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SA · Coordinator / Senior Leader (Band B)

Coordinator and senior leader pay in South Australia

SA has no head teacher title: coordinators and senior leaders are paid on Band B, from $128,390 (B-0) to $172,842 (B-6) from 8 May 2026. How bands work.

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

From

$128,390

Up to

$172,842

Take-home / fortnight

$3,723

Effective

May 2026

On this page (6 sections)
  1. Coordinator / Senior Leader (Band B) pay in SA
  2. How Band B works
  3. What a Band B role is worth
  4. Rises for leaders
  5. Getting a Band B job
  6. FAQs

The short answer

South Australia doesn't use the title head teacher or head of learning area. Its middle leaders, such as coordinators and senior leaders, are paid on the Band B leader scale: $128,390 at B-0 up to $172,842 at B-6, from 8 May 2026. The band is set by the position, not by your years of service.

If you are moving from NSW (Head Teacher) or Queensland (Head of Department), the SA equivalent is a Band B leadership position. Coordinators, senior leaders, assistant principals and deputy principals are all on Band B. What differs is the level each job is classified at.

Coordinator / Senior Leader (Band B) pay in South Australia

ClassificationAnnual salaryTake-home / fortnight
B-0$128,390$3,723
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

SA's middle leaders (coordinators and senior leaders) are paid on Band B, from B-0 $128,390 to B-6 $172,842 from 8 May 2026. The band depends on the position, not years of service. Effective 8 May 2026.

How Band B works

Each leadership position is advertised at a Band B level, from B-0 to B-6. You are paid the rate for that level while you hold the position. Higher levels go with bigger portfolios and bigger schools. Deputy principals start at B-1, and their level follows the school's principal (Band A) classification under Schedule 5 of the agreement. Coordinator and senior leader jobs are usually at the lower end, but check the advertised band for each job.

What a Band B role is worth

Worked example

Step 9 to B-0

Step 9 ($123,236) take-home
$93,280
B-0 ($128,390) take-home
$96,785 ($3,723 a fortnight)
Extra take-home about $3,505 a year
Worked example

B-3, $145,859

Income tax (after LITO)
$35,038
Medicare levy
$2,917
Employer super (12%)
$17,503
Take-home $107,904 a year ($4,150 a fortnight)

2026–27 tax rates, no HECS-HELP.

Rises for leaders

Under the 2024 agreement, Band B leaders got bigger rises than teachers in the first three years: 5% in May 2023, then 4% in May 2024 and May 2025, against 4%, 3% and 3% for teachers. Both got 3% in May 2026. No further rise is scheduled until EA27. See the SA pay rise tracker.

Getting a Band B job

  1. 1

    Watch for advertised positions

    Leadership roles are advertised with their band and tenure. Check whether the role is a fixed term or ongoing.

  2. 2

    Address the selection criteria

    Show impact on student learning and on colleagues. Our selection criteria coach can help you draft.

  3. 3

    Prepare for the panel

    Expect questions on leading change and managing staff. Practise with the teacher interview coach.

Free calculator

Promotion pay calculator

See what a Band B role adds to your take-home pay.

Open the calculator

Frequently asked questions

Does SA have head teachers?
No. SA has no head teacher or head of learning area classification. Coordinators and senior leaders are paid on the Band B leader scale.
How much do coordinators earn in SA?
Coordinators and senior leaders are paid on Band B, which runs from $128,390 (B-0) to $172,842 (B-6) from 8 May 2026. The level depends on the position.
What is Band B in SA schools?
Band B is the pay scale for SA leaders below principal: coordinators, senior leaders, assistant principals and deputy principals, at levels B-0 to B-6.
Is a B-0 role worth more than HALT in SA?
No. B-0 pays $128,390, which is less than the Highly Accomplished Teacher rate of $133,736. B-1 pays the same as HAT.
What does a B-6 leader take home in SA?
About $124,364 a year, or $4,783 a fortnight, on $172,842 at 2026–27 tax rates.

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.