Case Manager Salary Guide: Rates, Tax, and Take-Home Pay in Australia

Case Manager Salary Overview

If you work as a case manager in Australia, your pay is likely covered by the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS). This award sets minimum rates for roles in community services, crisis accommodation, and disability support. Case managers typically fall into Level 3 or Level 4 classifications, depending on your qualifications and responsibilities.

Fair Work Ombudsman publishes the official pay guide for this award. According to the latest guide, from the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2026, the minimum hourly rates for social and community services employees are:

• Level 3, pay point 1: $40.49 per hour ($1,538.59 per week)
• Level 4, pay point 1: $46.70 per hour ($1,774.74 per week)

These rates are significantly above the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour ($1,004.90 per week). They also compare favourably to the full-time adult ordinary time earnings of $2,083.70 per week (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). A case manager at Level 4 earns about 85% of that full-time average, while a Level 3 case manager earns about 74%.

How Your Case Manager Salary Compares

The national minimum wage is a floor – no one can be paid less. But case managers are skilled professionals, and the SCHADS award reflects that. For example, a Level 3 pay point 1 case manager earns 53% more per hour than the minimum wage. At Level 4 pay point 1, the premium is 77%.

Your actual case manager salary will depend on your pay point (experience) and any allowances or penalties for shift work, weekends, or public holidays. The award also includes higher rates for afternoon and night shifts. See the Benchmarks page for more comparisons.

Tax and Medicare on Your Case Manager Salary

Once you know your gross annual salary, the next question is what lands in your bank account. For the 2026–27 tax year, the Australian Tax Office applies these resident rates:

• Up to $18,200: Nil
• $18,201 to $45,000: 15c per $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 to $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c per $1 over $45,000
• $135,001 to $190,000: $31,020 plus 37c per $1 over $135,000
• Over $190,000: $51,370 plus 45c per $1 over $190,000

You also get the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) if your taxable income is below $66,667. For a case manager earning $80,000, the LITO is $325 minus 1.5c per dollar over $45,000, which works out to about $200.

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income. However, if you earn below $28,011 (the latest published single-person Medicare threshold), you pay no levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, you pay a reduced rate (10c per $1 over the lower threshold). Full-time case manager salaries are well above these thresholds, so you will pay the full 2%.

Take-Home Pay Example

Let’s say you are a case manager at Level 4 pay point 1, earning $1,774.74 per week, which is about $92,286 annually (52 weeks). After income tax (approx. $20,800) and Medicare levy ($1,846), your take-home pay is roughly $69,640 per year, or $2,678 per fortnight. This is an estimate – your actual tax may vary due to HELP/HECS, salary packaging, or other factors. Use our Take-home pay tool for a personalised calculation.

Superannuation for Case Managers

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of your ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. This is paid by your employer on top of your base salary. So if your case manager salary is quoted as $92,286 plus super, your employer contributes an additional $11,074 to your super fund each year. Your take-home pay is calculated on the base salary only. For more details, see Super.

Where to Find Official Rates

Fair Work Ombudsman provides the official pay guide for the SCHADS award. You can download the PDF or use their Pay and Conditions Tool to calculate your exact entitlements. The award also includes transitional arrangements from the Equal Remuneration Order, which have been fully phased in since December 2020. For Queensland employees of non-constitutional corporations, special pay equity orders may apply.

For a full list of award rates, visit the pay guides page. The social and community services industry pay rates page also explains the history of equal remuneration adjustments: .

Final Thoughts

Your case manager salary under the SCHADS award is well above minimum wage and competitive with average full-time earnings. Understanding your classification and pay point is key to ensuring you receive the correct rate. After tax and Medicare, your take-home pay will be around 75–80% of your gross salary, depending on your income level and any offsets. Always check your pay against the award and use our tools to plan your budget.