Work in long day care? You are entitled to the long day care rate, 4% above the preschool rate — $1,513.60 a week at Level 1, not $1,455.40.
Which award covers early childhood teachers
University-qualified early childhood teachers in long day care centres, kindergartens and preschools run by national-system employers are covered by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 [MA000077]. The award expressly excludes aides, assistants and directors in childcare, preschools and long day care who are not university-qualified early childhood teachers (cl 4.4(c)); most of them are covered by the Children's Services Award 2010.
Teachers are classified by accreditation: Level 1 for graduates and teachers with provisional or conditional registration; Level 2 on reaching proficient registration; Levels 3 and 4 after each further 3 years of satisfactory service; Level 5 for Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher accreditation.
The award pays teachers in long day care 4% more than teachers in preschools and schools, because long day care teachers work year-round and are not covered by the school hours clause (cl 17.2). Both scales are below.
Teachers in government preschools and kindergartens, and in services covered by an enterprise agreement, are paid under that instrument instead.
Read the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 [MA000077] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026).
Early Childhood Teacher 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.
Early childhood teacher pay rates — long day care centres
Clause 17.1 long day care weekly rates and annual salaries (services open at least 8 hours a day for 48 weeks or more). Hourly is the weekly rate over 38 hours; casual is the award's 2-hour casual rate halved (Schedule B.1.4).
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 — long day careGraduate / provisional registration | $39.83 | $1,513.60 | $78,979 | $49.79 |
| Level 2 — long day careProficient registration | $43.54 | $1,654.40 | $86,324 | $54.42 |
| Level 3 — long day careProficient + 3 years at Level 2 | $47.39 | $1,801.00 | $93,976 | $59.24 |
| Level 4 — long day careProficient + 3 years at Level 3 | $51.26 | $1,947.70 | $101,629 | $64.07 |
| Level 5 — long day careHighly Accomplished / Lead Teacher | $55.11 | $2,094.30 | $109,279 | $68.89 |
Annual is the award's own full-time annual salary, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Early childhood teacher pay rates — preschools and kindergartens
Clause 17.1 preschools and schools weekly rates and annual salaries. Casual is the award's 2-hour casual rate for services operating fewer than 48 weeks a year, halved (Schedule B.1.3).
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 — preschool | $38.30 | $1,455.40 | $75,941 | $47.88 |
| Level 2 — preschool | $41.86 | $1,590.70 | $83,004 | $52.33 |
| Level 3 — preschool | $45.57 | $1,731.70 | $90,362 | $56.96 |
| Level 4 — preschool | $49.28 | $1,872.70 | $97,720 | $61.60 |
| Level 5 — preschool | $52.99 | $2,013.70 | $105,076 | $66.24 |
Annual is the award's own full-time annual salary, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Early Childhood Teacher penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Long day care: early morning shift (starts 5–6 am) | 110% | 137.5% |
| Long day care: afternoon shift (finishes after 6.30 pm) | 115% | 143.75% |
| Long day care: Saturday | 125% | 156.25% |
Percentages of the minimum hourly rate (Schedule A.5.2). A casual's shift and Saturday rate is the same percentage of the casual rate (Schedule B.1.1), shown here as a percentage of the minimum hourly rate. The award sets no separate Sunday or public holiday penalty; public holidays are an NES entitlement (cl 28.1).
Overtime
- Long day care teachers: 150% for the first 3 hours outside or beyond rostered hours, then 200% (Schedule A.4.1).
- A part-time teacher who agrees to extra hours during the service's ordinary opening hours is paid at ordinary time for up to 8 hours a day (A.4.1(b)).
- Casuals engaged for fewer than 5 consecutive days are paid no higher than the Level 3 rate (cl 17.5(a)).
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Director's allowance | $8,733.22 to $13,137.79 a year | For a full-time teacher appointed director, by number of places — up to 39, 40–59, or more (cl 19.2(b)). |
| Educational leader allowance | $4,784.28 a year | For a teacher appointed educational leader (cl 19.4(c)). |
Early Childhood Teacher pay after tax
On the Level 1 — long day care rate of $1,513.60 a week, a full-time early childhood teacher earns $78,979 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $78,979 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$14,214 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,580 |
| Take-home per year | $63,185 |
| Take-home per week | $1,215 |
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 $78,979), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What early childhood teachers actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teachers (ANZSCO 2411) at $1,906 a week ($50 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
- Government preschool and kindergarten teacher scales, set by each state.
- The Children's Services Award rates for diploma and certificate III educators.
- Leadership allowances other than the director and educational leader allowances.
Early Childhood Teacher 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 Educational Services (Teachers) 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
- 1Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 [MA000077] — 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: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
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