NSW nurse pay rates 2026 at a glance
| Classification | Hourly from | Lowest step a year | Highest step a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| RN/RM Year 1–8Registered Nurse/Midwife | $41.23 | $81,468 | $114,379 |
| Registered Nurse — Pre Registration | $35.54 | $70,236 | — |
| Enrolled Nurse | $37.83 | $74,755 | $83,715 |
| Enrolled Nurse Without Medication Qualification | $37.02 | $73,148 | $82,098 |
| CNS / CMSClinical Nurse/Midwife Specialist | $60.24 | $119,028 | $132,070 |
| CNC / CMCClinical Nurse/Midwife Consultant | $72.41 | $143,083 | $160,623 |
| CNE / CMEClinical Nurse/Midwife Educator | $62.68 | $123,848 | $127,863 |
| NUM / MUMNursing/Midwifery Unit Manager | $72.62 | $143,504 | $154,346 |
| NPNurse/Midwife Practitioner | $79.81 | $157,695 | $168,849 |
| AINAssistant in Nursing/Midwifery | $32.86 | $64,927 | $71,235 |
NSW Health does not publish annual salaries; annual figures here are weekly rate x 52, which is what 26 fortnightly pays comes to — the award itself publishes no annual figure.
What makes NSW different
- Registered nurses and midwives share one scale in NSW — there is no separate midwifery pay ladder.
- The night shift loading rose from 15% to 20% from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2025.
- Weekend ordinary hours pay time and a half on Saturday and time and three quarters on Sunday, and those rates replace the shift loading rather than adding to it.
- The award prints a further increase for 1 July 2027, so the figures on this page have a known expiry.
What a registered nurse earns in New South Wales
On the Registered Nurse/Midwife scale, 1st year pays $81,468 a year and 8th year and thereafter pays $114,379. Those annual figures are weekly rate x 52, which is what 26 fortnightly pays comes to — the award itself publishes no annual figure.
NSW Health nursing and midwifery pay scales
Registered nurses and midwives
Registered Nurse/Midwife(RN/RM Year 1–8) pay rates
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 — rates effective 1 July 2026
| Step | Weekly | Hourly | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st year | $1,566.70 | $41.23 | $81,468(weekly x 52) |
| 2nd year | $1,651.70 | $43.47 | $85,888(weekly x 52) |
| 3rd year | $1,737.00 | $45.71 | $90,324(weekly x 52) |
| 4th year | $1,828.50 | $48.12 | $95,082(weekly x 52) |
| 5th year | $1,919.20 | $50.51 | $99,798(weekly x 52) |
| 6th year | $2,009.50 | $52.88 | $104,494(weekly x 52) |
| 7th year | $2,112.80 | $55.60 | $109,866(weekly x 52) |
| 8th year and thereafter | $2,199.60 | $57.88 | $114,379(weekly x 52) |
NSW runs registered nurses and midwives on one scale with the same rate at every year. There is no separate midwifery ladder.
Registered Nurse — Pre Registration pay rates
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 — rates effective 1 July 2026
| Step | Weekly | Hourly | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st year and thereafter | $1,350.70 | $35.54 | $70,236(weekly x 52) |
Enrolled nurses
Enrolled Nurse pay rates
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 — rates effective 1 July 2026
| Step | Weekly | Hourly | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st year | $1,437.60 | $37.83 | $74,755(weekly x 52) |
| 2nd year | $1,468.20 | $38.64 | $76,346(weekly x 52) |
| 3rd year | $1,499.50 | $39.46 | $77,974(weekly x 52) |
| 4th year | $1,531.20 | $40.29 | $79,622(weekly x 52) |
| 5th year and thereafter | $1,562.10 | $41.11 | $81,229(weekly x 52) |
| Special Grade | $1,609.90 | $42.37 | $83,715(weekly x 52) |
Enrolled Nurse Without Medication Qualification pay rates
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 — rates effective 1 July 2026
| Step | Weekly | Hourly | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st year | $1,406.70 | $37.02 | $73,148(weekly x 52) |
| 2nd year | $1,437.60 | $37.83 | $74,755(weekly x 52) |
| 3rd year | $1,468.20 | $38.64 | $76,346(weekly x 52) |
| 4th year | $1,499.50 | $39.46 | $77,974(weekly x 52) |
| 5th year and thereafter | $1,531.20 | $40.29 | $79,622(weekly x 52) |
| Special Grade (appointed after 8/12/1999) | $1,578.80 | $41.55 | $82,098(weekly x 52) |
Clinical nurse, specialist and consultant grades
