Education assistant salary: what you actually take home after tax and Medicare

Education assistant salary: comparing job offers by what reaches your bank account

When you see an education assistant salary in a job advertisement, the figure is usually the base rate under the Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award. What matters for your budget is the amount that lands in your account after income tax and the Medicare levy. This guide explains how to compare offers using your real take-home pay.

How the award sets your education assistant salary

Fair Work Ombudsman publishes the award that covers education assistants and other general staff in schools. The award has classification levels from 1 to 8, each with sub-levels. Your education assistant salary depends on the level assigned to your role. For example:

• Level 1.1: $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week
• Level 2.1: $28.24 per hour, $1,073.10 per week
• Level 3.1: $29.47 per hour, $1,119.90 per week
• Level 4.1: $31.11 per hour, $1,182.10 per week

Full-time employees work 38 ordinary hours per week. Part-time employees work fewer hours and are paid pro-rata. If you work only during school term weeks, your annual salary is adjusted using the formula in the award.

From gross salary to take-home pay

Your gross education assistant salary is the starting point. From that, you subtract:

• Income tax using the 2026–27 resident tax rates
• Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) if you qualify
• Medicare levy at 2% of taxable income (with reduced rates for low incomes)

Let’s walk through an example for a full-time education assistant at Level 2.1.

Step 1: Gross annual salary Weekly rate $1,073.10 × 52.18 weeks = $55,994 (rounded).

Step 2: Income tax Using the 2026–27 rates:

• First $18,200: nil
• Next $26,800 ($18,201 to $45,000): 15c per $1 = $4,020
• Remaining $10,994 ($45,001 to $55,994): 30c per $1 = $3,298.20
• Gross tax = $7,318.20

Step 3: LITO Your taxable income is $55,994. LITO is $325 minus 1.5c per $1 over $45,000. That’s $325 – $164.91 = $160.09. So tax after LITO = $7,158.11.

Step 4: Medicare levy Full 2% applies because your income is above the single upper threshold of $35,013. Medicare levy = $55,994 × 2% = $1,119.88.

Step 5: Total deductions and net pay Total deductions = $7,158.11 + $1,119.88 = $8,277.99. Net annual pay = $55,994 – $8,277.99 = $47,716.01. That’s about $917.62 per week or $1,835.23 per fortnight.

This is an estimate only. Your actual tax may differ due to rounding in payroll systems, HELP/HECS repayments, or salary sacrifice. Use our Take-home pay calculator for a personalised estimate.

How the Medicare levy affects your education assistant salary

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income. For 2026–27, the latest published single-person thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. If your taxable income is below $28,011, you pay no Medicare levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, you pay 10c per $1 over the lower threshold. Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. Most full-time education assistants will pay the full levy.

Comparing job offers: look at net pay, not gross

When you receive two offers with different education assistant salary figures, convert each to an estimated fortnightly or monthly take-home amount. Consider:

• Classification level – a higher level means more gross pay
• Hours per week – part-time roles pay less but may offer flexibility
• Term-time only – your annual pay is adjusted for non-term weeks
• Super – award rates are base; super of 12% (from 1 July 2026) is paid on top, not deducted from your pay

For example, a Level 3.1 role at 38 hours per week gives a gross annual salary of $58,436. After tax and Medicare, your net is around $49,600. A Level 2.2 role at 30 hours per week gives a pro-rata gross of about $44,400 and net around $38,200. The higher classification may still leave you with more take-home pay, but only if the hours are comparable.

Using our tools to compare

Our Tax and Medicare guide explains the rates in detail. You can also use the Take-home pay tool to enter your award classification and hours, and see the estimated amount that reaches your bank account each pay period. This helps you make an informed decision between job offers.

Summary

Your education assistant salary is set by the Fair Work award classification. To compare offers, calculate the net pay after income tax and the Medicare levy. Remember that super is additional and does not reduce your take-home. Use our resources to get a clear picture of what you’ll actually earn.