Paid for school terms only? Under cl 12.2 your adjusted salary is the annual rate x (weeks worked + 4 weeks' leave) / 52.18. The award's example: Level 3.1 over 39.4 term weeks is $48,601 a year, not $58,436.
Which award covers teacher aides
Teacher aides, integration aides and classroom assistants in non-government schools — independent and Catholic — are covered by the Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award 2020 [MA000076]. The award calls the role classroom support services.
A teacher aide starts at Level 1.3 (classroom support grade 1: general assistance to teachers under direct supervision) or Level 2.1 (grade 2: helping with the educational program with some discretion; typically Year 12, or a Certificate I or II with relevant experience). Level 3 covers more senior roles such as a student services co-ordinator. Staff move up a pay point within a level after each year, subject to a performance review (cl 17.2).
Teacher aides in government schools — called education assistants, school learning support officers or teacher assistants depending on the state — are state public sector employees paid under their state's own award or agreement, which this award does not cover.
Many schools employ aides for school terms only. The award allows a contract to provide unpaid leave in non-term weeks, with the annual salary reduced in proportion to the weeks worked plus 4 weeks' annual leave (cl 12.2).
Read the Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award 2020 [MA000076] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026).
Teacher Aide 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.
Teacher aide pay rates — non-government schools, 2026–27
Clause 17.1: annual salary (weekly x 52.18), weekly and hourly minimums exactly as published. Casual rates are Schedule B.2.1 exactly.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1.3Classroom support grade 1 — starting point | $28.03 | $1,065.20 | $55,582 | $35.04 |
| Level 2.1Classroom support grade 2 — starting point | $28.24 | $1,073.10 | $55,994 | $35.30 |
| Level 2.2 | $29.11 | $1,106.20 | $57,722 | $36.39 |
| Level 3.1Classroom support grade 3 | $29.47 | $1,119.90 | $58,436 | $36.84 |
| Level 3.2 | $30.00 | $1,139.90 | $59,480 | $37.50 |
| Level 4.1 | $31.11 | $1,182.10 | $61,682 | $38.89 |
| Level 4.2 | $32.67 | $1,241.40 | $64,776 | $40.84 |
Annual is the award's own full-time annual salary, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Teacher Aide penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday (ordinary hours) | 150% | 175% |
| Sunday (ordinary hours) | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 275% |
Percentages of the minimum hourly rate from Schedule B.1.1 and B.2.1 (the column for employees other than cooking/catering and boarding staff).
Overtime
- Monday to Friday: 150% for the first 3 hours, then 200% (Schedule B.1.3).
- Saturday: 150% for the first 3 hours, then 200%. Sunday: 200%. Public holiday: 250%.
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Teacher Aide pay after tax
On the Level 2.1 rate of $1,073.10 a week, a full-time teacher aide earns $55,994 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $55,994 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$7,158 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,120 |
| Take-home per year | $47,716 |
| Take-home per week | $918 |
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 $55,994), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What teacher aides actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Education Aides (ANZSCO 4221) at $1,342 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
- Government school teacher aide scales, which are set by each state (see school support staff pay by state).
- Levels 5 to 8 (senior administration and specialist roles) and junior rates.
Teacher Aide 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 (Schools) General Staff 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
- 1
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 4Education Aides (ANZSCO 4221) occupation profile — ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025— Jobs and Skills Australia
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
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