Where the Queensland teacher salary sits against the national average
If you are looking at a teaching career in Queensland, the starting salary for a state school teacher is about $86,601 per year for a permanent or temporary role with a four-year degree, according to the Queensland Department of Education. That figure is for a beginning teacher on band 2, step 1, as at September 2026. Casual teachers in Queensland state schools are paid approximately $99 per hour.
How does that compare with the national full-time average? The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports that full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings were $2,083.70 per week in May 2026. Multiplied by 52, that is roughly $108,352 per year. The Queensland teacher starting salary is about $21,750 below that average. Even after accounting for progression through salary bands, many teachers will remain below the national full-time average for several years.
The award minimum is lower
Fair Work's Educational Services (Teachers) Award sets the legal minimum for teachers in covered workplaces. From 1 July 2026, a Level 1 teacher in preschools and schools receives $1,455.40 per week, or about $75,680 per year. The Queensland state school salary is above this minimum, reflecting enterprise agreements that boost pay. For teachers in long day care centres, the award minimum is slightly higher: $1,513.60 per week for Level 1.
How Queensland compares to other states
The ABS also publishes average weekly earnings by state. For May 2026, the full-time adult average in Queensland was $2,039.70 per week, or about $106,064 per year. That is slightly below the national average. Other states vary: New South Wales averaged $2,108.80 per week ($109,658 per year), Victoria $2,041.10 ($106,137), and Western Australia $2,227.40 ($115,825). The Australian Capital Territory had the highest average at $2,290.20 ($119,090).
You can explore more state comparisons on the States and territories page, or Place a salary on the line to see how any figure compares to the national average.
Medians and the minimum wage
It is also useful to consider median earnings. The ABS Employee Earnings survey from August 2025 shows the full-time median was about $90,532 per year, and the all-employees median was about $74,100. The Queensland teacher starting salary sits between these two medians: above the all-employees median but below the full-time median. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or about $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week, so the teacher salary is well above that floor.
What this means for teachers
A beginning teacher in Queensland earns a salary that is competitive with many other professions but still below the average for all full-time workers. As teachers gain experience and move up the classification levels, their pay can increase. The award provides for five levels, with Level 5 in preschools and schools paying $2,013.70 per week ($104,712 per year), which is much closer to the national average. However, reaching that level typically requires several years of service and additional qualifications.
For more detail on how teacher salaries are set, see the Guides section. The About this site page explains how we use ABS data to calculate the line.
Summary
The Queensland teacher salary in 2026 for a beginning state school teacher is approximately $86,601 per year. This is below the national full-time average of about $108,352 and below the full-time median of about $90,532. It is above the all-employees median and well above the national minimum wage. The award minimum for teachers is lower, but enterprise agreements in Queensland state schools lift pay above that level.