Work in a state public hospital? This award is not your pay scale. Use the state nurse pay pages linked in the sidebar, which quote each state's own agreement.
Which award covers nurses
The Nurses Award 2020 [MA000034] is the national minimum for nurses employed by private hospitals, GP and specialist clinics, aged care providers, agencies and other national-system employers. It covers nursing assistants, enrolled nurses, registered nurses and nurse practitioners.
It is a safety net, not what most nurses are paid. Nurses in state public hospitals are covered by state awards and enterprise agreements that pay well above it — see the state nurse pay pages linked on this page for the rates that actually apply in each state's public health system.
Since the aged care work value case, the award has two rate streams. Aged care nurses are paid under clause 15.3 at materially higher rates than the general stream in clause 15.1; both are shown below.
A registered nurse at level 1 moves up one pay point a year to pay point 8. A graduate with a 4-year degree starts on a higher rate ($1,273.40 a week) and a masters graduate on $1,317.20, before moving to pay points 4 and 5.
Read the Nurses Award 2020 [MA000034] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 August 2026), or see every classification on our MA000034 award rates page.
Nurse 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.
Registered nurse level 1 pay rates — Nurses Award, general stream
Clause 15.1, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 (PR799315). Casual is the hourly rate plus the 25% loading, matching Schedule B.1.3.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse level 1 — Pay point 1 | $32.09 | $1,219.50 | $63,414 | $40.11 |
| Registered nurse level 1 — Pay point 2 | $32.75 | $1,244.50 | $64,714 | $40.94 |
| Registered nurse level 1 — Pay point 3 | $33.55 | $1,275.00 | $66,300 | $41.94 |
| Registered nurse level 1 — Pay point 4 | $34.45 | $1,309.00 | $68,068 | $43.06 |
| Registered nurse level 1 — Pay point 5 | $35.51 | $1,349.20 | $70,158 | $44.39 |
| Registered nurse level 1 — Pay point 6 | $36.53 | $1,388.10 | $72,181 | $45.66 |
| Registered nurse level 1 — Pay point 7 | $37.59 | $1,428.30 | $74,272 | $46.99 |
| Registered nurse level 1 — Pay point 8 and thereafter | $38.57 | $1,465.50 | $76,206 | $48.21 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Registered nurse levels 2 and 3 — clinical nurse and clinical nurse consultant roles
Clause 15.1, general stream.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse level 2 — Pay point 1 | $39.59 | $1,504.40 | $78,229 | $49.49 |
| Registered nurse level 2 — Pay point 2 | $40.22 | $1,528.30 | $79,472 | $50.28 |
| Registered nurse level 2 — Pay point 3 | $40.92 | $1,554.80 | $80,850 | $51.15 |
| Registered nurse level 2 — Pay point 4 and thereafter | $41.59 | $1,580.30 | $82,176 | $51.99 |
| Registered nurse level 3 — Pay point 1 | $42.93 | $1,631.20 | $84,822 | $53.66 |
| Registered nurse level 3 — Pay point 2 | $43.71 | $1,661.10 | $86,377 | $54.64 |
| Registered nurse level 3 — Pay point 3 | $44.47 | $1,689.80 | $87,870 | $55.59 |
| Registered nurse level 3 — Pay point 4 and thereafter | $45.27 | $1,720.10 | $89,445 | $56.59 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Nursing assistant and enrolled nurse pay rates
Clause 15.1, general stream.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing assistant — 1st year | $27.65 | $1,050.70 | $54,636 | $34.56 |
| Nursing assistant — 2nd year | $28.09 | $1,067.30 | $55,500 | $35.11 |
| Nursing assistant — 3rd year and thereafter | $28.54 | $1,084.40 | $56,389 | $35.68 |
| Nursing assistant — Experienced (holder of a relevant certificate III) | $29.45 | $1,119.10 | $58,193 | $36.81 |
| Enrolled nurse — Pay point 1 | $30.00 | $1,139.90 | $59,275 | $37.50 |
| Enrolled nurse — Pay point 2 | $30.39 | $1,155.00 | $60,060 | $37.99 |
| Enrolled nurse — Pay point 3 | $30.80 | $1,170.40 | $60,861 | $38.50 |
| Enrolled nurse — Pay point 4 | $31.24 | $1,187.20 | $61,734 | $39.05 |
| Enrolled nurse — Pay point 5 | $31.56 | $1,199.20 | $62,358 | $39.45 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Aged care nurse pay rates — Nurses Award aged care stream
Clause 15.3, from the first full pay period on or after 1 August 2026 (PR812118). These apply only to aged care employees.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aged care RN level 1 — First year at this level | $41.36 | $1,571.60 | $81,723 | $51.70 |
| Aged care RN level 1 — Over 1 and up to 4 years at this level | $43.53 | $1,654.30 | $86,024 | $54.41 |
| Aged care RN level 1 — Over 4 years at this level | $47.40 | $1,801.10 | $93,657 | $59.25 |
| Aged care RN level 2 — First 3 years at this level | $51.26 | $1,947.70 | $101,280 | $64.08 |
| Aged care RN level 2 — Over 3 years at this level | $53.84 | $2,046.00 | $106,392 | $67.30 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Enrolled nurse pay: award minimum and public hospital rates by state
An enrolled nurse (EN) has a separate, lower scale than a registered nurse. Under the Nurses Award the general-stream EN minimum runs from $1139.90 a week ($30.00 an hour) at pay point 1 to $1199.20 at pay point 5 — $59,275 to $62,358 a year full-time. In aged care, an enrolled nurse supervising other direct care employees gets at least $1542.00 a week ($40.58 an hour) from the first full pay period on or after 1 August 2026.
