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Public Service Pay Scales in Australia

Nine services, nine classification systems, nine sets of numbers. The federal APS runs APS 1–6, EL 1, EL 2 and SES Bands 1–3 with a median APS 6 base salary of $108,092; Victoria runs grades 1–7 with value ranges and progression steps (every grade and step is on the VPS salary 2026 page); Queensland runs AO, PO, TO and OO streams, with an AO3 on $81,032 to $89,903 under the state award from 1 September 2026. NSW pays a Clerk Grade 5 $102,936 to $106,182 from July 2026, WA a Level 5 $108,848 to $118,961 from 13 June 2026, and South Australia an ASO-4 $82,212 to $86,180 from July 2026. Tasmania pays a General Stream Band 4 $86,325 to $99,237 from December 2025, the ACT an ASO 6 $102,657 to $116,592 from 4 December 2025, and the Northern Territory an AO5 $93,674 to $98,332 from 13 August 2026. Every figure on these pages is transcribed from the agreement, award or determination that sets it.

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Pay scales by service

Australian Public Service

There is no single APS pay scale. Across the whole service at 31 December 2025 the median APS 6 base salary was $108,092, with 90% of APS 6 staff paid between $97,316 and $115,199. The median was $82,906 at APS 4, $92,324 at APS 5, $135,701 at EL 1 and $168,064 at EL 2. Each agency bargains its own enterprise agreement, but from 12 March 2026 every agency's APS 6 range must reach at least $99,734 at the bottom and $111,701 at the top under the service-wide salary thresholds.

$54,516 – $515,181 across 12 published classifications · 31 December 2025 · verified 28 August 2026

Victorian Public Service

From 1 May 2026 a VPS Grade 3 is paid between $81,496 and $98,955, a VPS 4 between $100,894 and $114,476, a VPS 5 between $116,413 and $140,849 and a VPS 6 between $142,790 and $191,084. Those are the value ranges in Schedule C of the Victorian Public Service Enterprise Agreement 2024, which applies across the whole VPS — Victoria, unlike the APS, does publish a single table.

$56,677 – $263,771 across 13 published classifications · 1 May 2026 · verified 28 August 2026

Queensland public service

From 1 September 2026 a Queensland public servant at AO3 is paid at least $81,032 to $89,903, an AO5 $109,704 to $119,018 and a PO4 $124,627 to $134,019 under the Queensland Public Service Officers and Other Employees Award – State 2015, after the 4.75% State Wage Case increase. The award is the floor: an agency certified agreement pays its own rate or the award rate, whichever is higher.

$43,386 – $163,552 across 27 published classifications · 1 September 2026 · verified 23 September 2026

NSW public sector

From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, a NSW public servant at Clerk Grade 3 is paid $87,199 in the first year and $89,829 thereafter, Clerk Grade 5 $102,936 then $106,182, Clerk Grade 7 $116,981 then $120,478 and Clerk Grade 9 $133,348 then $137,098, under the Crown Employees (Public Sector - Salaries 2024) Award. NSW Health administration staff are on a separate award: an Administration Officer Level 1 starts at $1,138.62 a week.

$78,000 – $178,369 across 12 published classifications · the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 · verified 23 September 2026

Western Australian public sector

From 13 June 2026 a Western Australian public servant at Level 2 is paid $79,604 to $85,350, at Level 4 $99,134 to $104,044, at Level 5 $108,848 to $118,961 and at Level 6 $124,673 to $137,399, under the Public Sector CSA Agreement 2024. The General Division runs from $68,028 at Level 1.1 to $244,449 at Class 4.

$68,028 – $255,846 across 23 published classifications · 13 June 2026 · verified 23 September 2026

South Australian public sector

From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, an ASO-3 in the South Australian public sector is paid $74,095 to $78,694, an ASO-4 $82,212 to $86,180, an ASO-5 $92,122 to $102,456 and an ASO-6 $105,747 to $111,854, under the South Australian Public Sector Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2026. School Services Officers are on a separate agreement: from 1 May 2026 an SSO-1 is paid $58,360 to $69,759 and an SSO-2 $73,478 to $80,950.

$57,853 – $164,221 across 26 published classifications · the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026 · verified 23 September 2026

Tasmanian State Service

A Tasmanian State Service employee at General Stream Band 3 is paid $77,850 to $84,084, at Band 4 $86,325 to $99,237 and at Band 5 $103,290 to $108,307, under the Tasmanian State Service Award as varied by the Public Sector Union Wages Agreement 2025. The General Stream runs from $55,616 at Band 1 to $194,052 at the top of Band 9, from the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2025.

