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VIC · Assistant Principal

Assistant principal salary in Victoria (2026)

Victorian assistant principals earn $136,022 to $191,811 today, rising to $153,763 to $216,828 under VGSA 2026. Ranges, take-home pay and how to get there.

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

From

$136,022

Up to

$191,811

Take-home / fortnight

$3,919

Effective

July 2025

On this page (5 sections)
  1. Assistant Principal pay in VIC
  2. Assistant principal pay ranges
  3. Take-home pay for assistant principals
  4. Becoming an assistant principal
  5. FAQs

The short answer

Assistant principals in Victorian government schools are paid $136,022 (Range 1, 1-1) to $191,811 (Range 4, 4-4) under the VGSA 2022. Once VGSA 2026 is approved, the range becomes $153,763 to $216,828 from 1 October 2026 and $174,459 to $246,013 by November 2029.

In Victorian government schools, the assistant principal is the deputy to the principal. There is no separate 'deputy principal' class. Assistant principals are part of the principal class and are paid on four ranges, set by the role and the school.

Assistant Principal pay in Victoria

Annual salaryTake-home / yearTake-home / fortnight
Principal Class, Assistant Principal Range 1 (1-1) to Range 4 (4-4)$136,022 – $191,811$101,903$3,919

Assistant principals are paid $136,022 (1-1) to $191,811 (4-4) under VGSA 2022. Proposed VGSA 2026 rates are $153,763 to $216,828 from 1 Oct 2026 and $174,459 to $246,013 by 1 Nov 2029. Effective 1 July 2025.

Assistant principal pay ranges

Lowest AP step today

$136,022

Range 1, 1-1

Highest AP step today

$191,811

Range 4, 4-4

From 1 Oct 2026 (proposed)

$153,763 to $216,828

From 1 Nov 2029 (proposed)

$174,459 to $246,013

VGSA 2026's two 2026 steps add about 13% to every assistant principal step: 3% from 10 August 2026 ($140,103 to $197,565) and 9.75% from 1 October 2026. Both are back-paid once the Fair Work Commission approves the agreement, with the $2,000 lump sum. See the Victorian pay rise explainer.

Take-home pay for assistant principals

Take-home pay, 2026-27 tax rules, no HECS
StepSalaryTake-home a yearPer fortnight
AP 1-1 today$136,022$101,903$3,919
AP 1-1 from 1 Oct 2026 (proposed)$153,763$112,725$4,336
AP 4-4 today$191,811$135,790$5,223
AP 4-4 from 1 Oct 2026 (proposed)$216,828$149,049$5,733

Income tax after LITO plus 2% Medicare levy. At the top AP steps, income above $190,000 is taxed at 45%.

Moving from 2-6 ($118,063) to the lowest AP step ($136,022) is worth $17,959 gross today, or about $467 a fortnight after tax. On the proposed October 2026 rates the gap is $20,307 gross.

Becoming an assistant principal

  1. 1

    Build leadership experience

    Most AP appointees have held Leading Teacher or Learning Specialist roles, or acted in AP positions.

  2. 2

    Apply through School Jobs Vic

    Principal-class roles are filled by merit selection against the position's key selection criteria.

  3. 3

    Expect a fixed-term contract

    Principal-class employment is usually on a contract, so check the term and what happens when it ends.

Our guides to the key selection criteria and becoming a principal cover the path in detail.

Free calculator

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Compare what you'd take home as an assistant principal against your current step.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does an assistant principal earn in Victoria?
$136,022 to $191,811 under the VGSA 2022 rates still paid today. Once VGSA 2026 is approved, the range is $153,763 to $216,828 from 1 October 2026, back-paid.
Is there a deputy principal role in Victorian government schools?
No. Victoria's equivalent is the assistant principal, part of the principal class. Some Catholic and independent schools use the deputy principal title.
How much more does an assistant principal earn than a teacher?
The lowest AP step pays $17,959 more than the top classroom step today ($136,022 against $118,063), about $467 a fortnight after tax.
Do assistant principals get the VGSA 2026 back pay?
Yes. Assistant principals are covered by VGSA 2026, so they get back pay to 10 August 2026 and the $2,000 lump sum once it starts.
What will assistant principals earn by 2029?
Between $174,459 and $246,013 from 1 November 2029 under the proposed VGSA 2026.

Sources we checked · last verified 16 October 2026

  1. 1.Proposed Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2026 (PDF, Department of Education)
  2. 2.Proposed VGSA 2026: Agreement Explanation (PDF)
  3. 3.Proposed VGSA 2026: Approval Process and FAQs (PDF)
  4. 4.Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 (PDF)
  5. 5.Enterprise Bargaining: Overview (Department PAL)
  6. 6.Casual Relief Teacher Employment Handbook
  7. 7.Relocation incentives: Targeted Financial Incentives and Regional Relocation Incentive
  8. 8.Workforce support and initiatives: Attraction (Department PAL)

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.