Nurse Salary NSW: What You Actually Take Home After Tax

Understanding Your Nurse Salary in NSW

If you’re a nurse in New South Wales, knowing your gross pay is only half the picture. What really matters is the amount that lands in your bank account after income tax and the Medicare levy. This guide explains how to estimate your take-home pay using current award rates and the 2026–27 tax system.

Award Rates for Nurses

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s Nurses Award 2020 sets minimum pay for many nursing roles. Rates vary by classification and experience. For example:

• Nursing assistant – 1st year: $27.65 per hour ($1,050.70 per week)
• Enrolled nurse – pay point 1: $30.00 per hour ($1,139.90 per week)
• Registered nurse – level 1, pay point 3: $33.55 per hour ($1,275.00 per week)
• Registered nurse – level 5, grade 6: $71.23 per hour ($2,706.90 per week)

These are national minimums. NSW Health publishes its own pay rates for nurses and midwives , which may be higher. Always check your specific enterprise agreement or award classification.

How Tax and Medicare Affect Your Nurse Salary NSW

As an Australian resident, you pay income tax on a sliding scale. For 2026–27, the tax brackets are:

• 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 pay the Medicare levy of 2% of your taxable income. If you earn below $28,011 (single), you pay no levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, a shading rate applies. Above $35,013, the full 2% is payable.

The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) can reduce your tax. It’s a maximum of $700 for incomes up to $37,500, then phases out. At $66,667, it reaches zero.

Example Take-Home Calculations

Let’s look at two common nurse salary NSW scenarios using award minimums.

Example 1: Nursing assistant, 1st year

• Weekly pay: $1,050.70
• Annual gross: $54,636.40
• Income tax: $6,910.92 (before LITO)
• LITO: $180.45
• Tax after LITO: $6,730.47
• Medicare levy (2%): $1,092.73
• Total deductions: $7,823.20
• Annual take-home: $46,813.20 (about $900 per week)

Example 2: Registered nurse, level 1 pay point 3

• Weekly pay: $1,275.00
• Annual gross: $66,300.00
• Income tax: $10,410.00 (before LITO)
• LITO: $5.50
• Tax after LITO: $10,404.50
• Medicare levy (2%): $1,326.00
• Total deductions: $11,730.50
• Annual take-home: $54,569.50 (about $1,049 per week)

These estimates assume no salary packaging, HELP/HECS debt, or Medicare levy surcharge. Use the Take-home pay tool for a personalised calculation.

Superannuation and Your Nurse Salary

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of your ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. If your job ad says “$80,000 plus super”, your employer pays an extra $9,600 into your super fund. That money is not deducted from your take-home pay. If the ad says “$80,000 including super”, the super component is already part of that figure.

Super is taxed at 15% within the fund, but you don’t pay income tax on it until you withdraw it in retirement. For more details, see our Super guide.

Other Factors That Affect Take-Home Pay

• Salary packaging: Many public hospitals allow you to sacrifice part of your pre-tax salary for benefits like a car or living expenses, reducing your taxable income.
• HELP/HECS repayments: If you have a student loan, compulsory repayments start when your income exceeds a threshold (around $51,550 in 2026–27).
• Medicare levy surcharge: If you don’t have appropriate private hospital cover and earn over $93,000 (single), you may pay an extra 1% to 1.5%.

These are not included in our examples. For a full picture, check the Tax and Medicare page.

Summary

Your nurse salary in NSW is just the starting point. After tax, Medicare, and super, the amount you actually receive can be significantly different. Use the award rates as a baseline, then apply the tax brackets and offsets to estimate your take-home. Remember that enterprise agreements often pay above the award, so your actual pay may be higher.

For more resources, see our Benchmarks page for average earnings comparisons, or the Clearance tool to check your after-tax income.