Someone new to the industry can be paid the Introductory level — $978.10 a week, $25.74 an hour — for no more than 3 months before moving to Level 1 (cl 15.2, Schedule A.2.1).
Junior employees are paid a percentage of the adult rate for their level: 50% under 17, 60% at 17, 70% at 18, 80% at 19 and 90% at 20 (cl 15.4).
Which award covers vet nurses
Vet nurses employed by private veterinary practices and by community-based animal welfare charities are covered by the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 [MA000118] (cl 4.2–4.3). Clause 15.2 puts veterinary nurses on one pay scale with receptionists, animal attendants, assistants and practice managers, so the level depends on your skills and duties, not your job title.
A vet nurse working at AQF Certificate IV level is Level 4. The award's indicative Level 4 tasks are the core of veterinary nursing: providing veterinary nursing care, preparing and supporting surgical procedures, monitoring patient anaesthesia, applying radiographic routines, performing pathology procedures and nursing hospitalised animals (Schedule A.2.5).
Level 3 needs an AQF Certificate III or equivalent qualification, or the knowledge and experience to work at trade level. It covers animal care under limited supervision, routine monitoring of patients, basic animal first aid and supervising Level 1 staff (A.2.4). Levels 1 and 2 are assistant work under direct supervision, and Level 5 is the practice manager.
Vets themselves are on a separate annual salary scale in the same award — see the veterinarian page. The award covers private practices and animal welfare charities only, so a vet nurse employed by a university or a government agency is paid under a different instrument, and an enterprise agreement replaces the award where one applies.
Read the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 [MA000118] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026).
Vet 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.
Vet nurse pay rates by level, 2026–27
Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award cl 15.2, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Casual rates are the award's own Schedule B.2.3 column: the hourly rate plus the 25% casual loading (cl 11.1).
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1Direct supervision: basic animal care, feeding, cleaning and restraint | $26.44 | $1,004.90 | $52,255 | $33.05 |
| Level 2Clinic routines, daily treatment of patients, clinic hygiene | $28.24 | $1,073.10 | $55,801 | $35.30 |
| Level 3AQF Certificate III or equivalent; routine patient monitoring | $29.45 | $1,119.10 | $58,193 | $36.81 |
| Level 4AQF Certificate IV competencies; anaesthetic, surgical and radiography support | $32.13 | $1,221.10 | $63,497 | $40.16 |
| Level 5 — Practice managerRuns the day-to-day operations of the practice | $33.77 | $1,283.10 | $66,721 | $42.21 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Vet Nurse penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday, and Saturday before 1 pm (ordinary hours, 6 am–9 pm) | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday after 1 pm — first 3 hours | 150% | 175% |
| Saturday after 1 pm — after 3 hours | 200% | 225% |
| Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday (minimum 4 hours) | 250% | 275% |
| Shift finishing after 8 pm, or starting at or before 6.30 am | 115% | 140% |
| Night shift (most hours between midnight and 8 am) | 130% | 155% |
Percentages of the minimum hourly rate (cl 21.1–21.2; Schedule B.1.4–B.1.5 and B.2.3–B.2.4). Ordinary hours can fall between 6 am and 9 pm on any day (cl 13.2), so a Saturday morning is paid at the ordinary rate and the Saturday penalty starts at 1 pm. Where most of a rostered shift falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, a shiftworker gets 150%, 200% or 250% instead of the shift loading (cl 21.3). Casual percentages include the 25% loading.
Overtime
- Full-time and part-time: 150% for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, then 200%; Sunday 200% with a 3-hour minimum (cl 20.1(b)).
- Casual: 175% for the first 3 hours Monday to Saturday, then 225%; Sunday 225% (cl 20.1(c)). Overtime is any work outside ordinary hours, and for a shiftworker anything over 8 hours in a shift (cl 20.1(a)).
- Called back to work after finishing for the day: overtime rates with a minimum of 3 hours' pay (cl 20.1(e)). Each day's overtime is worked out separately (cl 20.1(d)).
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| On-call allowance | $23.17 per 24 hours | Rostered on call between weekday shifts; $34.80 on a Saturday and $40.51 on a Sunday, public holiday or rostered day off, each per 24 hours or part (cl 16.2(c)). |
| Broken shift allowance | $17.91 per shift | Ordinary hours worked in more than one shift, paid once per 24 hours (cl 16.2(a)). |
| First aid allowance | $21.93 per week | A qualified first aid attendant appointed to first aid duties (cl 16.2(b)). |
| Laundry allowance | $6.68 per week | If you must wear a uniform and launder it yourself; the employer also covers the cost of the uniform (cl 16.4(a)). |
| Meal allowance | $15.61 | Overtime of more than 1.5 hours without notice the day before; $13.41 for each later meal per 4 hours of overtime (cl 16.5(a)). |
| Vehicle allowance | $1.00 per km | Using your own car for work; $0.34 per km for a motorcycle (cl 16.4(b)). |
Vet Nurse pay after tax
On the Level 4 rate of $1,221.10 a week, a full-time vet nurse earns $63,497 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $63,497 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$9,522 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,270 |
| Take-home per year | $52,705 |
| Take-home per week | $1,014 |
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 $63,497), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What vet nurses actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Veterinary Nurses (ANZSCO 3613) at $1,667 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
- Junior rates in dollars and National Training Wage trainee rates (cl 15.4, 15.6).
- Animal care industry inspector rates (cl 15.1) and veterinary surgeon salaries (cl 15.3), which are on the veterinarian page.
- Enterprise agreement rates at corporate veterinary groups, which can pay more than these minimums.
Vet 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 Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, on 9 October 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
- 1Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2020 [MA000118] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2
- 3Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 4Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
- 5Veterinary Nurses (ANZSCO 3613) occupation profile — ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025— Jobs and Skills Australia
Last verified: 9 October 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.
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