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SA · Graduate teacher

Graduate teacher salary in South Australia

SA graduate teachers start from $84,971 (Step 1) from 8 May 2026, about $2,587 a fortnight after tax. Lighter first-year load, country incentives and HECS.

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

Salary

$84,971

Take-home / fortnight

$2,587

Effective

May 2026

On this page (6 sections)
  1. Graduate teacher pay in SA
  2. Where you start
  3. A lighter load in your first year
  4. Your first eight years
  5. Country starts pay more
  6. FAQs

The short answer

A newly registered teacher in an SA government school starts from Step 1 on $84,971 a year from 8 May 2026. That is about $67,260 after tax, or $2,587 a fortnight, or $64,944 if you are repaying HECS-HELP. You move up a step each year, reaching Step 8 ($117,198) after seven years.

SA's graduate salary is one of the lowest in Australia, and no rise is scheduled until the next agreement. What SA does offer new teachers is a lighter teaching load in their first year and a cash allowance for country schools of up to $11,391 a year.

Graduate teacher pay in South Australia

Annual salaryTake-home / yearTake-home / fortnight
Teacher Step 1$84,971$67,260$2,587

SA government school teachers start from Step 1 on $84,971 from 8 May 2026. No further rise is scheduled until a new agreement (EA27) is made. Effective 8 May 2026.

Where you start

  • Step 1 ($84,971): the Department for Education's entry rate for a registered teacher. Qualification-based placement rules are in the Teachers Award, which we haven't verified, so ask about your placement when you get an offer.
  • Special Authority ($74,083): if you are authorised to teach before you are registered, for example while you finish your degree.
  • Higher steps: if you have taught before, ask for recognition of prior service. Bring evidence of interstate or overseas teaching.
Worked example

Step 1 take-home in 2026–27

Salary
$84,971
Income tax (after LITO)
$16,011
Medicare levy
$1,699
HECS-HELP (if you have a debt)
$2,316
Take-home $67,260 without HELP, $64,944 with HELP

Employer super of $10,197 is paid on top.

A lighter load in your first year

The agreement caps face-to-face teaching for beginning teachers below the usual maximum. A beginning secondary teacher teaches at most 18h54m a week, with at least 7h46m of non-instruction time, against 21h for other secondary teachers. A beginning primary teacher teaches at most 20h15m, against 22h30m. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander beginning teachers get more again: 16h48m (secondary) and 18h (primary). Ask your leadership team how your time is allocated.

Your first eight years

At 8 May 2026 rates, most steps add about $4,400, and Step 8 adds $5,929. Step 2 is $89,350, Step 5 is $102,509 and Step 8 is $117,198. After 207 duty days on Step 8 you can apply for Step 9 ($123,236) with a Professional Development Plan. That is about eight years from Step 1 to the top, before any rises EA27 brings.

Country starts pay more

  • Country Incentives Zone Allowance: $2,261 (Zone 2), $3,986 (Zone 3), $7,031 (Zone 4) or $11,391 (Zone 5) a year, paid fortnightly for as long as you are at the school.
  • A one-off incidentals payment of $589 to $1,179 when you are appointed permanently to a Zone 2 to 5 school.
  • One term's paid study leave after two years in an Aboriginal or Anangu school, for permanent teachers.

A Step 1 graduate in a Zone 5 school earns $96,362 and takes home about $75,006. See SA rural and remote incentives and the first-year teacher guide.

Free calculator

Career earnings calculator

See what you'll earn over your first ten years in SA, step by step.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the graduate teacher salary in SA?
SA government school teachers start from Step 1 on $84,971 a year from 8 May 2026.
How much does a graduate teacher take home in SA?
About $67,260 a year, or $2,587 a fortnight, on 2026–27 tax rates. With HECS-HELP it is about $64,944.
Is SA's graduate salary lower than other states?
Yes. Only Victoria's current graduate rate is lower. Tasmania pays $85,313, Queensland $90,164, NSW $92,882 and the NT $96,180.
Do beginning teachers in SA teach less?
Yes. Beginning secondary teachers teach at most 18h54m a week and beginning primary teachers 20h15m, compared with 21h and 22h30m for other teachers.
When will SA graduate pay go up?
Not until the next agreement, EA27, is made. The last scheduled rise was 3% on 8 May 2026. Your own pay still rises each year as you move up a step.
How much extra do graduates get in country SA?
Between $2,261 and $11,391 a year, depending on the school's country zone, plus a one-off payment of up to $1,179 if you are appointed permanently.

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.