Nurse salary QLD: Where does nursing pay sit against the national average?
If you are a nurse in Queensland or considering the profession, you probably want to know how the pay compares with the typical Australian full-time worker. The national full-time adult average ordinary-time earnings is $2,083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year, according to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings for May 2026. That is the line this site uses as a reference.
Queensland’s own full-time average is slightly lower at about $106,064 a year. But nursing salaries vary widely by role, experience, and employer. The most authoritative source for public-sector nursing pay in Queensland is the Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health and Department of Education) Certified Agreement (EB12) 2025, with rates updated in April 2026. Queensland Health publishes these rates online.
Queensland Health nurse pay rates (from April 2026)
Here are some key annual salaries from the agreement:
- Assistant in Nursing (AIN) – Grade 1, Band 1, Pay point 1: $69,836
- Enrolled Nurse (EN) – Grade 3, Pay point 1: $75,573
- Registered Nurse (RN) – Grade 5, Pay point 1: $87,790
- Registered Nurse – Grade 5, Pay point 7 (top of level): $112,607
- Clinical Nurse – Grade 6, Band 1, Pay point 1: $114,532
- Nurse Practitioner – Grade 8, Pay point 1: $154,482
- Director of Nursing (Remote) – Grade 9, Pay point 1: $157,780
These rates are for full-time employees working a 38-hour week. Casual employees get a 25% loading, so their hourly rate is higher. The agreement also includes penalty rates for weekends and public holidays.
How does a nurse’s take-home pay look?
Let’s take a typical starting Registered Nurse on $87,790. Using the 2026-27 tax rates:
- Tax-free threshold: $18,200
- 15% on the next $26,800 ($4,020)
- 30% on the next $42,790 ($12,837)
- Total tax: $16,857
- Medicare levy (2% of taxable income): $1,756
- After-tax income: about $69,177
That is below the after-tax equivalent of the national full-time average ($108,352 before tax yields roughly $80,500 after tax). But a nurse at the top of the RN level 1 scale ($112,607) would have a take-home of about $84,500, close to the average worker’s after-tax income. Clinical nurses and above exceed it.
Award rates vs Queensland Health agreement
The Fair Work Nurses Award 2020 sets minimum wages. For example, a Registered Nurse level 1 pay point 1 under the award is $1,219.50 per week, or about $63,414 a year. The Queensland Health agreement pays $87,790 for the same classification – about 38% more. The agreement includes a clause that employees must receive the higher of the award or agreement rate, so Queensland Health nurses are well above the legal minimum.
How nursing salaries compare across Australia
The ABS state averages give context. Queensland’s full-time average of $106,064 is close to the national figure. Western Australia has the highest state average ($115,825) and Tasmania the lowest ($96,008). Nursing salaries in Queensland public hospitals are set by the state agreement, but private hospitals may use the award or their own enterprise agreements. The Queensland page on this site has more detail on the state economy.
Where to find your salary on the line
You can place a salary on the line to see how it compares with the national full-time average, the full-time median ($90,532), and the all-employees median ($74,100). The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week. Nursing roles start well above that.
Summary
A Queensland nurse’s salary depends on their classification and experience. Entry-level registered nurses earn about $87,790, below the national average but with clear progression to $112,607 and beyond. Senior nurses, clinical specialists, and nurse practitioners can earn well above the average. The Queensland Health agreement provides generous pay compared to the award, and penalty rates boost take-home pay for those working weekends or shifts. For a personalised comparison, use the tools on this site.
How the figures are set explains the methodology behind the averages and medians used here.