Kindergarten teacher salary and the national average
If you are a kindergarten teacher or considering the profession, the key question is often: how does the pay compare with the typical Australian full-time worker? The national benchmark is the full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year, published by the ABS in its Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. This is the line that Average line uses as its reference point.
The award minimum for kindergarten teachers
Most kindergarten teachers in Australia are covered by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020. The award sets minimum weekly rates for teachers in preschools and schools. A kindergarten is classified as a preschool under the award. The classification levels depend on accreditation and experience:
| Level | Criteria | Minimum weekly rate | Minimum annual salary (×52.18) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graduate teacher or provisional registration | $1,455.40 | $75,941 |
| 2 | Proficient accreditation | $1,590.70 | $83,004 |
| 3 | Proficient after 3 years at Level 2 | $1,731.70 | $90,362 |
| 4 | Proficient after 3 years at Level 3 | $1,872.70 | $97,720 |
| 5 | Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher | $2,013.70 | $105,076 |
These rates apply from 1 July 2026. A Level 1 kindergarten teacher earns $38.30 per hour (based on 38 ordinary hours). Even at the top of the award, Level 5, the salary is just below the national full-time average. Many teachers in private or independent centres may be paid above the award, but the award provides the legal floor.
How the award rate sits against the national average
The national full-time average of $108,352 is about 43% higher than the Level 1 award minimum. However, the median full-time salary in Australia is lower than the average: the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey for August 2025 puts the full-time median at about $90,532 and the all-employees median at $74,100. So a kindergarten teacher at Level 3 ($90,362) is very close to the full-time median, while a Level 1 teacher is below it.
State-by-state comparison
Full-time average earnings vary across Australia. The on-site data from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, gives these annualised state averages (×52):
- New South Wales: $109,658
- Victoria: $106,137
- Queensland: $106,064
- South Australia: $102,450
- Western Australia: $115,825
- Tasmania: $96,008
- Northern Territory: $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: $119,090
A kindergarten teacher on the award Level 1 ($75,941) would be below every state average. In the ACT, where the average is highest, the gap is more than $43,000. In Tasmania, the gap is about $20,000. See States and territories for more detail.
Take-home pay: a resident’s perspective
Using the 2026–27 tax rates (nil up to $18,200; 15% to $45,000; 30% to $135,000; 37% to $190,000; 45% above) plus the 2% Medicare levy, a kindergarten teacher on the Level 1 salary of $75,941 would pay:
- Tax: $11,141 (approx.)
- Medicare levy: $1,519
- Net take-home: about $63,281
By comparison, someone on the national full-time average of $108,352 would take home about $83,500. The difference in after-tax income is roughly $20,000 per year.
What about the minimum wage?
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 per year. A kindergarten teacher at Level 1 earns $38.30 per hour, which is 45% above the minimum. Even the lowest teacher classification is comfortably above the legal floor.
Where to find more information
For a detailed breakdown of how salaries are set, see How the figures are set. To compare kindergarten teacher pay with other occupations, visit Job medians. For industry-level data, see Industry medians. And if you want to see where your own salary sits on the line, use Place a salary on the line.
A note on the data
The national average used here is the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, for full-time adult ordinary time earnings. The award rates are from Fair Work’s Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020, effective 1 July 2026. The median figures are from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, August 2025. All figures are before tax unless stated otherwise. For guidance on your specific situation, see Guides.