Primary school teacher salary: a year, a week, an hour
If you are looking at a primary school teacher salary in Australia, the most useful benchmark is the median full-time weekly earnings published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. According to Jobs and Skills Australia, which draws on the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, the median full-time weekly earnings for primary school teachers are $2,226. That is before tax and does not include salary sacrifice.
To see how that stacks up against the national line, the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026, puts full-time adult ordinary-time earnings at $2,083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year when multiplied by 52. The primary school teacher median sits comfortably above that average, reflecting the professional qualifications and responsibilities of the role.
Reading the same pay as a year, a week, and an hour
A weekly figure is useful, but you might want to think in annual or hourly terms. Here is how the median primary school teacher pay translates:
- Weekly: $2,226 (median full-time, before tax)
- Yearly: approximately $115,752 (52 weeks)
- Hourly: $60 (based on median hourly earnings from the same ABS survey)
Remember, these are medians — half of full-time primary school teachers earn more, half earn less. The average full-time hours for the occupation are 45 hours per week, according to the ABS Census, so the hourly rate is calculated on that longer week.
Award minimum rates under the Educational Services (Teachers) Award
Not every teacher is on the median. Many are paid under the Educational Services (Teachers) Award [MA000077], which sets legally binding minimums. From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, the award rates for teachers in preschools and schools are
- Level 2: $1,590.70 ($41.86 per hour)
- Level 3: $1,731.70 per week ($45.50 per hour)
- Level 4: $1,872.70 per week ($49.28 per hour)
- Level 5: $2,013.70 per week ($52.99 per hour)
These are the minimum rates. Most experienced teachers would sit above Level 3 or higher, especially in public schools where state enterprise agreements often set pay above the award.
How the national average compares across states
If you are comparing a primary school teacher salary in your state, you can check the state full-time averages from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026:
- New South Wales: $2,108.80 per week (about $109,658 a year)
- Victoria: $2,041.10 ($106,137)
- Queensland: $2,039.70 ($106,064)
- South Australia: $1,970.20 ($102,450)
- Western Australia: $2,227.40 ($115,825)
- Tasmania: $1,846.30 ($96,008)
- Northern Territory: $1,984.10 ($103,173)
- Australian Capital Territory: $2,290.20 ($119,090)
Primary school teachers in states with higher overall averages (like WA and ACT) may see higher pay, but the occupation median of $2,226 is already above most state averages.
Understanding the different measures
It is easy to confuse averages, medians, and minimums. Here is a quick guide:
- National full-time average: $2,083.70 per week (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026) — this is the line on this site.
- Full-time median (all occupations): about $90,532 a year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025).
- Primary school teacher median: $2,226 per week, or about $115,752 a year.
- National minimum wage: $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, $52,255 a year (from 1 July 2026).
The median is a better indicator of what a typical teacher earns than the average, which can be pulled up by very high salaries.
What about part-time and casual?
Only 63% of primary school teachers work full-time, according to the ABS Labour Force Survey. Part-time teachers are paid pro-rata on the same hourly rates. Casual teachers engaged for less than five consecutive days under the award receive no higher than Level 3, with a full-day rate of $432.93.
Tax on a primary school teacher salary
For the 2026–27 financial year, resident tax rates are:
- Nil up to $18,200
- 15% from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% above $190,000
Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (with possible reductions for low-income earners). A teacher on the median of $115,752 would fall in the 30% bracket, so after tax and Medicare, take-home pay would be roughly $80,000–$85,000 depending on deductions.
Where to go next
If you want to see how your own salary compares, Place a salary on the line to the national average. You can also explore States and territories for state-specific averages. For more on how these figures are set, read How the figures are set.
Note: All figures are before tax. The site uses a 38-hour week to show hourly equivalents. The national full-time average is the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026. Medians are from ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025. The minimum wage is from Fair Work, effective 1 July 2026.