High School Teacher Salary and the National Average
High school teaching is a profession that typically pays above the national full-time average, but the range is wide. The median full-time high school teacher earns $2,322 per week, according to the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025). That is about $120,744 a year, well above the national full-time adult ordinary-time average of $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 a year) from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026.
But the median is not the starting point. The Educational Services (Teachers) Award, set by Fair Work, lays out minimum weekly rates for teachers in preschools and schools. A Level 1 teacher receives $1,455.40 per week ($75,681 a year), while a Level 5 teacher gets $2,013.70 ($104,712 a year). So a beginning teacher on the award earns about 30% less than the national full-time average, while an experienced teacher at the top of the award scale is close to the average. Many teachers, especially in public schools, are on enterprise agreements that pay more than the award, which helps explain why the median is higher.
What Moves Pay Above or Below the Average
Several factors determine whether a high school teacher’s salary sits above or below the national average line.
Experience and classification are the biggest drivers. The award has five levels, and moving from Level 1 to Level 5 adds about $558 per week. Most teachers progress through these levels as they gain experience and complete professional development. A teacher at Level 4 or 5 is likely to be at or above the national average, while a teacher in their first few years will be below it.
Sector also matters. The ABS reports that public sector full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings are $2,263.10, compared to $2,034.10 in the private sector. Public school teachers are generally covered by state-based enterprise agreements that often exceed the federal award. Private schools may pay above or below the public sector depending on the school’s resources and reputation.
Location can shift pay significantly. The on-site notes show state full-time averages ranging from $96,008 in Tasmania to $119,090 in the ACT. A high school teacher in the ACT, where the public sector is dominant, is likely to earn more than a teacher in Tasmania, even with the same experience. Western Australia ($115,825) and New South Wales ($109,658) also sit above the national average, while South Australia ($102,450) and Queensland ($106,064) are closer to it.
Above-award agreements are common in teaching. Many teachers are covered by collective agreements that set higher base rates, additional allowances for leadership roles, or extra pay for偏远地区 or specialist subjects. These can push a teacher’s salary well above the award minimum and even above the national average.
How the Figures Compare
To see where a specific high school teacher salary falls, you can place a salary on the line and compare it to the national full-time average. The site also breaks down averages by states and territories and shows job medians for hundreds of occupations.
The national full-time average of $2,083.70 per week is from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, which measures ordinary time earnings for full-time adults. It is an average, not a median, so it can be pulled up by very high earners. The median for all full-time employees is lower, at about $90,532 per year. For high school teachers, the median of $2,322 per week is above both the average and the all-employees median, confirming that teaching is a relatively well-paid profession on average.
But averages and medians hide variation. A teacher on the award minimum of $1,455.40 per week earns about 30% less than the national average. A teacher on the median of $2,322 earns about 11% more. And a teacher in a senior role in a high-paying state could earn well over $130,000 a year, far above the line.
The Role of the Award and Minimum Wage
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week. Even the lowest teacher award rate is about 45% higher than that. The award itself rose by 4.75% in the latest adjustment, reflecting the Fair Work Commission’s view of the value of teaching work.
For a high school teacher, the award provides a safety net, but most teachers are above it. The median earnings suggest that the typical teacher is well into the middle of the income distribution. However, for those just starting out, the gap to the national average can feel significant. Over a career, progression through levels and moves to higher-paying sectors or states can close that gap and push pay above the line.
Summary
A high school teacher’s salary can be below, at, or above the national full-time average depending on experience, sector, and location. The median is clearly above, but the award minimums are below. Understanding where a particular salary sits requires looking at the specific circumstances. The figures on this site, drawn from the ABS and Fair Work, provide the benchmarks to make that comparison.
For more detail on how the figures are set, see How the figures are set. To explore pay across different industries, visit Industry medians.