On this page (8 sections)
The short answer
A teacher aide in an Australian public school earns about $29 to $38 an hour at entry in 2026, depending on the state. The highest entry hourly rate is NSW ($38.33 for an SLSO); the lowest is SA (about $29.83, derived). Full-time salaries range from about $58,400 to $69,600, but full-time hours differ by state.
- Every state uses a different job title, classification and full-time week.
- Most aides work part-time, so the hourly rate matters more than the salary.
- Permanent aides in most states are paid through the school holidays.
- Victoria's rates rose about 13% from 1 October 2026 under VGSA 2026, approved by the Fair Work Commission on 16 October 2026 and back-paid.
What teacher aides are called in each state
Government (public) schools only. Catholic and independent schools use their own agreements.
Teacher aide pay by state in 2026
This table puts every state's entry rate side by side, with the full-time hours behind each salary. Some states publish hourly rates and some publish salaries; where we have converted one into the other, it says 'derived'.
SA's 2026 figure is the official 9 May 2025 rate ($56,660, $28.96/h) plus 3%, matching a government job ad; the full 2026 table was not read. NT's ATT is a team-teaching role and isn't an exact match for a teacher aide. WA special needs EAs start at $36.87 an hour.
Same hours, different states: 25 hours a week
Here is what a new aide working 25 hours a week would earn in a year at each state's entry rate, before and after 2026–27 tax. We used the hourly rate x 25 x 52.18 weeks, assuming pay through the year.
Take-home uses the site's 2026–27 tax engine, no HELP debt. Victoria's figure uses the VGSA 2026 rate from 1 October 2026.
Free calculator
Work out your exact pay
Choose your state, level and weekly hours to see your pay per fortnight before and after tax.
Open the support staff pay calculatorHow much more experienced aides earn
Every state has steps or pay points for experience, plus higher levels for specialist roles. The top of the standard aide scale (before moving to a specialist or senior classification) is roughly:
Victorian and ACT figures are full-time salaries. Victorian rates are VGSA 2026 rates from 1 October 2026.
Are teacher aides paid in the school holidays?
In most states, yes, if you are permanent or on a longer contract. NSW pays 26 equal fortnights. Victoria pays 52 weeks, with 20 days' annual leave and 30 days' additional leave covering the breaks. WA pays student vacation days earned in proportion to days worked. The ACT and NT pay stand-down salary between terms. SA has 52-week and term-only (16% loading) models. Queensland and Tasmania's rules weren't confirmed. Casuals in every state are paid only for hours worked, with a loading. The full rules are in are teacher aides paid in school holidays.
Casual teacher aide rates
Tasmania and the NT casual rates weren't confirmed.
How to earn more as a teacher aide
- Take on more hours. Pay is pro rata, so going from 0.6 to 0.8 of full time is a third more pay.
- Stay put and progress. Every state has steps or pay points; in NSW, the ACT and the NT you move up one a year with satisfactory service.
- Apply for specialist roles. Health support, Auslan, Braille, special needs and senior aide roles pay more in most states.
- Get the qualification your state rewards. In Victoria, roles requiring a certificate start at 2-4 under VGSA 2026; in SA, top tiers need a relevant qualification; in the NT, AT6 and AT7 need set qualifications.
- Move into admin or business management. See the school business manager salary guide.
New to the job? Start with how to become a teacher aide. For each state's full scale, see the pages for NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT.
Frequently asked questions
How much do teacher aides earn in Australia?
Which state pays teacher aides the most?
What is the hourly rate for a teacher aide?
Do teacher aides get paid during school holidays?
Is a teacher aide full time?
Do teacher aides get super?
Will teacher aide pay go up in 2026 or 2027?
Sources we checked · last verified 2026-10-28
- 1.NSW: Crown Employees (SASS) Award 2024
- 2.VIC: Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2026
- 3.QLD: Department of Education salary schedule
- 4.WA: Education Assistants' (Government) General Agreement 2025
- 5.SA: School services officers pay rates
- 6.TAS: DECYP Salary Scales
- 7.ACT: Administrative and Related Classifications EA 2023–2026
- 8.NT: Public Sector Educators' 2024–2027 EA
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.
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