WA Relief Teacher Pay 2026: $52.67 to $76.30 an Hour

On this page (7 sections)

Relief teacher pay in WA
WA relief rates by step
Moving up the steps
What a year of relief work pays
Tax, super and leave
How to get relief work in WA
FAQs

The short answer

WA relief (casual) teachers are paid by the hour, not the day. From 6 December 2025 the rate runs from $52.67 an hour at Level 2.1 to $76.30 at Level 2.9, including a 20% loading in lieu of leave. Minimum engagement is three hours. A 7.6-hour day at Level 2.1 would be $400.29, but that day figure is our estimate.

Unlike most states, WA doesn't publish a daily relief rate. The agreement (Table 6) sets an hourly rate for each salary step, so what you earn in a day depends on the hours you're booked for and the step you've reached.

Relief teacher pay in Western Australia

Rate	Per day	Per 5-day week
Level 2.1 ($52.67/hr x 7.6 hrs)	$400.29	$2,001
Level 2.3 ($61.87/hr x 7.6 hrs)	$470.21	$2,351
Level 2.5 ($66.26/hr x 7.6 hrs)	$503.58	$2,518
Level 2.7 ($71.00/hr x 7.6 hrs)	$539.60	$2,698
Level 2.9 ($76.30/hr x 7.6 hrs)	$579.88	$2,899

WA relief teachers are paid by the hour, not the day. The official rates are hourly ($52.67 at Level 2.1 to $76.30 at Level 2.9, ST1 $79.18, ST2 $80.14 from 6 Dec 2025) and include a 20% loading in lieu of leave and allowances (Agreement Table 6; Award cl 10). No official daily rate is published. The daily figures here are OUR calculation assuming 7.6 paid hours (one-tenth of the 76-hour fortnight the hourly formula is built on); you are paid for the hours actually booked, so a shorter booking pays less (e.g. 6 hours at Level 2.1 is $316.02). Formula: (salary / 1.0134) x 12/313 / 76, plus 20%. Minimum engagement 3 hours; one engagement at a school can last at most 4 weeks. Relief teachers move up one step every 200 days worked. Effective 6 December 2025.

WA relief rates by step

WA relief teacher rates from 6 December 2025

Step	Per hour (official)	3-hour minimum	6 hours (estimate)	7.6 hours (estimate)
2.1	$52.67	$158.01	$316.02	$400.29
2.3	$61.87	$185.61	$371.22	$470.21
2.5	$66.26	$198.78	$397.56	$503.58
2.7	$71.00	$213.00	$426.00	$539.60
2.9	$76.30	$228.90	$457.80	$579.88
ST1	$79.18	$237.54	$475.08	$601.77

Hourly rates are from the agreement. Day figures are our arithmetic: hourly rate × hours. 7.6 hours is one-tenth of the 76-hour fortnight the formula uses; you are paid for the hours actually booked.

The formula is (annual salary ÷ 1.0134) × 12 ÷ 313 ÷ 76, plus 20%. The 20% loading replaces paid leave and allowances, which is why the hourly rate is higher than a permanent teacher's.

Moving up the steps

Relief teachers move up one step for every 200 days worked, and the days carry over from year to year (Award cl 10(4)). Going from 2.1 to 2.2 lifts your hourly rate from $52.67 to $57.12. Keep your own record of days, because a missed step costs you on every booking.

Minimum engagement: 3 hours.
Length: one engagement at a school can last at most 4 weeks.
Not eligible: casuals are excluded from the 2026 regional Attraction and Retention Incentive.

What a year of relief work pays

Worked example

100 days at Level 2.1 (7.6 hours a day)

Gross pay: $40,029
Income tax (after LITO) + Medicare: $3,501

Take-home about $36,528

Worked example

150 days at Level 2.1 (7.6 hours a day)

Gross pay: $60,044
Income tax (after LITO) + Medicare: $9,635

Take-home about $50,409

Full-year 2026–27 figures, assuming this is your only job and you claim the tax-free threshold. Shorter bookings pay proportionally less.

Tax, super and leave

Tax: PAYG is withheld on each pay as if you earned that amount every fortnight, so a busy fortnight can look heavily taxed. It evens out at tax time. Claim the tax-free threshold with one employer only. See relief teacher tax.
Super: 12% Superannuation Guarantee on your ordinary earnings, paid to GESB or your chosen fund.
No holiday pay: the 20% loading is instead of paid leave. Parental leave for casuals is unpaid.
Long service leave: casual service counts, pro rata (Award cl 38).

How to get relief work in WA

1

Get registered

Register with the TRBWA ($140 Provisional or $178 Full, then $95 a year). See WA registration.
2

Get a Working with Children Check

Apply through the WA Department of Communities.
3

Get onto relief lists

Ask the department how its relief employment process works, then contact schools near you directly.
4

Track your days

Every 200 days moves you up a step. See how to get casual teaching work.

Free calculator

Relief teacher pay calculator

Enter your hours and step to see gross and take-home pay.

Open the calculator

Frequently asked questions

How much do relief teachers get paid in WA?

From 6 December 2025 WA relief teachers earn $52.67 an hour at Level 2.1 up to $76.30 at Level 2.9, including a 20% loading.

What is the WA relief teacher daily rate?

WA doesn't publish one, because relief teachers are paid by the hour. At Level 2.1, a 6-hour booking pays $316.02 and 7.6 hours pays $400.29.

What is the minimum relief booking in WA?

Three hours. At Level 2.1 that is $158.01.

How do WA relief teachers move up a step?

You move up one step for every 200 days worked, and days carry over between years.

Do WA relief teachers get holiday pay?

No. The 20% loading is paid instead of leave and allowances.

Do relief teachers get super in WA?

Yes. You get the 12% Superannuation Guarantee on your ordinary earnings.

Sources we checked · last verified 16 October 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.