$55,616 – $228,493 across 15 published classifications · the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2025 · verified 24 September 2026

ACT Public Service

An ACT public servant at ASO 4 is paid $86,750 to $93,416, at ASO 6 $102,657 to $116,592 and at Senior Officer Grade C $127,597 to $136,873, under the ACT Public Sector Administrative and Related Classifications Enterprise Agreement 2023–2026. These are the rates from 4 December 2025, still in force because employees voted down the proposed 2026–2029 replacement in September 2026.

$65,124 – $172,246 across 9 published classifications · 4 December 2025 · verified 24 September 2026

Northern Territory Public Sector

From 13 August 2026 a Northern Territory public servant at AO4 is paid $79,664 to $90,824, at AO5 $93,674 to $98,332, at AO6 $102,505 to $114,282 and at AO7 $120,877 to $130,039, under the Northern Territory Public Sector 2025–2029 Enterprise Agreement. The administrative stream runs from $63,931 at AO2 to $171,482 at the top of SAO2.

$63,931 – $187,176 across 10 published classifications · 13 August 2026 · verified 24 September 2026

How the classification systems work

A public service classification does two things at once: it describes the work level, and it fixes the salary range attached to it. Each service builds that structure differently.

  • APS (federal). Classifications come from the Public Service Classification Rules 2000 — APS 1 to APS 6, then Executive Level 1 and 2, then Senior Executive Service Bands 1 to 3. The classification is service-wide but the salary is not: each agency’s enterprise agreement sets its own pay points inside the level.
  • Victoria (VPS). Grades 1 to 7, each split into value ranges (3.1, 3.2 and so on) that reflect work value, and each value range split into progression steps. One agreement covers the whole service, so the table is the same wherever you work in the VPS. See every grade on the VPS salary 2026 table.
  • Queensland. Four streams — administrative (AO), professional (PO), technical (TO) and operational (OO) — each with numbered levels and numbered pay points inside them, written as AO3/2 or PO4/1. The award sets the floor and each entity’s certified agreement can sit above it.
  • NSW. Clerk Grades 1 to 12 under the Crown Employees (Public Sector - Salaries 2024) Award, each with a 1st-year and a thereafter rate. Roles are usually advertised across two grades, such as Clerk Grade 9/10. NSW Health administrative staff are on a separate award with Administration Officer levels.
  • Western Australia. General Division Levels 1 to 9, written as level.increment (5.1, 5.2 …), then Classes 1 to 4, under the Public Sector CSA Agreement 2024.
  • South Australia. Streams such as Administrative Services (ASO-1 to ASO-8), Operational Services (OPS) and Professional Officers (PO) under the Salaried 2026 agreement; School Services Officers (SSO-1 to SSO-6) are on a separate education staff agreement.
ServiceLevels are written asSalary set byEmployer super
APS (federal)APS 1–6, EL 1, EL 2, SES Band 1–3Each agency’s enterprise agreement15.4% (median)
Victoria (VPS)Grade.value range.step, e.g. 3.1.4One service-wide enterprise agreementSuperannuation Guarantee (12.0%)
QueenslandStream + level/pay point, e.g. AO3/2, PO4/1State award floor plus entity certified agreements12.75% (under 75)
NSWClerk Grade 1–12, usually advertised in pairs, e.g. 9/10Crown Employees state award (IRC NSW)Not stated in the award
Western AustraliaLevel.increment, e.g. 5.2; then Class 1–4Public Sector CSA Agreement 2024Not stated in the agreement
South AustraliaStream-level, e.g. ASO-4, SSO-2, PO-3Salaried 2026 agreement; SSOs on an education staff agreementNot stated in the agreements

Why there is no single APS salary

Search “APS 6 salary” and you will be given a number. Treat it carefully: the APS has around 102 agency enterprise agreements and each one sets its own pay points, so the honest answer is a range. Across the whole service at 31 December 2025 the median APS 6 base salary was $108,092, and 90% of APS 6 employees were paid between $97,316 and $115,199. One agency’s agreement — Treasury’s — pays APS 6 across four pay points from $105,260 to $127,521 from 12 March 2026. Both statements are true; neither is “the” APS 6 salary.

Service-wide bargaining has been narrowing the spread since 2023, which the APSC calls reducing pay fragmentation, and the same three-year package delivered 4%, 3.8% and 3.4% increases in March 2024, 2025 and 2026. Until alignment finishes, the number that matters to you is in your own agency’s agreement. The APS pay scales page sets out the service-wide ranges level by level and shows where to look for your agency.

Queensland has a milder version of the same problem, and the Queensland page keeps the two layers apart: the award rate that job advertisements quote, and one entity’s certified agreement schedule shown beside it. Victoria is the exception — one agreement, one table, published in Schedule C (our VPS salary 2026 page transcribes it).

