On this page (9 sections)
The short answer
WA government teachers received their last scheduled pay rise, 3%, on 6 December 2025, taking Level 2.1 to $88,178 and Level 2.9 to $127,737. No rise is scheduled after that. The 2023 General Agreement expires on 5 December 2026, and as at 16 October 2026 no government offer for a new agreement had been found.
the School Education Act Employees' (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2023 delivered three rises: 5% from December 2023, 4% from December 2024 and 3% from December 2025. The next rise depends entirely on the successor agreement, which the SSTUWA and the department are due to bargain before or after the December 2026 expiry.
Where WA teacher pay stands right now
2023 GA expires 5 Dec 2026; last rise 3% (Dec 2025); successor agreement being bargained, no offer yet
-
16 October 2026
No offer yet as the 2023 GA nears expiry
The agreement expires on 5 Dec 2026. SSTUWA has begun its 2026 log of claims; we found no government offer for a successor agreement as at 16 Oct 2026.
-
6 December 2025
Final 3% rise under the 2023 GA
Level 2.1 rose to $88,178 and Level 2.9 to $127,737. It is the last scheduled rise.
-
13 October 2025
Regional Attraction and Retention Incentive extended for 2026
$7.4m extension (program total $44.1m): up to $7,000 for teachers and administrators at 67 listed regional and remote schools.
-
4 November 2024
2023 General Agreement registered
The WAIRC registered the 2023 GA with 5%, 4% and 3% rises; the first rise was back-paid to 6 Dec 2023.
WA teacher pay rise timeline
Old, current and upcoming rates
Proposed columns apply only once the agreement is approved; calculated columns are our arithmetic from the published percentage.
The 2023 deal in brief
- 6 December 2023: 5% on all classifications, paid as back pay after the agreement was registered on 4 November 2024.
- 6 December 2024: 4%.
- 6 December 2025: 3%, the final rise.
- Also in the deal: a new Senior Teacher 2 level, the Level 3.3 Classroom Teacher trial, a graduate allowance up from $1,600 to $2,000, District Allowance replacing the teachers' locality allowances, and pro rata long service leave after seven years.
Three rises compounded
12.5%
5% × 4% × 3%
Level 2.1, Dec 2024 → Dec 2025
+$2,568
$85,610 → $88,178
Level 2.9, Dec 2024 → Dec 2025
+$3,721
$124,016 → $127,737
Where bargaining stands
The SSTUWA said in 2025 that work on its 2026 log of claims was under way. One secondary guide reports that members endorsed a 103-item log by 92.8%, but we couldn't confirm that in a union or government source. As at 16 October 2026 we found no government offer. The union has flagged class sizes and regional housing (GROH) as unfinished business from the last round. Check sstuwa.org.au for the latest.
What each 1% is worth
Until there's an offer, the useful sum is the value of each percentage point. On current rates, 1% is $882 a year at Level 2.1, $1,109 at Level 2.5 and $1,277 at Level 2.9 before tax. After tax, at a 32% marginal rate, that's roughly two-thirds as much. Use the back pay calculator once a deal is announced.
Back pay: what happened last time
The 2023 GA wasn't registered until November 2024, nearly a year after its first rise was due. Under cl 23.2, staff employed when it was registered were paid the difference as if the new rates had applied from 6 December 2023. If you leave the department before a new agreement is registered, check whether the new deal's back pay clause covers former staff, because last time it applied to people employed at registration. Back pay is taxed in the year you receive it; see tax on teacher back pay.
What to watch
- A government wages offer and the SSTUWA's response.
- Whether rises are back-dated to 6 December 2026.
- Changes to class sizes, face-to-face hours and DOTT time.
- Any change to the Country Teaching Program and Remote Teaching Service allowances and the temporary $7,000 regional incentive.
- A member vote, then registration with the WAIRC.
Follow every state on the teacher pay rise tracker. For context, the NT has a 4.3% rise due in January 2027, and ACT teachers are in a dispute after rejecting an offer in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Did WA teachers get a pay rise in 2026?
When does the WA teachers' agreement expire?
Has the WA government made a pay offer to teachers?
Will WA teachers get back pay?
How much did WA teachers get under the 2023 agreement?
Who negotiates WA teacher pay?
Sources we checked · last verified 16 October 2026
- 1.WAIRC: School Education Act Employees' (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2023 listing
- 2.General Agreement 2023 full text (PDF)
- 3.Teachers (Public Sector Primary and Secondary Education) Award 1993 (PDF)
- 4.WA Department of Education: Teacher salaries
- 5.WA Department of Education: Incentives and allowances
- 6.WA Department of Education: Attraction and retention incentive
- 7.TRBWA: Fees
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.