Theatre nurse pay and the national average
"Theatre nurse" is not a separate classification in Australia's industrial awards. Most theatre nurses are registered nurses (RNs) working in operating theatres, and their minimum pay is set by the Nurses Award [MA000034] from Fair Work. The award covers full-time, part-time, and casual employees in private and public hospitals, day procedure centres, and other health settings.
Where the award rates sit
For a full-time registered nurse at Level 1 (the most common entry point for theatre nurses), the award minimum weekly pay ranges from $1,219.50 (Pay Point 1) to $1,465.50 (Pay Point 8 and thereafter). On a 38-hour week, that works out to roughly $63,414 to $76,206 a year. These are minimums; actual pay may be higher due to enterprise agreements, experience, or shift penalties.
By comparison, the national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 a week, or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). That means a theatre nurse at the bottom of the RN Level 1 scale earns about 41% less than the average full-time worker. Even at the top of Level 1, the gap is still about 30%.
Higher classifications for experienced theatre nurses
Theatre nurses with more responsibility or specialist skills may be classified at RN Level 2 or Level 3. Under the Nurses Award:
- RN Level 2, Pay Point 1: $1,504.40 a week ($78,229 a year)
- RN Level 2, Pay Point 4 and thereafter: $1,580.30 a week ($82,176 a year)
- RN Level 3, Pay Point 1: $1,631.20 a week ($84,822 a year)
- RN Level 3, Pay Point 4 and thereafter: $1,720.10 a week ($89,445 a year)
These rates still fall short of the national full-time average, but an RN Level 3 at the top step earns close to the full-time median of $90,532 a year. Nurse practitioners and senior management (Level 4 and above) can earn above the average, with weekly rates exceeding $2,000.
How the figures are set
The ABS publishes Average Weekly Earnings twice a year (May and November). The May 2026 figure of $2,083.70 is the most recent. Award rates are updated annually by Fair Work, usually from 1 July. The Nurses Award rates shown here apply from the first full pay period on or after 1 August 2026.
State and territory differences
Full-time average earnings vary by state. For example:
- New South Wales: $109,658 a year
- Victoria: $106,137 a year
- Western Australia: $115,825 a year
- Tasmania: $96,008 a year
A theatre nurse in Western Australia or the ACT (average $119,090) will find the gap to the state average even wider than the national gap. In Tasmania, where the state average is lower, the gap is smaller.
What about penalties and allowances?
Theatre nurses often work shifts, weekends, and public holidays. The Nurses Award includes penalty rates: Saturday time-and-a-half, Sunday double time, and public holidays double time and a half. These can lift weekly pay significantly above the base rate. For example, an RN Level 1, Pay Point 1 on a Sunday earns $56.16 an hour instead of $32.09. A theatre nurse working regular weekends could earn well above the award minimum, potentially approaching or exceeding the national average.
The bottom line
Theatre nurse pay is not a single published figure, but the award minimums for registered nurses are clearly below the national full-time average. However, with experience, higher classifications, and penalty rates, many theatre nurses earn closer to or above the average. For a personalised comparison, you can Place a salary on the line to see how your pay measures up.
For more on how averages differ by industry and occupation, see Industry medians and Job medians. The Guides section explains how award rates and enterprise agreements interact with the national figures.