Compare · public school teachers
New South Wales vs Queensland: teacher pay 2026
Queensland's rates are being decided in arbitration, so this page doesn't say which pays more.
Which pays more?
Queensland: rates being decided in arbitration: not ranked. In arbitration, interim rise in effect
New South Wales
Rates since 9 Oct 2026. The New South Wales page
Queensland
Rates since 1 Sep 2026. The Queensland page
| Figure | NSW | QLD | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| First year | $92,882 | $90,164 | not compared |
| Top of the classroom scale | $133,422 | $127,549 | not compared |
| Steps to the top | 7 steps | 11 steps | — |
Not compared: Queensland's rates are being decided in arbitration. Disputed and proposed rates are never ranked.
Base salary for public school teachers at today's rates, before tax. Differences only where both states' rates are decided.
After tax, and the dates
New South Wales
Rates since 9 Oct 2026. The New South Wales page
Queensland
Rates since 1 Sep 2026. The Queensland page
Side by side, as usual
What happens next with pay?
New South Wales
Nothing decided yet
The NSW award ends 8 Oct 2027. Rises are usually backdated when a new one arrives.
What happens next in New South WalesEmployer super
Registering to teach
Country and remote schools
New South Wales
6 payments for country and remote schools, on top of salary.
What each school gets, on the Pay mapQueensland
6 payments for country and remote schools, on top of salary.
What each school gets, on the Pay mapMoving between NSW and QLD
Moving from NSW to QLD
Start at Band 2 Step 1, up to Band 3 Step 4 · Years counted
Prior teaching service is recognised at 100%, 50% or 33% depending on the kind of service. Apply within one month of starting. A late application takes effect only once it is received. Source
Moving from QLD to NSW
Start at Step 3, up to Step 7 · Salary matched
Teaching in another state counts in whole terms of 50 days each, and overseas teaching in full years (203 days). Teachers with Proficient accreditation can also ask for salary matching: NSW matches their base salary from the past five years, at the next step up if it falls between two steps. There is no time limit to apply, but applying within six months of starting gets back pay to the first day. Source
The New South Wales rule · Compare every state on Moving states
Also shown, not compared
What do relief and casual teachers earn?
New South Wales
$480.43 to $599.85
a day, Casual Teacher 1 (CT1) to Casual Teacher 3 (CT3), from 9 Oct 2026. Includes a 5% loading. Source
Every step, side by side
New South Wales
Step 7 · top
$3,841 a fortnight after tax
$3,841 a fortnight after tax
+$8,726
Step 6
$3,613 a fortnight after tax
$3,613 a fortnight after tax
+$8,724
Step 5
$3,386 a fortnight after tax
$3,386 a fortnight after tax
+$7,551
Step 4
$3,189 a fortnight after tax
$3,189 a fortnight after tax
+$4,265
Step 3
$3,078 a fortnight after tax
$3,078 a fortnight after tax
+$4,267
Step 2
$2,967 a fortnight after tax
$2,967 a fortnight after tax
+$7,007
Step 1 · first year
$2,784 a fortnight after tax
$2,784 a fortnight after tax
Queensland
EST Step 2 · top
$3,688 a fortnight after tax
$3,688 a fortnight after tax
+$0
EST Step 1
$3,688 a fortnight after tax
$3,688 a fortnight after tax
+$2,948
Senior Teacher
$3,611 a fortnight after tax
$3,611 a fortnight after tax
+$5,244
Band 3 Step 4
$3,474 a fortnight after tax
$3,474 a fortnight after tax
+$4,096
Band 3 Step 3
$3,368 a fortnight after tax
$3,368 a fortnight after tax
+$3,783
Band 3 Step 2
$3,269 a fortnight after tax
$3,269 a fortnight after tax
+$3,835
Band 3 Step 1
$3,169 a fortnight after tax
$3,169 a fortnight after tax
+$3,861
Band 2 Step 4
$3,068 a fortnight after tax
$3,068 a fortnight after tax
+$4,566
Band 2 Step 3
$2,949 a fortnight after tax
$2,949 a fortnight after tax
+$4,617
Band 2 Step 2
$2,829 a fortnight after tax
$2,829 a fortnight after tax
+$4,435
Band 2 Step 1 · first year
$2,713 a fortnight after tax
$2,713 a fortnight after tax
Steps aren't the same length in each state, so compare first year and top rather than step by step.
See sources (16) ▾Hide sources ▴
- Brisbane Catholic Education: Teacher Salary Scale 2025: TEACHERS - Non Governmental Schools, 3% effective 05/07/2025, Brisbane Catholic Education (as at 5 Jul 2025)
- Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools: Salary scale - teachers, July 2025 (first full pay period on or after 1 July 2025), Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools (as at 1 Jul 2025)
- Fair Work Commission: Catholic Schools Broken Bay Enterprise Agreement 2024 (AE527705) (as at 29 Jan 2025)
- Fair Work Commission: Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Limited - Schools Enterprise Agreement 2025 (AE531390) (as at 11 Dec 2025)
- Fair Work Commission: NSW and ACT Catholic Systemic Schools Enterprise Agreement 2025 (AE531578) (as at 24 Dec 2025)
- Fair Work Commission: NSW Catholic Independent Schools (Teachers-Model A) Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2025 (AE533287) (as at 9 Jul 2026)
- NSW Department of Education / Industrial Relations Commission of NSW: Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award 2024 (as at 9 Oct 2025)
- NSW Department of Education: Rural and remote incentives, policy PD-2024-0483-06 (effective 6 September 2024, reviewed 30 July 2026) (as at 6 Sep 2024)
- NSW Department of Education: Salary of a teacher (as at 28 May 2026)
- NSW Parliamentary Counsel's Office: Aware Super Regulation 2023 (NSW), 2023 No 464, cl 5: employer contribution percentages under s 8(2A) of the Aware Super Act 1992 (as at 25 Aug 2023)
- Queensland Department of Education: Choose your teaching adventure, remote teaching booklet (valid 23 January 2023, last modified 27 July 2026) (as at 27 Jul 2026)
- Queensland Department of Education: Department of Education (Queensland) Salary Schedule spreadsheet, Teachers sheet (header dated 1 November 2026). Fortnightly and annual salaries (annual = fortnightly x 26.089), award rates and certified agreement rates colour-coded, supply teacher day and hour rates (as at 24 Oct 2026)
- Queensland Government, Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel: Superannuation (State Public Sector) Regulation 2023 (Qld), SL 2023 No 47, schedule 1 part 1 item 5 (reprint current as at 1 July 2026) (as at 1 Jul 2026)
- Queensland Government, Public Sector Commission: Locality Allowances Directive 16/18, effective 11 May 2018, schedule of centres with full fortnightly rates (as at 11 May 2018)
- Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, published by Queensland Judgments (ICLRQ and Supreme Court Library Queensland): State of Queensland (Department of Education) v Queensland Teachers Union of Employees [2026] QIRC 267, CB/2025/63, Full Bench (Davis J President, O Connor VP, Hartigan DP). Orders made 24 August 2026, reasons 26 August 2026. Interim salary increase of 3 pct operative 7 September 2026, applied to the higher of the final rate under CB/2022/135 or the relevant Award rate at 30 June 2025, not backdated, pending the arbitration determination (as at 26 Aug 2026)
- Queensland Industrial Relations Commission: Department of Education State School Teachers' Certified Agreement 2022 (CB/2022/135) (as at 19 Dec 2022)