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SA · Deputy Principal

Deputy principal salary in South Australia

SA deputy principals are paid on Band B-1 to B-6, $133,736 to $172,842 from 8 May 2026, with the level set by the school's principal band. Take-home, rises.

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

From

$133,736

Up to

$172,842

Take-home / fortnight

$3,862

Effective

May 2026

On this page (6 sections)
  1. Deputy Principal pay in SA
  2. Deputy principal pay by band
  3. How the band is set
  4. Is the step up from HALT worth it?
  5. Rises and what's next
  6. FAQs

The short answer

Deputy principals in SA government schools are paid on Band B-1 to B-6: $133,736 to $172,842 a year from 8 May 2026. The level depends on the school's principal classification (Band A) under Schedule 5 of the 2024 agreement. A B-6 deputy takes home about $124,364 a year after tax.

Unlike coordinators and assistant principals, a deputy principal's band follows a set rule: it is linked to the school's Band A classification. So a deputy in a large school is paid more than one in a small school, even with the same title.

Deputy Principal pay in South Australia

ClassificationAnnual salaryTake-home / fortnight
B-1$133,736$3,862
B-2$136,872$3,939
B-3$145,859$4,150
B-4$154,852$4,361
B-5$163,842$4,572
B-6$172,842$4,783

Deputy principals are paid on Band B-1 to B-6, $133,736 to $172,842 from 8 May 2026. The level follows the school's principal (Band A) classification. Effective 8 May 2026.

Deputy principal pay by band

SA deputy principal salaries from 8 May 2026
BandAnnual salaryTake-home (2026–27)Per fortnight
B-1$133,736$100,420$3,862
B-2$136,872$102,422$3,939
B-3$145,859$107,904$4,150
B-4$154,852$113,390$4,361
B-5$163,842$118,874$4,572
B-6$172,842$124,364$4,783

Take-home after income tax (with LITO) and Medicare, no HECS-HELP. The level is set by the school's Band A classification (EA 2024 Schedule 5, Table 1).

How the band is set

Schedule 5 of the agreement links each deputy principal level to the principal's Band A level at the same school. Principal bands reflect the school's size and complexity, so bigger schools mean higher bands for both. If you are weighing two deputy jobs, check each school's Band A classification. It tells you the deputy salary straight away.

Is the step up from HALT worth it?

A B-1 deputy is paid $133,736, the same as a Highly Accomplished Teacher, and less than a Lead Teacher ($141,365). The pay gain only becomes clear from B-3 ($145,859) upwards. Weigh that against the workload. Deputy principals in Aboriginal and Anangu schools get a four-week induction and one term's training and development leave after three years, rather than the study leave offered to other staff.

Worked example

Lead Teacher to B-4 deputy principal

Lead Teacher ($141,365) take-home
$105,163
B-4 ($154,852) take-home
$113,390
Gross gain
$13,487
Extra take-home about $8,227 a year

Rises and what's next

Leaders got 5% in May 2023, 4% in May 2024, 4% in May 2025 and 3% on 8 May 2026. Nothing further is scheduled until EA27. See the SA pay rise tracker and SA principal pay for the next step.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does a deputy principal earn in SA?
Between $133,736 (B-1) and $172,842 (B-6) a year from 8 May 2026, depending on the school's principal classification.
How is a deputy principal's band decided in SA?
It is linked to the school's Band A principal classification under Schedule 5 of the 2024 agreement. Bigger, more complex schools have higher bands.
What does a deputy principal take home in SA?
From about $100,420 a year at B-1 to $124,364 at B-6, on 2026–27 tax rates without HECS-HELP.
Does a deputy principal earn more than a Lead Teacher in SA?
Only from B-3 up. B-1 ($133,736) and B-2 ($136,872) pay less than a Lead Teacher's $141,365.
When do SA deputy principals get their next pay rise?
No rise is scheduled. The last was 3% on 8 May 2026, and the next depends on the EA27 agreement.

Sources we checked · last verified 16 October 2026

  1. 1.SAET: South Australian School and Preschool Education Staff Enterprise Agreement 2024 (ET-24-00640)
  2. 2.SA DfE: School teachers pay rates, effective 08/05/2026 (PDF)
  3. 3.SA DfE: Pay rates, forms for new employees and enterprise agreements
  4. 4.TRB SA: Payment of registration fees
  5. 5.AEU SA: EA27 campaign next phase (Oct 2026)
  6. 6.IEU SA: Same Work, Different Pay (Mar 2026)
  7. 7.IEU SA: Catholic EB24 – more than just numbers (Aug 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.