SCHADS Level 3 Salary: Understanding the Award Rate
If you're looking up the SCHADS Level 3 salary, you're likely an employee or employer in the social, community, home care, or disability services sector. This classification is set by the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (the SCHADS Award), which is a modern award under the Fair Work system. The exact dollar figure for a Level 3 employee is not published in the sources available here, but we can explain how it works and where it sits against the national full-time average.
The National Full-Time Average as a Reference
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year. The latest release, for May 2026, shows full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70. That works out to about $108,352 a year (multiplied by 52 weeks). This is the line that Place a salary on the line uses as its benchmark.
For context, the full-time median is about $90,532 per year, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week, which comes to about $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week. Award minimums, including those in the SCHADS Award, rose by 4.75% from 1 July 2026.
How the SCHADS Award Sets Pay
The SCHADS Award contains minimum rates for different classification levels. Level 3 is a common classification for experienced support workers. The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database (updated 1 October 2026) includes the exact rates, but we don't have the specific Level 3 figure in the provided search results. The Fair Work Ombudsman notes that from 1 December 2026, home care disability employees will receive an initial increase of up to 15% to their minimum award rates, with further changes from 1 October 2027.
To find the current SCHADS Level 3 rate, you can use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool or download the SCHADS Award pay guide. The rate is adjusted each year through the Annual Wage Review, which usually takes effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July.
Take-Home Pay Considerations
If you earn the SCHADS Level 3 salary, your take-home pay will depend on your tax situation. For the 2026–27 income year, the resident tax rates are:
- Nil on the first $18,200
- 15% on income from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% on income from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% on income from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% on income above $190,000
Plus a Medicare levy of 2% (before any reductions).
A typical SCHADS Level 3 employee earning, say, around $60,000 to $70,000 per year (a reasonable estimate for a full-time worker on award rates) would fall into the 30% tax bracket plus the 2% Medicare levy. After tax, the weekly take-home would be roughly $850 to $950, depending on exact earnings and any deductions. This is below the national full-time average of $2,083.70 per week before tax, but above the minimum wage.
State Comparisons
Full-time average earnings vary by state and territory, which can affect how the SCHADS Level 3 salary compares locally. The ABS May 2026 figures (original, full-time adult ordinary time earnings) show:
- New South Wales: about $109,658 per year
- Victoria: about $106,137
- Queensland: about $106,064
- South Australia: about $102,450
- Western Australia: about $115,825
- Tasmania: about $96,008
- Northern Territory: about $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: about $119,090
A SCHADS Level 3 salary is likely to be below all these state averages, but the gap is smaller in lower-average states like Tasmania. For a detailed breakdown by state, see States and territories.
Future Changes
The SCHADS Award is undergoing significant reform. The 15% increase for home care disability employees from 1 December 2026 will bring rates closer to the national average for that group. Other changes from 1 October 2027 will further adjust classifications and allowances. The Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review will also continue to apply each year.
If you want to see how your salary compares to the national line, you can Place a salary on the line. For more on how award rates are set, see How the figures are set.