Enrolled nurses in state public hospitals are paid under each state's own award or agreement, which pays well above the Nurses Award. The table shows the base enrolled nurse scale in each state's public health system, from the same verified tables as our state nurse pay pages. Where an instrument publishes weekly or fortnightly rates, the annual figure is weekly x 52 or fortnightly x 26.
Jobs and Skills Australia reports median full-time earnings of $1,777 a week for enrolled and mothercraft nurses (ANZSCO 4114, ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025), about $92,404 a year before tax.
| State | Scale | Entry (annual) | Top of scale | Rates from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurses Award (private, aged care, agencies) | Enrolled nurse, general stream | $59,275 | $62,358 | 1 July 2026 |
| NSW | Enrolled Nurse | $74,755 | $83,715 | 1 July 2026 |
| VIC | Enrolled Nurse Level 1 | $67,163 | $76,310 | first full pay period on or after 11 May 2026 |
| QLD | Enrolled Nurse | $75,573 | $80,204 | 1 April 2026 |
| WA | Enrolled Nurse | $79,392 | $91,771 | 7 October 2026 |
| SA | Enrolled Nurse (Diploma), or Enrolled Nurse (Certificate) authorised in medication administration | $66,438 | $74,831 | first full pay period after 1 January 2025 |
| TAS | Enrolled Nurse | $73,109 | $80,524 | 1 December 2025 |
| ACT | Enrolled Nurse Level 1 | $75,849 | $80,611 | first full pay period on or after 1 December 2025 (4 December 2025) |
| NT | Nurse 1 (Enrolled Nurse) | $71,359 | $81,479 | 19 August 2025 (first full pay period on or after 9 August 2025) |
Annual base salary before tax, shift penalties and super. State rows are the first enrolled nurse scale each state publishes; several states have further EN scales (advanced skills, certificate-only or mental health) on their state page.
Nurse penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoon shift, Monday–Friday | 112.5% | 137.5% |
| Night shift, Monday–Friday | 115% | 140% |
| Saturday | 150% | 187.5% |
| Sunday | 175% | 218.75% |
| Public holiday | 200% | 250% |
Percentages of the minimum hourly rate, from Schedule B.1.3. A casual's weekend and public holiday rates are 150%, 175% and 200% of the casual hourly rate, which is why they sit higher than a simple +25%.
Overtime
- Full-time and part-time: 150% for the first 2 hours Monday to Saturday, then 200%; Sunday 200%; public holiday 250% (Schedule B.1.3(b)).
- State public hospital nurses have their own overtime rules under their state agreement.
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Nurse pay after tax
On the Registered nurse level 1 — Pay point 1 rate of $1,219.50 a week, a full-time nurse earns $63,414 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $63,414 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$9,495 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,268 |
| Take-home per year | $52,651 |
| Take-home per week | $1,013 |
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 $65,000 (the nearest step to $63,414), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What nurses actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Registered Nurses (ANZSCO 2544) at $2,192 a week ($57 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
- Registered nurse levels 4 and 5, nurse practitioners and student enrolled nurses — see the healthcare worker pay page for the full award.
- Aged care enrolled nurse and level 3–5 aged care rates.
- State public sector registered nurse and midwife scales, which are on the state nurse pay pages.
Nurse 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 Nurses Award 2020, consolidated to 1 August 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
- 1Nurses Award 2020 [MA000034] — consolidated to 1 August 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 4Registered Nurses (ANZSCO 2544) occupation profile — ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025— Jobs and Skills Australia
- 5
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
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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.
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