Your Early Childhood Teacher Salary: Award Rates, Tax, and Take-Home Pay

Early childhood teacher salary under the award

If you work as an early childhood teacher in Australia, your minimum pay is set by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 . The award covers teachers in preschools, schools, and long day care centres. Your classification depends on your accreditation level and years of service.

For a full-time teacher (38 hours per week) in a preschool or school, the minimum weekly rates from 1 July 2026 are:

• Level 1 (graduate): $1,455.40 ($75,941 per year)
• Level 2 (proficient): $1,590.70 ($83,004 per year)
• Level 3 (proficient after 3 years): $1,731.70 ($90,362 per year)
• Level 4 (proficient after 6 years): $1,872.70 ($97,720 per year)
• Level 5 (highly accomplished/lead): $2,013.70 ($105,076 per year)

Teachers in long day care centres receive an additional 4% loading because they are not covered by the ordinary hours provisions. For example, a Level 1 teacher in long day care earns $1,513.60 per week ($78,979 per year).

However, if your employer receives the Worker Retention Payment (WRP) from the Department of Education, the minimum hourly rates are higher. For a Level 1 teacher in a long day care centre, the minimum hourly rate including the WRP-funded increase is $45.80 . For a Level 1 teacher in a preschool or school, it is $44.04 per hour.

These rates are the minimum you must be paid. Your actual salary may be higher depending on your employer, experience, and location.

How tax and Medicare affect your take-home pay

Your take-home pay is what lands in your bank account after income tax and the Medicare levy. The Australian Tax Office uses a progressive tax system for residents. For the 2026–27 tax year:

• Up to $18,200: no tax
• $18,201 to $45,000: 15 cents per dollar over $18,200
• $45,001 to $135,000: $4,020 plus 30 cents per dollar over $45,000
• $135,001 to $190,000: $31,020 plus 37 cents per dollar over $135,000
• Over $190,000: $51,370 plus 45 cents per dollar over $190,000

You may also be eligible for the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO). The maximum LITO is $700 for taxable income up to $37,500, then it phases out. It can only reduce your tax to zero.

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income. For 2026–27, the single-person thresholds are $28,011 (lower) and $35,013 (upper). If your income is below $28,011, you pay no levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, you pay 10 cents per dollar over the lower threshold. Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. Most full-time early childhood teachers will pay the full 2%.

Let's look at an example. Suppose you are a Level 2 teacher in a preschool earning $83,004 per year. Your fortnightly gross pay is $3,192.46 ($83,004 ÷ 26). After income tax (approximately $670 per fortnight) and Medicare levy ($63.85 per fortnight), your take-home pay would be around $2,458 per fortnight. This is an estimate; actual tax depends on your circumstances.

For a more precise calculation, use our Take-home pay guide or the Clearance tool.

Super and salary packaging

Your employer must pay superannuation of 12% on your ordinary time earnings from 1 July 2026, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830 per year. Super is paid on top of your salary, not deducted from it. So if your award rate is $1,590.70 per week, your employer pays an additional $190.88 into your super fund.

You may also have access to salary packaging arrangements, such as packaging a car or additional super contributions. Salary packaging reduces your taxable income, which can lower your tax and Medicare levy. However, it also reduces your take-home pay because the packaged amount is deducted before tax.

Remember that the award rates are minimums. Many early childhood teachers earn above award, especially in shortage areas. Check your enterprise agreement or contract for your actual rate.

For more information on award rates, visit the Fair Work Ombudsman's Benchmarks page. To understand how tax and Medicare apply to your situation, see our Tax and Medicare guide.