Lollipop man salary: where school crossing supervisor pay sits against the national average
School crossing supervisors – often called lollipop men or women – play a vital role in keeping children safe on their way to and from school. But how does their pay compare with the national full-time average? The short answer is that the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a specific figure for this occupation, so we need to look at the awards and minimum wages that typically apply.
How the national average is set
The ABS publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year, for May and November. The latest release, for May 2026, shows that full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings were $2,083.70. Multiplied by 52 weeks, that gives an annual salary of about $108,352 before tax. This is the line that Place a salary on the line uses to compare any job.
For context, the full-time median (from the ABS Employee Earnings survey, August 2025) is about $90,532 a year, and the all-employees median is about $74,100. The national minimum wage, set by Fair Work from 1 July 2026, is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week – about $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week.
Where lollipop man pay fits
School crossing supervisors are typically employed by local councils or state education departments. Their pay is usually covered by the Local Government Industry Award or a state-specific award. While the exact rates vary, the minimum hourly rate under the award is often close to the national minimum wage, sometimes a little higher after the 4.75% increase to award minimums in 2026.
Because most crossing supervisors work only a few hours a day – usually before and after school – their weekly and annual earnings are far below the full-time average. A supervisor working 10 hours a week at $26.44 per hour would earn about $264 per week, or $13,749 a year. Even if they worked 20 hours, that would be $528 per week, or $27,456 a year – well under the national minimum wage threshold for a full-time worker.
What would move this pay above or below the average
To reach the national full-time average of $108,352, a lollipop man would need to work full-time hours (38 per week) at a rate of about $54.85 per hour – more than double the national minimum wage. That is unlikely under current awards.
Pay could move above the average if the role included significant overtime, penalty rates for early morning or afternoon shifts, or if the supervisor was covered by a generous enterprise agreement. Some councils may offer higher rates for experienced supervisors or those with additional duties.
Pay below the average is the norm for this occupation. The part-time nature of the work, combined with award rates that are only slightly above the minimum, means most lollipop men earn a fraction of the national full-time average. Even the full-time median of $90,532 is out of reach for a typical crossing supervisor.
State comparisons
The ABS provides state-by-state full-time averages. For example, New South Wales averages about $109,658, Victoria about $106,137, and Western Australia about $115,825. A lollipop man in any state would still be far below these figures unless working full-time at a much higher rate. The States and territories page shows how each region compares.
Conclusion
While the ABS does not publish a specific lollipop man salary, the available data from Fair Work and the ABS makes it clear that this role typically pays near the national minimum wage and well below the full-time average. The gap is driven by part-time hours and award classifications. For a precise comparison, you can Place a salary on the line using the hourly or weekly rate from your award or enterprise agreement.
For more detail on how the figures are set, see How the figures are set.