Teacher pay in Australia: how it compares with the national average
When people search for "teacher salary Australia", they often want to know how the profession stacks up against the typical full-time worker. The answer depends on where you teach, your level of accreditation, and whether you work in a public or private setting. Using the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Fair Work, this guide puts teacher salaries in context against the national full-time average line.
The national benchmark: the full-time average line
The site's reference point is the national full-time adult ordinary-time average earnings from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. That figure is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year (multiplying by 52). This is the line that all salaries are measured against. For context, the full-time median (from the ABS Employee Earnings survey, August 2025) is about $90,532, and the all-employees median is about $74,100. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week.
Teacher salaries under the Educational Services (Teachers) Award
The Fair Work Ombudsman's Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 sets minimum pay rates for teachers in preschools, schools, and long day care centres that are not covered by other industrial instruments. The award classifies teachers into five levels based on accreditation and experience. For full-time employees in preschools and schools, the minimum weekly rates (from 1 July 2026) are:
- Level 1 (graduate teacher): $1,455.40 per week, annualised to $75,941
- Level 2 (proficient accreditation): $1,590.70 per week, $83,004 per year
- Level 3 (proficient after 3 years at Level 2): $1,731.70 per week, $90,362 per year
- Level 4 (proficient after 3 years at Level 3): $1,872.70 per week, $97,720 per year
- Level 5 (Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher): $2,013.70 per week, $105,076 per year
These are minimums. Many teachers, especially in government schools, are covered by state awards or enterprise agreements that pay above these rates. For example, a graduate teacher in a public school in New South Wales or Victoria typically starts above the federal award minimum.
The education industry average from the ABS
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey includes an industry breakdown for "Education and training". In May 2026, full-time adult ordinary time earnings in this industry averaged $2,197.90 per week for persons, which annualises to about $114,291. That is about $5,939 above the national full-time average of $108,352. Broken down by gender, men in education and training average $2,306.80 per week ($119,954 per year), while women average $2,140.10 per week ($111,285 per year). This reveals a gender pay gap within the profession, with women earning about 93% of men's average.
It is important to note that the education industry average includes not only teachers but also other professionals such as university lecturers, education aides, and administrative staff. However, teachers make up the largest share, so the figure is a reasonable proxy for the average teacher salary.
Take-home pay: a resident sketch
To see what a teacher on the industry average might take home after tax, we apply the 2026–27 resident tax rates and the Medicare levy. For a salary of $114,291:
- Tax on first $18,200: $0
- Tax on $18,201 to $45,000 (15%): $4,020
- Tax on $45,001 to $114,291 (30%): $20,787.30
- Total income tax: $24,807.30
- Medicare levy (2%): $2,285.82
- Total deductions: $27,093.12
- Estimated take-home pay: $87,198 per year, or about $1,677 per week.
For comparison, a worker earning exactly the national full-time average of $108,352 would take home about $82,800 per year (after similar tax and Medicare). So the average teacher takes home roughly $4,400 more per year than the average full-time worker. However, this does not account for differences in cost of living, especially in expensive cities like Sydney or Melbourne.
State and territory variations
Teacher salaries also vary by location. The ABS provides state full-time averages that give a sense of regional pay levels. The highest full-time average is in the Australian Capital Territory at about $119,090 per year, reflecting a high concentration of public sector professionals including teachers. Western Australia follows at $115,825, driven by the mining economy. Tasmania has the lowest state average at $96,008. A teacher in the ACT is likely to earn above the national average, while a teacher in Tasmania may be closer to the award minimums, depending on their level and employer.
For more detail on how each state compares, see the States and territories page.
How the line works
The site's line is set at the national full-time average of $108,352. You can Place a salary on the line to see where your own pay sits. The tool converts your yearly salary to a weekly and hourly figure based on a 38-hour week, and shows the distance above or below the line. It also provides context using medians and the minimum wage. Whether you are a graduate teacher on the award minimum or an experienced lead teacher on a higher salary, the line gives you a clear benchmark against the typical Australian full-time worker.
Additional resources
For industry-specific medians, visit the Industry medians page. For job-specific medians, see Job medians. And for more guides like this one, check the Guides section.