bargaining under way
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1 September 2026
ACT minister concedes NT teachers remain the highest paid
The ACT Education Minister said the ACT offer would make ACT teachers the highest paid outside the Northern Territory from Feb 2027.
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1 January 2026
Second 4.3% rise and less primary face-to-face time
CT1 rose to $96,180 and CT9 to $136,997. Primary maximum face-to-face fell to 22h40m and non-contact time rose to 4 hours from Term 1 2026.
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31 October 2024
FWC approves the NTPS Educators' 2024-2027 EA
[2024] FWCA 3775; operative from 7 Nov 2024; nominal expiry 31 Dec 2027.
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19 September 2024
NT teachers vote yes to a 12.9% three-year deal
More than 90% voted yes to 3 x 4.3% (13.46% compounded) plus a restructured CT scale. The Katherine and Alice Springs attraction allowance rose $1,000 to $4,500.
NT teacher pay rise timeline
Old, current and upcoming rates
Proposed columns apply only once the agreement is approved; calculated columns are our arithmetic from the published percentage.
The 2024–2027 deal in brief
- October 2024: the CT scale was restructured first (CT1 moved from $84,191 to $88,414, CT9 from $120,742 to $125,934), then 4.3% was added from the first full pay period on or after 11 October 2024 (24 October 2024).
- January 2026: 4.3% on all salaries and income-related allowances.
- January 2027: a final 4.3%.
- Also in the deal: less primary face-to-face time (22h40m from Term 1 2026, 22h10m from 2027), more primary non-contact time (4 hours, then 4h30m), and the Katherine and Alice Springs attraction allowance up $1,000 to $4,500.
CT1, before the deal → Jan 2027
+19.2%
$84,191 → $100,316
CT9, before the deal → Jan 2027
+18.3%
$120,742 → $142,888
Three 4.3% rises compounded
13.46%
What the January 2027 rise is worth
Annualised on 2026–27 tax rates. The rise lands mid-financial-year, so your actual 2026–27 income will sit between the two figures.
CT1 graduate
- 2026: $96,180 → take-home $74,882
- 2027: $100,316 → take-home $77,695
- Gain: $4,136 gross, about $2,813 net a year
CT9 top of scale
- 2026: $136,997 → take-home $102,498
- 2027: $142,888 → take-home $106,092
- Gain: $5,891 gross, about $3,594 net a year
Income-related allowances rise too. The Highly Accomplished allowance goes from $13,938 to $14,537, Lead from $29,184 to $30,439, and the Category 3 Remote Incentive Allowance from $10,319 to $10,763. Relief teacher rates move to $480.75–$526.68 a day.
Back pay: is any owed?
Not for 2026 or 2027. Because the agreement was already in force, both rises are paid on time from the first full pay period on or after 1 January, with no back pay. The only back-dating was in 2024, when the first rise applied from 24 October, two weeks before the agreement started operating on 7 November. If your January pay didn't change, check your classification with payroll. The back pay calculator can estimate a shortfall.
What to watch after 2027
The agreement nominally expires on 31 December 2027 and no bargaining has started. A replacement would normally be negotiated by the AEU NT and the government before or around that date. Elsewhere, ACT teachers rejected an offer in September 2026 that their own minister said would still leave them behind the NT. Follow every state on the pay rise tracker.
Frequently asked questions
How much was the NT teacher pay rise in 2026?
Is there another NT teacher pay rise in 2027?
Will NT teachers get back pay?
When does the NT teachers' agreement expire?
Do NT allowances go up with the pay rise?
Is the NT pay deal the best in Australia?
Sources we checked · last verified 16 October 2026
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.