ASO-8 Pay Points and Take-Home Pay
Every increment in ASO-8, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Fortnightly figures divide the year by 26. Take-home pay uses 2026–27 resident tax rates, the Medicare levy and no HECS.
| Step | Salary | Gross per fortnight | Take-home a year | Take-home per fortnight | Full breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASO-8 increment 1 | $130,046 | $5,002 | $97,911 | $3,766 | $130,000 page |
| ASO-8 increment 2 | $132,500 | $5,096 | $99,580 | $3,830 | $135,000 page |
| ASO-8 increment 3 | $134,956 | $5,191 | $101,250 | $3,894 | $135,000 page |
Every increment in ASO-8. Full-time annual salary; super is paid on top. Read from the SA Public Sector Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2026, from 1 July 2026; verified 23 September 2026.
From the first increment to the top of ASO-8 is 2 moves, worth $4,910 a year in total (3.8% on the starting salary). That is about $2,455 a move on average. The biggest single move is ASO-8 increment 2 to ASO-8 increment 3, at $2,456. After tax, the bottom of ASO-8 is $3,766 a fortnight and the top is $3,894.
Three increments, the top of the ASO stream.
ASO-8 Hourly Rate
ASO-8 works out at $66.51 to $69.02 an hour before tax. Hourly rate = annual salary ÷ (37.5 × 52.1429). Commissioner's Determination 3.1 sets full-time hours at 37.5 or 38 a week, and the Department for Education's 2026 ASO hourly rates are worked out on 37.5. A year has 52.1429 weeks (365 ÷ 7).
| Step | Salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| ASO-8 increment 1 | $130,046 | $66.51 |
| ASO-8 increment 2 | $132,500 | $67.76 |
| ASO-8 increment 3 | $134,956 | $69.02 |
ASO-8 base hourly rate on 37.5 ordinary hours a week, before tax. No casual loading, overtime or penalties. A payslip can differ by a few cents.
What ASO-8 Staff Do
ASO-8 staff are responsible for a major statewide program, or one of critical importance to the agency, within broad policy guidelines. The work calls for original thinking, significant independent judgement and very high expertise in the discipline. Duties can include managing significant resources or a service-wide function.
Our summary of the Determination 5, Attachment 2: Classification Standards, Administrative Services Stream (issued 22 January 2026), read 23 October 2026.
ASO-8 Superannuation
The Salaried 2026 agreement does not state an employer super rate. Super is paid to Super SA by default, and you can choose your own fund. Treat the Superannuation Guarantee as the floor and check your agency's arrangement.
At 12%, employer super on ASO-8 is $15,606 a year at the bottom and $16,195 at the top. Super is paid on top of salary and is not part of take-home pay.
Moving Up Within and Beyond ASO-8
Each ASO level has a few numbered increments. You move up increments within your level; a move to the next level happens by appointment to a job classified at that level, not by time served. ASO levels do not overlap, so the top of one level is always below the bottom of the next.
The level below is ASO-7 ($116,089 to $125,490).
Every level, the full schedule and the other streams are on the South Australia (ASO, SSO) pay scales page. Other services are on the public service pay scales hub, including APS levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
ASO-8 salary questions and answers
How much does an ASO-8 earn?
From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, ASO-8 pays $130,046 at the first increment (ASO-8 increment 1) and $134,956 at the top (ASO-8 increment 3), across 3 increments. That is a full-time annual salary before tax, with superannuation paid on top.
What is the ASO-8 hourly rate?
From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, ASO-8 works out at $66.51 an hour at ASO-8 increment 1 and $69.02 at ASO-8 increment 3, on 37.5 ordinary hours a week. ASO-8 hourly rates for all 3 increments are in the table above.
What is ASO-8 pay per fortnight?
Before tax, ASO-8 is about $5,002 a fortnight at the bottom and $5,191 at the top, dividing the annual salary by 26. Your payslip can differ slightly because SA public sector payroll uses its own fortnightly rate. The table on this page shows take-home pay for every increment.
When does ASO-8 pay go up next?
The SA Public Sector Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2026 sets one more increase, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2027 (clause 7.2). Until then the 1 July 2026 rates on this page apply.
How we worked this out▼
Every salary on this page is copied from the SA Public Sector Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2026, from 1 July 2026, the same figures as the South Australia (ASO, SSO) page. Nothing is averaged or estimated. Fortnightly figures divide the annual salary by 26, so they can differ by a few dollars from a payslip.
Take-home pay uses the same engine as our take-home pay pages: 2026–27 resident tax rates, the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy, with no HECS, salary sacrifice or Medicare levy surcharge. General information, not advice.
Sources & References
- 1South Australian Public Sector Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2026 (ET-26-00776), South Australian Employment Tribunal
- 2Determination 5, Attachment 2: Classification Standards, Administrative Services Stream (issued 22 January 2026), Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, South Australia
- 3Determination 3.1: Employment Conditions – Hours of Work, Overtime and Leave (clause 2), Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, South Australia
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.