Junior baristas under the Restaurant Award are paid 50% of the adult rate under 17, 60% at 17, 70% at 18 and 85% at 19; at 20 the full adult rate applies (cl 18.2, Table 4).
Which award covers baristas
Which award covers a barista depends on the business, not the coffee machine. Baristas in cafés and sit-down coffee shops are covered by the Restaurant Industry Award 2020 [MA000119], which covers "restaurants, reception centres, night clubs, cafés or roadhouses" (cl 4.2). A café run inside a hotel, motel or resort is covered by the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 [MA000009] instead.
A takeaway coffee kiosk or a coffee outlet in a food court is usually covered by the Fast Food Industry Award 2020 [MA000003]. That award covers beverages sold primarily to take away and food courts, but expressly excludes "coffee shops, cafes, bars and restaurants providing primarily a sit-down service" (cl 4.2).
None of these awards has a "barista" classification. Making and serving coffee is beverage service. Under the Restaurant Award, a Food and beverage attendant grade 2 does general waiting for food or beverages, takes money and attends a snack bar but "has not achieved the appropriate level of training"; to be classified at grade 3 the employee must have completed a relevant AQF Certificate II (Schedule A.2.2–A.2.3 and cl 2, NOTE 2). Anyone with a relevant Certificate III who uses those skills must be paid at least Level 4 (cl 2, NOTE 1). Under the Fast Food Award every crew member making and serving food or drinks is Level 1.
Someone new to the industry who cannot yet meet the Level 1 competencies can be paid the Introductory level — $25.74 an hour, $978.10 a week — for up to 3 months while trained and assessed (Restaurant Schedule A.1).
Under the Restaurant and Hospitality awards the grade 2 rate ($27.08) is lower than the Fast Food Level 1 rate ($27.81), so the right award changes the minimum.
Read the Restaurant Industry Award 2020 [MA000119] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026), or see every classification on our MA000119 award rates page.
Barista 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.
Barista pay rates in a café — Restaurant Award, 2026–27
Restaurant Award cl 18.1, Table 3, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. The Hospitality Award pays the same dollars for the same grades. Casual is the hourly rate plus the 25% casual loading (cl 11.1).
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food and beverage attendant grade 1Clearing and setting tables, receiving money | $26.44 | $1,004.90 | $52,255 | $33.05 |
| Food and beverage attendant grade 2Beverage and food service, not yet trained to grade 3 | $27.08 | $1,029.10 | $53,513 | $33.85 |
| Food and beverage attendant grade 3Relevant Certificate II; may assist training lower grades | $27.97 | $1,062.90 | $55,271 | $34.96 |
| Food and beverage attendant grade 4 (tradesperson)Minimum level with a relevant Certificate III used on the job | $29.45 | $1,119.10 | $58,193 | $36.81 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Barista pay rates at a takeaway coffee outlet — Fast Food Award, 2026–27
Fast Food Award cl 15.1, Table 3, read from the same constants as the Fast Food Award page.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food Level 1Takes orders, prepares and serves food and drinks | $27.81 | $1,056.80 | $54,954 | $34.76 |
| Fast Food Level 2Supervises or trains Level 1 staff | $29.45 | $1,119.10 | $58,193 | $36.81 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Barista penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday, 10 pm to midnight | 100% + $2.95/hr | 125% + $2.95/hr |
| Monday–Friday, midnight to 6 am | 100% + $4.42/hr | 125% + $4.42/hr |
| Saturday | 125% | 150% |
| Sunday | 150% | 175% (Levels 3–6); 150% (Introductory–Level 2) |
| Public holiday | 225% | 250% |
Restaurant Award cl 24.2, Table 8. The evening and night loadings are flat dollar amounts added to each hour, not percentages. Where more than one penalty applies only the highest is paid (Hospitality cl 29.3; Restaurant cl 24.3). A casual barista at grade 1 or 2 gets 150% on Sunday, not 175%. Under the Fast Food Award a Level 1 employee gets 125% on Sunday (casual 150%) — see the fast food award page.
Overtime
- Restaurant Award (cl 23.4, Table 7): Monday to Friday 150% for the first 2 hours, then 200%; Saturday 175% for the first 2 hours, then 200%; Sunday and rostered day off 200%.
- Fast Food Award (cl 20.6(a), Table 5): Monday to Saturday 150% for the first 2 hours, then 200%; Sunday 200%; public holiday 250%. Casual overtime adds the 25% loading.
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Meal allowance | $17.42 | Restaurant Award: overtime of more than 2 hours without notice the previous day, unless a meal is supplied (cl 21). |
| Split shift allowance | $5.60 | Restaurant Award: for each separate work period of 2 hours or more on a split shift day (cl 21.3). |
Barista pay after tax
On the Food and beverage attendant grade 2 rate of $1,029.10 a week, a full-time barista earns $53,513 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $53,513 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$6,377 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,070 |
| Take-home per year | $46,066 |
| Take-home per week | $886 |
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 $55,000 (the nearest step to $53,513), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What baristas actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Bar Attendants and Baristas (ANZSCO 4311) at $1,500 a week ($37 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
- Fast Food Award junior rates, which change from 1 December 2026 — see the fast food award page.
- Registered and Licensed Clubs Award rates for café staff in clubs.
Barista 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 Restaurant Industry Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, on 23 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
- 1Restaurant Industry Award 2020 [MA000119] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 [MA000009] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 3Fast Food Industry Award 2020 [MA000003] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 4Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 5Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 6
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
Areas of Expertise