Registered nurse salary: year, week and hour
If you are looking at an RN salary in Australia, the most useful starting point is the median full‑time figure published by the ABS. According to the Jobs and Skills Australia profile for registered nurses, the median full‑time weekly earnings are $2,192. That works out to roughly $113,984 a year (multiply by 52) and, on a standard 38‑hour week, about $57.68 an hour.
This median comes from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. It covers full‑time non‑managerial employees paid at the adult rate, so it excludes part‑time workers and managers. Because it is a median, half of full‑time RNs earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) would be higher, but the ABS does not publish a separate average for this occupation.
How RN pay compares with the national full‑time average
The national full‑time adult ordinary‑time average is $2,083.70 per week (about $108,352 a year), from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026. That is the figure this site uses as its line. The RN median of $2,192 sits $108.30 above that line each week. In percentage terms, RNs earn about 5% more than the average full‑time worker.
For context, the all‑employees median (including part‑time) is about $74,100 a year, and the full‑time median across all occupations is about $90,532 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). Registered nurses clearly earn above both.
Award minimums for registered nurses
The Nurses Award (MA000034) sets legal minimum pay for most RNs in the private and some public sectors. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes a pay guide with rates effective from 1 August 2026. Here are some key weekly rates:
- RN Level 1, Pay Point 1: $1,219.50 ($32.09/hr)
- RN Level 1, Pay Point 6: $1,388.10 ($36.53/hr)
- RN Level 5, Grade 6: $2,706.90 ($71.23/hr)
- Nurse practitioner, 1st year: $1,877.00 ($49.39/hr)
These are minimums. Many nurses are covered by enterprise agreements that pay more, or by individual contracts. The median of $2,192 suggests that the typical RN is well above the award floor.
State and territory variations
Full‑time average earnings vary across Australia. If you are comparing an RN salary in a particular state, keep in mind the local average:
- New South Wales: $109,658/year
- Victoria: $106,137/year
- Queensland: $106,064/year
- South Australia: $102,450/year
- Western Australia: $115,825/year
- Tasmania: $96,008/year
- Northern Territory: $103,173/year
- Australian Capital Territory: $119,090/year
These are state full‑time averages (ABS, May 2026). An RN earning the national median of $113,984 would be above the average in most states except WA and the ACT.
Reading RN pay as a year, week and hour
The on‑site tool lets you enter a yearly salary before tax. It then shows the weekly amount (divide by 52) and the hourly rate on a 38‑hour week. For the RN median of $113,984:
- Year: $113,984
- Week: $2,192
- Hour: $57.68
You can place a salary on the line to see how it compares with the national full‑time average. You can also browse job medians for other occupations.
Tax on an RN salary
For the 2026–27 income 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 a 2% Medicare levy (before any reductions). An RN earning $113,984 would fall in the 30% bracket, with a tax bill (before offsets) of roughly $26,000 plus Medicare.
Key points to remember
- The median RN salary is a guide, not a guarantee. Actual pay depends on experience, location, sector (public/private), and any enterprise agreement.
- The national full‑time average is updated twice a year (May and November) by the ABS. The RN median is from the less frequent Employee Earnings survey.
- Award rates are minimums. Always check the latest pay guide or your agreement.
For more detail on how these figures are set, see How the figures are set.