Graduates of architecture get paid leave to study for and sit the Architectural Practice Examination (cl 13.6).
Which award covers architects
Architects and graduates of architecture employed by architectural practices and other employers of architects are covered by the Architects Award 2020 [MA000079], an occupational award that applies whatever industry the employer is in.
Under the award, an architect is an employee registered as an architect under Australian legislation. Before registration you are a Graduate of Architecture (Level 1, entry to 2nd pay point), then an Experienced Graduate of Architecture (Level 2(a)). A Registered Architect enters Level 2(b) and moves up two pay points as they show the National Competency Standards in Architecture.
Employers must run an annual review of a graduate's progress towards registration, and confirm progression to the next pay point in writing once the objectives are reasonably met (cl 13.3).
The award sets annual salaries; the weekly rate is annual × 6 ÷ 313 (cl 13.2), which clause 13.1 prints to the nearest 10 cents. Most architects are paid a contract salary above these figures, but an award-covered employee can't be paid less.
Read the Architects Award 2020 [MA000079] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026).
Architect award pay rates 2026–27
These rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rates for the hours they work.
Architect pay rates by level, 2026–27
Annual, weekly and hourly minimums exactly as clause 13.1 publishes them; casual rates from Schedule B.2 (hourly rate plus 25%).
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Graduate of Architecture — EntryGraduate, not yet registered | $34.40 | $1,307.20 | $68,191 | $43.00 |
| Level 1 Graduate of Architecture — 1st pay point | $36.22 | $1,376.30 | $71,798 | $45.28 |
| Level 1 Graduate of Architecture — 2nd pay point | $38.04 | $1,445.40 | $75,401 | $47.55 |
| Level 2(a) Experienced Graduate of Architecture | $39.77 | $1,511.30 | $78,838 | $49.71 |
| Level 2(b) Registered Architect — EntryNewly registered architect | $39.77 | $1,511.30 | $78,838 | $49.71 |
| Level 2(b) Registered Architect — 1st pay point | $41.00 | $1,558.00 | $81,276 | $51.25 |
| Level 2(b) Registered Architect — 2nd pay point | $42.23 | $1,604.80 | $83,716 | $52.79 |
Annual is the award's own full-time annual salary, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Architect penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Overtime, including all work on a public holiday | 150% | No casual loading on overtime (cl 10.2) |
The Architects Award has no weekend or evening penalty rates. Work outside or beyond ordinary hours, and all public holiday work, is overtime (cl 17.1, 23.3).
Overtime
- All time worked in excess of or outside the spread of ordinary hours is paid at 150% of the minimum hourly rate, or under another agreed arrangement that doesn't avoid award obligations, isn't unfair to you and is recorded (cl 17.1).
- Time off instead of overtime pay must equal the overtime payment: 2 hours at 150% buys 3 hours off, taken within 6 months (cl 17.3).
- Casuals aren't paid the 25% loading on overtime hours (cl 10.2).
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Architect pay after tax
On the Level 2(b) Registered Architect — Entry rate of $1,511.30 a week, a full-time architect earns $78,838 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $78,838 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$14,171 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,577 |
| Take-home per year | $63,090 |
| Take-home per week | $1,213 |
2026–27 resident tax rates with the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy; no HECS-HELP repayment and no Medicare levy surcharge. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer. For the full breakdown see take-home pay on $80,000 (the nearest step to $78,838), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What architects actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Architects and Landscape Architects (ANZSCO 2321) at $2,308 a week ($61 an hour), against $1,852 a week for all occupations.
Median weekly pay of full-time, non-managerial adult employees before tax and salary sacrifice, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) as published by Jobs and Skills Australia. It reflects what employers actually pay, including people on enterprise agreements or above-award salaries, so it is a market figure, not a legal minimum.
What this page does not show
- Student of Architecture rates (cl 13.5), which are percentages of the graduate entry rate by years of service.
- Enterprise agreement and public sector architect scales.
Architect pay questions
Pay rates for other jobs
How this page is sourced▼
Every minimum rate was read from the Fair Work Commission's consolidated text of the Architects Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, on 24 September 2026. Casual rates are the award's own published figures wherever it publishes them. Nothing is estimated.
The median comes from Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile and is a market figure, not an entitlement. Take-home figures use the same tax engine as the rest of this site. Award rates change every 1 July, so re-check after the next Annual Wage Review.
Sources & References
- 1Architects Award 2020 [MA000079] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 4
Last verified: 24 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
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