What is the average salary for a speech therapist in Australia?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a specific average salary for speech therapists. However, the Health Professionals and Support Services Award sets minimum weekly rates for health professional employees. For a speech therapist (Health Professional Level 1 with an AQF Level 5 qualification), the minimum weekly rate is $1,232.70 in the first year, rising to $1,541.30 after seven years. More senior classifications (Level 2 and above) have minimums up to $1,945.40 per week. Actual salaries may be higher depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a speech therapist salary compare to the national full-time average?

The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). Entry-level speech therapist award minimums are below this average, while more experienced speech therapists at higher award levels may earn close to or above the average. The full-time median salary is about $90,532 a year, so many speech therapists likely earn around or above the median once experienced.

What are the tax implications for a speech therapist earning between $64,000 and $101,000?

For the 2026–27 income year, a speech therapist earning $64,100 would fall into the 30% tax bracket ($45,001 to $135,000), paying $5,092 plus 30% of income over $45,000, plus the 2% Medicare levy. At $101,160, the tax would be $21,967 plus 30% of income over $135,000? Actually $101,160 is still in the 30% bracket, so tax would be $5,092 + 0.3 × ($101,160 - $45,000) = $5,092 + $16,848 = $21,940, plus Medicare levy of about $2,023. These are estimates; individual circumstances vary.

Speech therapist salary: read the same pay as a year, a week, and an hour

Speech therapist salary: year, week, and hour

If you are looking up a speech therapist salary, you probably want to know how the pay stacks up as a yearly figure, a weekly amount, and an hourly rate. The Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a specific average for speech therapists (also called speech pathologists), but we can use the relevant award and national benchmarks to give you a clear picture.

Award minimums for speech therapists

Speech therapists are covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020. Under this award, a health professional employee is classified by level and qualifications. For a speech therapist, the most common entry point is Health Professional Level 1, which requires at least an AQF Level 5 qualification (a diploma or advanced diploma). The minimum weekly rates for a full-time employee (38 hours) are:

1st year: $1,232.70 per week ($32.44 per hour)
2nd–3rd year: $1,308.80 per week ($34.44 per hour)
4th–6th year: $1,426.00 per week ($37.53 per hour)
7th year and over: $1,541.30 per week ($40.56 per hour)

More senior classifications (Level 2 and above) have higher minimums, up to $1,945.40 per week ($51.19 per hour) for Level 2.1. These are the legal minimums; many employers pay above award.

To convert to a yearly salary before tax, multiply the weekly rate by 52. For example, a first-year speech therapist on the minimum would earn about $64,100 a year. An experienced speech therapist at Level 2.1 would earn about $101,160 a year.

How does this compare to the national average?

The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). That is the figure this site uses as the line. The full-time median (the middle point) is about $90,532 a year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025).

So a speech therapist on the award minimums:

At entry level, the salary is well below the national average and median.
At Level 2.1, the salary is close to the median but still below the average.
Many speech therapists with experience and in higher classifications likely earn above the median and possibly above the average, depending on their employer and location.

Hourly and weekly view

The site shows your salary as a weekly and hourly figure based on a 38-hour week. For a speech therapist on the award:

Level 1, 1st year: $1,232.70 per week, $32.44 per hour
Level 2.1: $1,945.40 per week, $51.19 per hour

You can place a salary on the line to see how it compares to the national full-time average.

State and territory differences

Full-time average earnings vary by state and territory. The national average is $108,352, but some states are higher or lower. For example:

Australian Capital Territory: $119,090
Western Australia: $115,825
New South Wales: $109,658
Victoria: $106,137
Queensland: $106,064
South Australia: $102,450
Northern Territory: $103,173
Tasmania: $96,008

Speech therapist salaries may also vary by state, but the award minimums are national. Employers in higher-paying states may offer above-award rates. See states and territories for more detail.

Minimum wage and award increases

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 a year on 38 hours. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from that date. The Health Professionals award rates above are current from 1 October 2026. All speech therapist salaries must be at least these minimums.

Tax on a speech therapist salary

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 over $190,000

Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (with possible reductions for low incomes).

A speech therapist earning $64,100 would pay about $5,092 + 30% of ($64,100 - $45,000) = $5,092 + $5,730 = $10,822 in tax, plus Medicare levy of about $1,282. At $101,160, tax would be about $21,940 plus Medicare levy of $2,023. These are rough estimates.

Where to find more data

The ABS publishes average weekly earnings twice a year (May and November). The most recent is May 2026. For medians, see the ABS Employee Earnings publication (August 2025). For award rates, Fair Work publishes pay guides. This site uses these official sources.

You can also explore job medians and industry medians for related roles. For more about how the figures are set, see how the figures are set.

Summary

A speech therapist salary under the award ranges from about $64,100 to $101,160 a year as a minimum. Actual pay may be higher. The national full-time average is $108,352, so many speech therapists will earn below that at entry level but may reach or exceed it with experience. Use the tools on this site to see where your salary sits on the line.