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Nursing salary Australia: how pay compares with the national average and what you take home

Registered nurses earn a median full-time salary of about $113,984 a year, which is above the national full-time average of $108,352.

This sits $40,752 under the Australian full-time average, about 37.6% below the line. The closest full-time state average is Tasmania. It is off the left edge of the ruler. This close-up only covers full-time state averages.

Week, hour, and a tax sketch

$1,300 a week · $34.21 an hour if spread over 38 hours

About $55,448 after resident income tax and a 2% Medicare levy.

2026–27 resident rates and a 2% Medicare levy. Not a tax assessment.Open the full line

Nursing salary Australia: how pay compares with the national average and what you take home

Nursing is one of Australia’s largest professions, and salaries vary widely depending on role, experience, and employer. This article uses the latest official data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Fair Work, and Jobs and Skills Australia to show where nursing pay sits against the national full-time average, what award rates apply, and what a typical registered nurse might take home after tax.

The national benchmark: the full-time average

The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 puts full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings at $2,083.70. That works out to $108,352 a year (multiplied by 52 weeks). This is the line the site uses as a reference. The full-time median (from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, August 2025) is lower at about $90,532 a year, reflecting that many full-time workers earn less than the average.

Where registered nurses sit

Jobs and Skills Australia reports that the median full-time weekly earnings for registered nurses (ANZSCO 2544) is $2,192, based on the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. That is $113,984 a year. This is above the national full-time average of $108,352, meaning the typical registered nurse earns more than the typical full-time worker. The median hourly rate for registered nurses is $57, compared with $47 for all occupations.

But not all nurses earn that much. The median is the middle point: half earn more, half earn less. Entry-level registered nurses under the Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034) start at $1,219.50 a week ($63,414 a year) for Level 1, pay point 1. That is well below the national average. Experienced nurses at Level 5, grade 6 can earn $2,706.90 a week ($140,759 a year), which is above the average.

Award rates for different nursing roles

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s Nurses Award pay guide (effective from 1 August 2026) sets minimum rates for classifications from nursing assistant to registered nurse Level 5. Here are some key weekly rates:

  • Nursing assistant, 1st year: $1,050.70
  • Enrolled nurse, pay point 1: $1,139.90
  • Registered nurse Level 1, pay point 1: $1,219.50
  • Registered nurse Level 1, pay point 8: $1,465.50
  • Registered nurse Level 2, pay point 1: $1,504.40
  • Registered nurse Level 3, pay point 1: $1,631.20
  • Registered nurse Level 4, grade 1: $1,861.70
  • Registered nurse Level 5, grade 6: $2,706.90

These are minimums; many nurses in public hospitals or private practice earn above award through enterprise agreements. The median of $2,192 a week suggests that most registered nurses are above the award minimums.

Take-home pay: a resident sketch

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) and the 2% Medicare levy, a registered nurse on the median full-time salary of $113,984 would pay:

  • Tax on first $18,200: $0
  • Tax on $18,201 to $45,000: $4,020
  • Tax on $45,001 to $113,984: $20,695.20
  • Total income tax: $24,715.20
  • Medicare levy (2% of $113,984): $2,279.68
  • Total deductions: $26,994.88
  • Annual take-home: $86,989.12
  • Weekly take-home: about $1,673

This is an estimate. It does not include the low-income tax offset, HELP repayments, or other deductions. Your actual take-home will vary.

How nursing pay varies by state

Full-time average weekly ordinary time earnings differ across states and territories. The national average is $2,083.70, but in the ACT it is $2,290.20 ($119,090 a year) and in Tasmania it is $1,846.30 ($96,008 a year). Registered nurse pay often reflects these differences, especially in public hospitals where state-based awards or agreements apply. For example, nurses in the ACT and Western Australia tend to earn more than those in Tasmania or South Australia. You can see state-by-state averages on our States and territories page.

Comparing with other occupations

Nursing pay is above the all-occupations median of $1,852 a week ($96,304 a year) and above the national full-time average. But it is not the highest-paid profession. For example, medical practitioners earn much more, while aged care workers earn less. The Job medians page lets you compare nursing with other roles.

The minimum wage and award increases

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 an hour, $1,004.90 a week, or $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week. Award minimums, including the Nurses Award, rose by 4.75% from that date. Even the lowest nursing assistant rate ($1,050.70 a week) is above the minimum wage, but many nursing roles are still below the national full-time average.

Putting your own salary on the line

If you are a nurse and want to see how your pay compares with the national average, you can Place a salary on the line. The tool shows your weekly and hourly pay on a 38-hour week and the distance from the full-time average.

Summary

Nursing salaries in Australia range from about $54,600 a year for a first-year nursing assistant to over $140,000 for a senior registered nurse. The median registered nurse earns about $113,984 a year, which is above the national full-time average of $108,352. Award rates set the floor, but many nurses earn more through enterprise agreements or experience. Use the official sources—ABS, Fair Work, and Jobs and Skills Australia—to check the latest figures.

Questions

What is the average nursing salary in Australia?

There is no single average for all nurses. The most common role, registered nurse, has a median full-time weekly earnings of $2,192, according to the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025). That works out to about $113,984 a year. However, award rates for entry-level registered nurses start at $1,219.50 a week ($63,414 a year) under the Nurses Award 2020. Salaries rise with experience and level.

How does nursing pay compare with the national average?

The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings is $2,083.70 ($108,352 a year) as of May 2026 (ABS Average Weekly Earnings). The median full-time registered nurse earns $2,192 a week, which is about $108 a week above that average. But many nurses start on award rates well below the average. For example, a nursing assistant in their first year earns $1,050.70 a week ($54,636 a year), which is below the national minimum wage equivalent of $52,255 a year but still under the average.

What is the take-home pay for a registered nurse on the median salary?

Using the 2026–27 tax rates and the 2% Medicare levy, a registered nurse earning the median full-time salary of $113,984 a year would pay about $24,715 in income tax and $2,280 in Medicare levy, leaving an annual take-home of roughly $86,989. That is about $1,673 a week. This is an estimate and does not include deductions, HELP repayments, or the low-income tax offset. Your actual take-home will depend on your circumstances.

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