Mental health nurse salary in Australia
Mental health nurses are registered nurses who specialise in caring for people with mental illness, emotional distress, or psychological disorders. They work in hospitals, community health centres, aged care facilities, and correctional services. Because the role is a specialisation within nursing, pay is generally set by the same industrial instruments that cover all registered nurses.
How much does a mental health nurse earn?
The most reliable source for minimum pay is the Nurses Award 2020 from the Fair Work Ombudsman. For a full-time registered nurse (the classification most mental health nurses hold), the weekly rates from 1 August 2026 are:
- Registered Nurse Level 1, pay point 1: $1,219.50 per week ($32.09 per hour) – about $63,414 a year.
- Registered Nurse Level 1, pay point 8: $1,465.50 per week ($38.57 per hour) – about $76,206 a year.
- Registered Nurse Level 2, pay point 1: $1,504.40 per week ($39.59 per hour) – about $78,229 a year.
- Registered Nurse Level 3, pay point 4: $1,720.10 per week ($45.27 per hour) – about $89,445 a year.
- Registered Nurse Level 5, grade 6: $2,706.90 per week ($71.23 per hour) – about $140,759 a year.
These are minimum rates under the award. Many mental health nurses are employed under enterprise agreements or in public health systems that pay above the award, especially in senior or specialist roles. The ABS does not publish a separate average earnings figure for the occupation "Registered Nurses (Mental Health)" because the sample size is too small for a reliable estimate.
How does this compare to the national average?
The site's reference line is the national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026).
- A mental health nurse at the entry-level award rate ($63,414) earns about 59% of the national average.
- At the top of the Level 1 scale ($76,206), it's about 70%.
- At Level 3 pay point 4 ($89,445), it's about 83%.
- At Level 5 grade 6 ($140,759), it's about 130% of the national average.
For context, the full-time median earnings across all occupations is about $90,532 a year, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). So a mental health nurse at Level 3 or above is likely earning around or above the median.
A resident take-home sketch
Let's estimate take-home pay for a mental health nurse earning the Level 1 pay point 4 award rate of $1,309.00 per week ($68,068 a year). Using the 2026–27 tax rates and the 2% Medicare levy:
- Taxable income: $68,068
- Tax on first $18,200: $0
- Tax on $18,201–$45,000: 15% = $4,020
- Tax on $45,001–$68,068: 30% = $6,920.40
- Total tax: $10,940.40
- Medicare levy (2%): $1,361.36
- Total deductions: $12,301.76
- Weekly take-home: about $1,072 ($55,766 a year)
Compare that to the national average earner ($108,352):
- Tax on $18,201–$45,000: $4,020
- Tax on $45,001–$108,352: 30% = $19,005.60
- Total tax: $23,025.60
- Medicare levy: $2,167.04
- Total deductions: $25,192.64
- Weekly take-home: about $1,599 ($83,159 a year)
So the mental health nurse at this level takes home about 67% of what the average full-time worker takes home, but the gap narrows at higher classification levels.
How the figures are set
The national average used on this site comes from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey, conducted twice a year (May and November). It measures ordinary time earnings for full-time adults before tax. Award rates are set by the Fair Work Commission and updated annually. How the figures are set explains the methodology in more detail.
Where to next?
If you're a mental health nurse, you can place your salary on the line to see how it compares to the national average and to other nurses. You can also explore Guides for more information on nursing pay, enterprise agreements, and career progression.
Summary
Mental health nurse pay in Australia is not published as a single average, but the award provides a clear floor. Entry-level registered nurses earn around $63,000–$76,000 a year, while senior specialists can earn well over $140,000. Compared to the national full-time average of $108,352, most mental health nurses sit below that line unless they reach senior classifications. The take-home pay after tax and Medicare is significantly lower, as illustrated above.