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QLD · Highly Accomplished Teacher / Lead Teacher

Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher salary in Queensland

Queensland HALT-certified teachers earn $134,694 (HAT) or $147,050 (Lead Teacher) from 7 Sep 2026. What it's worth over EST, take-home and arbitration.

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

From

$134,694

Up to

$147,050

Take-home / fortnight

$3,887

Effective

September 2026

On this page (5 sections)
  1. Highly Accomplished Teacher / Lead Teacher pay in QLD
  2. What HALT is worth in Queensland
  3. How to get there
  4. Arbitration and HALT pay
  5. FAQs

The short answer

In Queensland state schools a Highly Accomplished Teacher earns $134,694 and a Lead Teacher $147,050 from 7 September 2026, after the 3% QIRC interim rise. That's $7,145 and $19,501 a year more than Experienced Senior Teacher ($127,549). Both need national HALT certification.

Queensland pays HALT teachers through two separate classifications, A2501 (Highly Accomplished) and A2601 (Lead). They're on agreement rates, not award rates, so they got the 3% interim rise rather than 4.75%, and they stand to gain most directly from the arbitration.

Highly Accomplished Teacher / Lead Teacher pay in Queensland

ClassificationAnnual salaryTake-home / fortnight
Highly Accomplished Teacher (A2501)$134,694$3,887
Lead Teacher (A2601)$147,050$4,178

Teachers with national HALT certification are paid $134,694 (HAT) or $147,050 (Lead Teacher) from 7 Sep 2026, the interim agreement rates after the 3% QIRC rise. Effective 7 September 2026.

What HALT is worth in Queensland

ClassificationSalaryTake-home (2026-27)Gain over EST
Experienced Senior Teacher$127,549$96,213-
Highly Accomplished Teacher$134,694$101,072$7,145
Lead Teacher$147,050$108,631$19,501

Take-home after income tax and Medicare, no HELP. Above $135,000 the marginal rate is 39%.

How to get there

  1. 1

    Be Proficient and experienced

    Certification is aimed at experienced teachers working at the Highly Accomplished or Lead standard, typically beyond the top of the incremental scale.

  2. 2

    Apply for national certification

    Certification is against the AITSL Highly Accomplished or Lead standard. Plan your evidence with the AI HALT evidence planner.

  3. 3

    Move to the HAT or LT classification

    Once certified you're paid on the A2501 or A2601 rate.

The certification process and assessment fees in Queensland weren't verified for this page. Check with the Department and read the HALT application process guide.

Arbitration and HALT pay

Every 1% the QIRC adds to agreement rates is worth about $1,347 a year to a Highly Accomplished Teacher and $1,471 to a Lead Teacher. See the Queensland pay rise and arbitration explainer.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Highly Accomplished Teacher earn in Queensland?
$134,694 a year from 7 September 2026 in state schools, about $101,072 after tax.
How much does a Lead Teacher earn in Queensland?
$147,050 a year from 7 September 2026, about $108,631 after tax.
Is HALT worth it in Queensland?
Financially, Highly Accomplished adds $7,145 a year over EST and Lead Teacher adds $19,501. Whether that's worth the evidence workload is a personal call.
Why did HALT teachers only get 3% in 2026?
Because HAT and Lead Teacher are paid on agreement rates, which got the 3% QIRC interim rise from 7 September 2026. Classroom steps up to EST are on higher award rates, which rose 4.75%.
Do I need HALT to become a Senior Teacher in Queensland?
No. Senior Teacher and EST are reached by service and an application through your annual performance review, not HALT certification.

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.