The NSW Ambulance Paramedics (State) Award 2026 was made on 5 August 2026 and published on 27 August 2026, with its rates backdated to the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Paramedics paid at the old rate after 1 July 2026 should expect back pay.
The 2026 award runs for one year from 1 July 2026. It contains no further scheduled increase, so the next rise depends on a new award or variation.
NSW paramedic pay 2026 at a glance
Full-time base salaries from 1 July 2026. Tap a table name for every row, or a salary to see it after tax.
| Pay table | Rows | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paramedic entry level and Paramedic Level 1 (Table 1A) | 8 | $74,254 | $103,290 |
| Paramedic Specialist and Critical Care (Table 1A) | 9 | $110,517 | $169,517 |
| Management staff (Table 1B) | 3 | $121,192 | $130,431 |
Which agreement sets NSW paramedic pay
Paramedics employed by NSW Ambulance are paid under the NSW Ambulance Paramedics (State) Award 2026. The rates below apply from 1 July 2026 and were read from the source on 24 September 2026.
NSW Ambulance pay scale — every classification
Annual full-time base salary before tax and before superannuation. Part-time staff are paid pro rata.
Paramedic entry level and Paramedic Level 1 (Table 1A)
Trainee Paramedics, Paramedic Interns and qualified Paramedics employed by NSW Ambulance. Paramedics move up one increment automatically after each 12 months.
Rates in this table apply from 1 July 2026.
| Classification | Annual salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trainee Paramedic | $74,254 | $1,424.05 a week (Entry, Band 1, Increment 1) |
| Paramedic Intern | $84,416 | $1,618.94 a week (Entry, Band 1, Increment 2) |
| Paramedic (Level 1, Band 1, Increment 1) | $89,814 | $1,722.45 a week |
| Paramedic (Level 1, Band 1, Increment 2) | $92,510 | $1,774.16 a week |
| Paramedic (Level 1, Band 1, Increment 3) | $95,205 | $1,825.85 a week |
| Paramedic (Level 1, Band 1, Increment 4) | $97,900 | $1,877.53 a week |
| Paramedic (Level 1, Band 1, Increment 5) | $100,595 | $1,929.22 a week |
| Paramedic (Level 1, Band 1, Increment 6) | $103,290 | $1,980.90 a week - top of the Paramedic scale |
Paramedic Specialist and Critical Care (Table 1A)
Paramedic Specialist (Level 2) covers Intensive Care Paramedics and Extended Care Paramedics. Level 3 covers aeromedical critical care roles. Movement between levels is by appointment, not automatic.
Rates in this table apply from 1 July 2026.
| Classification | Annual salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paramedic Specialist (Level 2, Band 1, Increment 1) | $110,517 | $2,119.50 a week |
| Paramedic Specialist (Level 2, Band 1, Increment 2) | $113,833 | $2,183.09 a week |
| Paramedic Specialist (Level 2, Band 1, Increment 3) | $117,248 | $2,248.58 a week |
| Critical Care Paramedic (Aeromedical) (Level 3, Band 1, Increment 1) | $123,963 | $2,377.37 a week (printed as "Critical Care (Aeromedical)" in the table) |
| Critical Care Paramedic (Aeromedical) (Level 3, Band 1, Increment 2) | $127,174 | $2,438.95 a week |
| Critical Care Paramedic (Aeromedical) Team Leader (Level 3, Band 3, Increment 1) | $133,537 | $2,560.97 a week |
| Clinical Training Officer (Level 4, Band 1, Increment 1) | $132,500 | $2,541.08 a week |
| Paramedic Educator (Level 4, Band 2, Increment 1) | $158,749 | $3,044.49 a week |
| Paramedic Educator (Level 4, Band 2, Increment 2) | $169,517 | $3,251.00 a week |
Management staff (Table 1B)
Registered paramedics appointed to management roles. Manager Level 1 includes Team Leader and VCCC Clinical Team Leader positions.
Rates in this table apply from 1 July 2026.
Every salary links to its take-home figure. Take-home pages exist for every $1,000 up to $150,000 and in wider steps above that, so a salary without a page of its own links to the nearest one.
Graduate and intern paramedic pay
A Trainee Paramedic is paid $1,424.05 a week from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 (about $74,254 a year). A Trainee Paramedic is undertaking the training and work experience required to become a Paramedic Intern.
A Paramedic Intern - a registered paramedic completing the NSW Ambulance internship program - is paid $1,618.94 a week (about $84,416 a year).
After the internship, a Paramedic starts at Level 1, Band 1, Increment 1 on $1,722.45 a week (about $89,814 a year) and moves up an increment automatically after each 12 months, to $1,980.90 a week (about $103,290 a year) at Increment 6.
Shift penalties, loadings and allowances
Base salary is not the whole of it: paramedics on rotating rosters are paid extra for shift work. In summary, from the NSW Ambulance Paramedics (State) Award 2026:
- Afternoon shift starting at or after 10am and before 1pm: 10% extra; starting at or after 1pm and before 4pm: 12.5% extra (clause 30).
- Night shift starting at or after 4pm and before 4am: 15% extra; starting at or after 4am and before 6am: 10% extra (clause 30).
- Ordinary hours on Saturday are paid at time and a half and on Sunday at time and three-quarters, instead of the shift premiums (clause 30).
- Work on a public holiday is paid at double time and a half for employees covered by clause 32(c)(i) and (ii) of the award (clause 31).
- On-call allowance: $31.00 per 24 hours or $124.40 a week from ffppoa 1 July 2026 (Table 2D).
Check the instrument for the exact conditions that apply to your roster. Overtime is worked out separately — the overtime pay calculator handles time and a half and double time.
What a NSW paramedic salary is worth after tax
Every salary in the tables links to its take-home figure. Start with take-home pay on $84,000 for the entry rate or take-home pay on $103,000 for the top of the scale. Those figures cover base salary only; shift penalties and allowances are taxed as ordinary income on top.
Employer superannuation is paid on top of these salaries. For your own pay including penalties, a study loan or salary packaging, use the take-home pay calculator or the NSW pay calculator.
What this page does not show
We publish only what we could read from a primary source. These are left off rather than estimated:
- Allowances marked TBC in the award (travelling and overtime meal allowances, living away from home) are not published here because the award itself does not state an amount.
- The award's Table 1B heading for management staff labels its first column "1 July 2025" but prints the 1 January 2025 rates. Only the 1 July 2026 management column is used here.
NSW paramedic pay questions
Paramedic pay in other states
How this page is sourced▼
Every salary on this page was read from the NSW Ambulance Paramedics (State) Award 2026 or NSW Ambulance’s own published pay table on 24 September 2026, and applies from 1 July 2026. Nothing is estimated, averaged or interpolated. Where the instrument publishes a weekly or fortnightly rate, the annual figure is that rate multiplied out and the published rate is shown in the notes column.
Take-home figures come from the site’s own calculator using ATO rates for the current income year.
Sources & References
- 1NSW Ambulance Paramedics (State) Award 2026 (Serial C10190, PDF)— Industrial Relations Commission of NSW
- 2008 - NSW Ambulance Paramedics (State) Award (award history page)— Industrial Relations Commission of NSW
- 3NSW Ambulance Paramedics (State) Award 2023 (Serial C9809)— NSW Industrial Gazette
Last verified: 24 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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