Nursing salary Australia: from award rates to your take-home pay

Understanding your nursing salary Australia

If you are a nurse or midwife in Australia, your pay is likely covered by the Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034) unless an enterprise agreement applies. The award sets minimum hourly rates, penalty rates, and allowances. But the figure you see on a job advertisement – often called a salary package – is not the same as the amount that lands in your bank account each fortnight. This guide explains the difference between gross pay, total package, and take-home pay, so you can read a nursing salary Australia advertisement with confidence.

Award rates for nurses

Fair Work publishes a pay guide that lists minimum rates for every classification under the Nurses Award. For example, from 1 August 2026:

• Enrolled nurse pay point 1: $30.00 per hour, $1,139.90 per week
• Registered nurse level 1, pay point 1: $32.09 per hour, $1,219.50 per week
• Registered nurse level 1, pay point 3: $33.55 per hour, $1,275.00 per week
• Registered nurse level 2, pay point 1: $39.59 per hour, $1,504.40 per week
• Nurse practitioner 1st year: $49.39 per hour, $1,877.00 per week

These are the minimums. Many nurses earn above award through enterprise agreements or private hospital arrangements. You can check your exact classification on the Fair Work Ombudsman award page.

Gross pay vs total package

A common confusion is between gross salary and total package. Gross salary is the base pay before any additions or deductions. Total package includes:

• Gross salary
• Employer superannuation contributions (12% from 1 July 2026)
• Allowances (e.g., shift penalties, on-call, laundry)
• Salary packaging benefits (e.g., novated leases)

When a job ad says “$80,000 plus super”, the employer will pay super on top of that $80,000. If it says “$80,000 including super”, the super is part of that figure, so your gross salary is lower. Always clarify which wording is used. For more on how super works, see our Super guide.

From gross to take-home

Your take-home pay is what remains after the Australian Tax Office deducts income tax and the Medicare levy. Here is a worked example for a registered nurse level 1, pay point 3:

• Hourly rate: $33.55
• Full-time hours: 38 per week
• Weekly gross: $1,274.90
• Annual gross: $66,294.80 (52 weeks)

Using the 2026–27 tax rates:

• Tax-free threshold: $0 – $18,200
• 15% on the next $26,800 (up to $45,000): $4,020
• 30% on the remaining $21,294.80: $6,388.44
• Gross tax: $10,408.44
• Less Low Income Tax Offset (LITO): maximum $700, reduced by 5c per $1 over $37,500. At $66,294, LITO is nil.
• Medicare levy: 2% of $66,294.80 = $1,325.90 (full rate, as income exceeds $35,013)
• Total deductions: $11,734.34
• Annual take-home: $54,560.46
• Fortnightly take-home: approximately $2,098.48

This is an estimate only. Your actual tax may differ due to HELP/HECS, the Medicare levy surcharge, or salary sacrifice. Use our Take-home pay tool for a personalised calculation.

Allowances and deductions

Nurses often receive allowances for:

• Laundry: $0.33 per shift, up to $1.53 per week
• Uniform: $1.26 per shift, up to $6.41 per week
• On-call: from $28.66 per period (weekday) to $50.37 (Sunday/public holiday)
• Vehicle: $1.01 per kilometre

These allowances are taxable income, so they increase your gross pay but also your tax. You may be able to claim work-related deductions for items like:

• Compulsory uniforms and protective clothing
• Laundry and dry-cleaning of work clothes
• Stethoscopes, bandage scissors, and other tools
• Self-education courses directly related to your job

The Australian Taxation Office provides a detailed guide for nurses and midwives on what you can and cannot claim.

Salary packaging for nurses

Many public hospitals and not-for-profit health services offer salary packaging, which lets you pay for certain items (like rent or mortgage) from pre-tax income. This can reduce your taxable income and increase your take-home pay. However, it affects your Medicare levy and may reduce your super guarantee base. See our Salary packaging page for details.

Key takeaways

• Nursing salary Australia varies widely by classification, experience, and location. The award minimums are a floor, not a ceiling.
• Always check whether a quoted salary is “plus super” or “including super”.
• Your take-home pay is gross pay minus income tax and the Medicare levy (2% for most full-time nurses).
• Use the Clearance tool to estimate your net pay, and refer to the Benchmarks page for industry averages.

Understanding these distinctions helps you negotiate confidently and plan your finances. For more resources, visit our Guides section.