Clinical Nurse/Midwife Specialist(CNS / CMS) pay rates
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 — rates effective 1 July 2026
Clinical Nurse/Midwife Consultant(CNC / CMC) pay rates
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 — rates effective 1 July 2026
| Step | Weekly | Hourly | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 — 1st year (appointed after 31/12/1999) | $2,751.60 | $72.41 | $143,083(weekly x 52) |
| Grade 1 — 2nd year | $2,807.90 | $73.89 | $146,011(weekly x 52) |
| Grade 2 — 1st year | $2,863.40 | $75.35 | $148,897(weekly x 52) |
| Grade 2 — 2nd year | $2,920.60 | $76.86 | $151,871(weekly x 52) |
| Grade 3 — 1st year | $3,032.60 | $79.81 | $157,695(weekly x 52) |
| Grade 3 — 2nd year | $3,088.90 | $81.29 | $160,623(weekly x 52) |
| Appointed prior to 31/12/1999 | $2,815.00 | $74.08 | $146,380(weekly x 52) |
Clinical Nurse/Midwife Educator(CNE / CME) pay rates
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 — rates effective 1 July 2026
Unit managers and nursing management
Nursing/Midwifery Unit Manager(NUM / MUM) pay rates
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 — rates effective 1 July 2026
Nurse practitioners
Nurse/Midwife Practitioner(NP) pay rates
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 — rates effective 1 July 2026
Assistants in nursing and undergraduate students
Assistant in Nursing/Midwifery(AIN) pay rates
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025 — rates effective 1 July 2026
Which agreement covers you
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025
- Rates effective
- 1 July 2026
- Next change
- 1 July 2027
- Made or approved by
- Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales
- Reference
- Case Nos 242813, 242824 and 297588 of 2024, Full Bench, 15 May 2026
Table 1 of Part B prints three columns — 1 July 2025, 1 July 2026 and 1 July 2027. The 1 July 2026 column is the one in force now.
Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025Shift penalties and weekend loadings in New South Wales
From clause 15 — Penalty Rates for Shift Work and Weekend Work of the Public Health System Nurses' and Midwives' (State) Award 2025.
| When you work | What it pays |
|---|---|
| Afternoon shift starting 10am to before 1pm | +10% |
| Afternoon shift starting 1pm to before 4pm | +12.5% |
| Night shift starting 4pm to before 4amLifted from 15% to 20% from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2025. | +20% |
| Night shift starting 4am to before 6am | +10% |
| Saturday ordinary hoursMidnight Friday to midnight Saturday. | Time and one half |
| Sunday ordinary hoursMidnight Saturday to midnight Sunday. | Time and three quarters |
Weekend rates replace the shift loadings rather than stacking on top of them, and clause 15 does not apply to Nurse/Midwife Managers classified Grade 4 or above. Public holiday and overtime rates sit in separate clauses and are not reproduced here.
What this page does not show
In the source, not reproduced here
- Nurse/Midwife Manager Grades 1–7 (Table 1)
- Nurse/Midwife Educator Grades 1–3 (Table 1)
- Registered Mothercraft Nurse 9th year — a closed classification for staff employed before 31 December 1988
- Table 2 allowances: in-charge, on-call, continuing education, uniform, Justice Health and remote-hospital rates
Not verified, so not published
- Public holiday penalty rates and overtime multipliers, which sit in clauses outside clause 15
- The 1 July 2027 non-salary allowance column, which the award prints as "TBC" pending the March 2027 CPI
NSW nurse pay questions
General rules that are not set by the NSW instrument are covered elsewhere: the Nurses Award 2020 floor for private and aged care work, penalty rates and salary packaging.
How these figures were checked▼
Read on 28 August 2026 from the sources below. Annual figures are weekly rate x 52, which is what 26 fortnightly pays comes to — the award itself publishes no annual figure. Hourly: weekly rate divided by 38, the same arithmetic clause 29(iii) of the award prescribes for permanent part-time employees.
Sources & References
- 1
Last verified: 28 August 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.