Comparing levels across services

There is no official mapping between APS levels, VPS grades and Queensland streams, and inventing one would be guesswork. What can be compared is the money. At the same point in the pay range:

  • The median APS 6 base salary of $108,092 sits close to VPS pay point 4.1.4 ($107,681) and Queensland’s AO5/1 award rate from 1 September 2026 ($109,704).
  • The median EL 1 base salary of $135,701 sits between Queensland’s AO6/4 award rate ($134,019) and VPS 5.2.4 ($139,100).
  • The top of the published VPS structure, $263,771 at 7.3.5, is above the median SES Band 1 base salary of $253,804 and below the median SES Band 2 of $321,888.

Similar salary does not mean similar work, and it does not mean similar total remuneration either: the same gross salary is worth more in the APS than in the VPS once the 15.4% employer superannuation contribution is counted.

What a band is worth after tax

Classification tables are gross figures. What lands in your account depends on income tax, the Medicare levy and any study loan repayment, and public service payrolls usually pay fortnightly, which is why the schedules are published as fortnightly rates in the first place. Every band on the jurisdiction pages links to the nearest take-home page, and these calculators take an exact salary:

Take-home pay by state and territory

The state calculators cover income tax and take-home pay wherever you work: Victoria, Queensland, NSW, WA, SA, Tasmania, ACT and NT.

Public service pay questions

No. Each service publishes its own, and the federal service does not publish a single scale at all — every APS agency bargains its own enterprise agreement, so an APS 6 salary is a range across agencies rather than one number. Victoria does publish a single table in Schedule C of the Victorian Public Service Enterprise Agreement 2024, and Queensland has an award floor with agency certified agreements sitting at or above it.

They are different classification systems and there is no official mapping between them, so we do not publish one. What can be compared is money: the median APS 6 base salary of $108,092 sits near VPS pay point 4.1.4 ($107,681) and Queensland's AO5/1 award rate from 1 September 2026 ($109,704), while the median EL 1 of $135,701 sits between Queensland's AO6/4 award rate ($134,019) and VPS 5.2.4 ($139,100).

On dates fixed by the relevant agreement. APS agencies moved on the first full pay period after 1 March in 2024, 2025 and 2026; Victorian Public Service rates move on 1 May each year to 2027; Queensland award rates move on 1 September when the state wage case decides (4.75% from 1 September 2026); NSW Crown Employees rates moved 3% from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026; WA rates moved on 13 June 2026; South Australian salaried rates moved from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026; Tasmanian State Service rates move from the first full pay period on or after 1 December (2025 and 2026, then 1 September 2027); Northern Territory rates moved 3% on 13 August 2026; and ACT rates last moved on 4 December 2025, with no rise scheduled until a replacement agreement is made. Between those dates, movement within a band comes from increments, not from a service-wide rise.

It depends on the service, and the difference is worth real money. The median employer superannuation contribution in the APS was 15.4% of base salary at every classification in 2025, and the Queensland Government contributes 12.75% for employees under 75. The ACT Public Service pays 12.5% from 1 January 2026, plus 1% more if you contribute 3% yourself. The Victorian Public Service and Northern Territory agreements set no above-guarantee rate, so the Superannuation Guarantee applies.

Because pay is bargained at the agency or entity level in both the APS and Queensland. The APSC calls the resulting spread pay fragmentation and has been narrowing it through service-wide bargaining since 2023; around 70 APS agencies made further adjustments of 0.1% to 1% to their minimum and maximum ranges in 2025. In Queensland, an entity's certified agreement can pay above the award but never below it.

Every band on the jurisdiction pages links to the nearest take-home page, which shows income tax, the Medicare levy and net pay at that salary. As a worked example, the median APS 6 base salary of $108,092 is the gross figure; superannuation of 15.4% sits on top of it and is not part of take-home pay.
How these pay scales were compiled▼

Every salary comes from the enterprise agreement, award, determination or official remuneration release named beside it, read on the verification date shown on each page. Nothing is estimated, indexed forward or taken from job advertisements or salary surveys run by recruiters.

Where a service publishes a rate table, the range is the bottom and top pay point. Where a service publishes actual salaries instead — the APS — the range is the 5th to 95th percentile of reported base salaries with the median beside it, because there is no service-wide rate table to quote.

Levels we could not verify are listed on each page under “what this page does not cover” rather than filled in by interpolation.

Sources & References

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    VPS: Victorian Public Service Enterprise Agreement 2024— Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance
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    NSW public service: Crown Employees (Public Sector - Salaries 2024) Award (C9875)— NSW Industrial Relations Commission — Industrial Gazette
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    NSW public service: Health Employees' Administrative Staff (State) Award 2025 (C10078)— NSW Industrial Relations Commission — Industrial Gazette
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    WA public sector: Public Sector CSA Agreement 2024 — agreement record PUB072— Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission
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    Tasmanian State Service: DECYP Salary Scales as at 27 August 2026— Department for Education, Children and Young People (Tasmania)
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Last verified: 28 August 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.

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