CRNA Salary in Australia: Take-Home Pay After Tax and Medicare

CRNA Salary in Australia: What You Need to Know

If you’re searching for a crna salary in Australia, you may be looking for the Australian equivalent of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. While the term is US-based, the role here is typically a nurse practitioner or an anaesthetic nurse. Pay is set by the Nurses Award 2020, which covers all classifications from nursing assistants to nurse practitioners.

Award Rates for Nurse Practitioners

Under the Nurses Award, nurse practitioners have minimum weekly rates. For example:

• 1st year: $1,877.00 per week ($49.39 per hour)
• 2nd year: $1,932.70 per week ($50.86 per hour)

These rates are from the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guide . The award also specifies penalty rates for weekends and public holidays. For instance, Saturday work attracts 1.5x the hourly rate, Sunday 1.75x, and public holidays 2x.

From Gross to Take-Home Pay

Your take-home pay is what lands in your bank account after tax and the Medicare levy. Using the 2026–27 tax rates:

• Tax-free threshold: $0–$18,200
• 19% bracket: $18,201–$45,000
• 30% bracket: $45,001–$135,000
• Plus Medicare levy: 2% of taxable income (with shading for low incomes)

For a nurse practitioner earning $1,877 per week ($97,604 annually):

• Tax: approximately $22,000
• Medicare levy: $1,952 (full 2% as income exceeds $35,013)
• Weekly take-home: about $1,365

This is an estimate only. Your actual tax may vary with deductions, HELP/HECS, or the Medicare levy surcharge. Use our Take-home pay calculator for a personalised figure.

Common Mix-Ups: Gross vs Package vs Take-Home

Many job ads list a salary package that includes superannuation. For example, a $100,000 package might be $89,286 base plus 12% super. Your take-home is calculated on the base, not the package. Always check whether the advertised figure is base salary or total package.

Also, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour ($1,004.90 per week) from 1 July 2026. Compare this to the nurse practitioner rate of $49.39 per hour to see the premium for specialised skills.

Medicare Levy Thresholds

The Medicare levy is 2% of taxable income, but you pay a reduced rate if your income is below $35,013. The latest single-person thresholds are $28,011 (no levy) and $35,013 (full levy). Between these, the levy shades in at 10 cents per dollar. Full-time nurse practitioners will generally pay the full 2%.

Superannuation

Your employer must contribute 12% super on top of your gross salary (from 1 July 2026). Super is not deducted from your pay; it’s an additional cost to the employer. It does not affect your take-home pay but builds your retirement savings. Learn more about Super.

Other Classifications in the Nurses Award

The award covers many roles. For example:

• Enrolled nurse (pay point 1): $1,139.90 per week ($30.00 per hour)
• Registered nurse level 1, pay point 1: $1,219.50 per week ($32.09 per hour)
• Registered nurse level 5, grade 6: $2,706.90 per week ($71.23 per hour)

These rates are from the Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database . Your actual pay depends on your classification, experience, and any applicable allowances (e.g., on-call, laundry, vehicle).

How to Use This Guide

This guide helps you understand the crna salary landscape in Australia. For a precise take-home estimate, use our Clearance tool which applies the latest tax tables and Medicare rules. Remember: the figures here are illustrative, not a tax assessment.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a nurse practitioner, enrolled nurse, or registered nurse, knowing your award rate and how tax affects your pay is essential. Don’t confuse gross salary with take-home. Use the resources on this site to plan your finances.

For more detailed benchmarks, see our Benchmarks page. If you’re considering a role, check the Roles section for typical pay ranges.