Vet nurse salary in Australia: award minimums and how they stack up
If you’re looking up vet nurse salary Australia, the most reliable starting point is the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 [MA000118], which sets the legal minimum pay for veterinary nurses, receptionists, animal attendants, and practice managers. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes the current award rates, and from 1 July 2026 the minimum hourly rates for veterinary nurses range from $25.74 (introductory level) to $33.77 (practice manager, Level 5).
Reading the same pay as a year, a week, and an hour
The award gives both weekly and hourly figures for a full-time employee working an average of 38 ordinary hours per week. You can convert any hourly rate to a weekly figure by multiplying by 38, and to an annual figure by multiplying the weekly rate by 52. For example:
- Veterinary nurse Level 1: $26.44 per hour → $1,004.90 per week → about $52,255 per year.
- Veterinary nurse Level 4: $32.13 per hour → $1,221.10 per week → about $63,497 per year.
- Practice manager (Level 5): $33.77 per hour → $1,283.10 per week → about $66,721 per year.
These are the minimums. Many clinics pay above award to attract and retain staff, especially in areas with a high cost of living or where experienced nurses are in demand.
How vet nurse pay compares to the national full-time average
The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 reports that full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings are $2,083.70, which works out to about $108,352 per year. That’s the figure this site uses as the national line. Even the highest award classification for a practice manager ($66,721) is well below that line. A Level 1 vet nurse earns about 48% of the national average.
State-by-state, the full-time averages range from about $96,008 in Tasmania to $119,090 in the ACT. A vet nurse on award rates would be below the state average in every state and territory.
Medians and the minimum wage
It’s also useful to know where vet nurse pay sits against the broader workforce. The full-time median earnings (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025) are about $90,532 per year, and the all-employees median (including part-time and casual) is about $74,100. A full-time vet nurse at Level 1 ($52,255) is below both medians. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, which is exactly the same as the Level 1 vet nurse rate – so the base classification is effectively the minimum wage.
What the award covers
The Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award applies to employees in veterinary practices, animal hospitals, animal shelters, pet shops, and similar businesses. It covers veterinary nurses, receptionists, animal attendants, and practice managers. The award also includes penalty rates for weekend and public holiday work, overtime, and casual loadings. For example, a casual veterinary nurse Level 1 gets a 25% loading, making the casual hourly rate $33.05 (though the pay guide shows $30.13 for casual Level 1? Actually the award text from 2026 shows casual rates: Level 1 casual $30.13? Wait, the pay guide from 2025 shows $30.13, but the award text from 2026 shows $26.44 for full-time Level 1. The casual loading is 25% on top of the base rate, so $26.44 × 1.25 = $33.05. The pay guide may be from an earlier year. For the most current rates, always check the Fair Work Ombudsman website or the award itself.)
Putting your own salary on the line
If you’re a vet nurse (or an employer) and want to see how a specific salary compares to the national average, you can place a salary on the line using our tool. It converts any annual salary to a weekly and hourly figure based on a 38-hour week, and shows the distance from the ABS full-time average.
For more detail on how award rates are set and how they relate to the national minimum wage and the average, see our guides on award coverage and pay scales.
Key takeaways
- Vet nurse minimum pay is set by the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award, with rates from $25.74 to $33.77 per hour as of July 2026.
- A full-time Level 1 vet nurse earns about $52,255 per year, which is less than half the national full-time average of $108,352.
- Even the highest award classification (practice manager) pays about $66,721, still well below the national average and the full-time median of $90,532.
- Actual salaries can be higher than award minimums, especially for experienced nurses or in high-cost areas.
- The award also provides penalty rates, overtime, and casual loadings that can boost take-home pay.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay and Conditions Tool or the award itself.