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QLD · Deputy Principal

Deputy principal salary in Queensland state schools

Queensland deputy principals earn $161,746 to $164,605 from 7 Sep 2026, including HOSES 4. Take-home pay, how it compares with principals and arbitration.

✓ Fact-checked against official sources Updated 16 October 2026 3 min read

From

$161,746

Up to

$164,605

Take-home / fortnight

$4,523

Effective

September 2026

On this page (5 sections)
  1. Deputy Principal pay in QLD
  2. Deputy principal pay and take-home
  3. Deputy or principal of a small school?
  4. Arbitration
  5. FAQs

The short answer

A deputy principal in a Queensland state school earns $161,746 to $164,605 a year from 7 September 2026 (paypoints DP102 and DP103), after the 3% QIRC interim rise. HOSES 4 is paid on the same scale. After tax and Medicare that's about $117,595 to $119,339 a year.

Queensland pays deputy principals on a single scale, regardless of school size. That's different to principals, whose pay depends on the school's classification level.

Deputy Principal pay in Queensland

Annual salaryTake-home / yearTake-home / fortnight
DP102-DP103 (includes HOSES 4)$161,746 – $164,605$117,595$4,523

Deputy principals (including HOSES 4) are paid $161,746-$164,605 from 7 Sep 2026. Effective 7 September 2026.

Deputy principal pay and take-home

Worked example

Deputy principal DP102, 2026-27

Salary
$161,746
Tax and Medicare
$44,151
Take-home $117,595 a year / $4,523 a fortnight

At DP103 ($164,605) take-home is about $119,339, or $4,590 a fortnight.

Deputy or principal of a small school?

A Level 1 principal earns $146,776 to $149,372, and Level 2 $154,845 to $157,585, both less than a deputy. Principal pay only passes deputy pay from Level 3 ($163,363 upwards). For many deputies, the next pay step is a Level 3 or larger school. See Queensland principal salary.

Arbitration

Deputies are on agreement rates, so they got the 3% interim rise and will get any further rise the QIRC grants directly. See the pay rise explainer.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does a deputy principal earn in Queensland?
$161,746 to $164,605 a year from 7 September 2026 in state schools.
What is a QLD deputy principal's take-home pay?
About $117,595 to $119,339 a year, or $4,523 to $4,590 a fortnight, in 2026-27.
Do deputy principals earn more than principals in Queensland?
Sometimes. Deputies earn more than Level 1 and Level 2 principals. Principals at Level 3 and above earn more.
Is HOSES 4 paid the same as a deputy principal?
Yes. HOSES 4 is paid on the deputy principal scale, $161,746 to $164,605.
Did Queensland deputy principals get a pay rise in 2026?
Yes, the 3% QIRC interim rise from 7 September 2026, paid in the fortnight ending 4 October 2026.

Sources we checked · last verified 16 October 2026

  1. 1.DoE Salary Schedule (xls, updated 1 Sep 2026)
  2. 2.QTU Updated Salary Schedule flyer (1 Oct 2026)
  3. 3.QTU: Salaries under CA2022
  4. 4.QTU: EB referred to arbitration (QTJ Vol 131 No 1)
  5. 5.QTU: Pathway to arbitration and QTU submissions (QTJ Vol 131 No 4)
  6. 6.Teach Queensland: Pay and benefits
  7. 7.Teach Queensland: Beginning teacher incentives and support
  8. 8.QIRC: CA2022 certificate CB/2022/135

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.