Compare · public school teachers
Queensland vs Australian Capital Territory: teacher pay 2026
Queensland's rates are being decided in arbitration, and The ACT's rates are in dispute, 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
Australian Capital Territory: rates in dispute: not ranked. Offer not accepted, dispute continuing
Queensland
Rates since 1 Sep 2026. The Queensland page
Australian Capital Territory
Rates since 4 Dec 2025. The Australian Capital Territory page
| Figure | QLD | ACT | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| First year | $90,164 | $91,396 | not compared |
| Top of the classroom scale | $127,549 | $129,106 | not compared |
| Steps to the top | 11 steps | 8 levels | — |
Not compared: Queensland's rates are being decided in arbitration; the Australian Capital Territory's rates are in dispute. 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
Queensland
Rates since 1 Sep 2026. The Queensland page
Australian Capital Territory
Rates since 4 Dec 2025. The Australian Capital Territory page
Side by side, as usual
What happens next with pay?
Australian Capital Territory
Being decided
Offer not accepted, dispute continuing
What happens next in Australian Capital TerritoryEmployer super
Registering to teach
Country and remote schools
Queensland
6 payments for country and remote schools, on top of salary.
What each school gets, on the Pay mapAustralian Capital Territory
No country or remote allowances on record for Australian Capital Territory public schools.
What each school gets, on the Pay mapMoving between QLD and ACT
Moving from QLD to ACT
Start at Level 1, up to Level 8 · Assessed case by case
Prior experience is recognised in full years, including work outside teaching. The detailed guidelines are not published. Source
The Australian Capital Territory rule · Compare every state on Moving states
Moving from ACT 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
Also shown, not compared
What do relief and casual teachers earn?
Australian Capital Territory
$329.00 to $558.00
a day, Permit to Teach casual to Casual teacher rate 2, from 4 Dec 2025. Source
Every step, side by side
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
Australian Capital Territory
Level 8 · top
$3,728 a fortnight after tax
$3,728 a fortnight after tax
+$1,830
Level 7
$3,681 a fortnight after tax
$3,681 a fortnight after tax
+$7,174
Level 6
$3,494 a fortnight after tax
$3,494 a fortnight after tax
+$7,178
Level 5
$3,307 a fortnight after tax
$3,307 a fortnight after tax
+$4,305
Level 4
$3,194 a fortnight after tax
$3,194 a fortnight after tax
+$4,305
Level 3
$3,082 a fortnight after tax
$3,082 a fortnight after tax
+$4,308
Level 2
$2,970 a fortnight after tax
$2,970 a fortnight after tax
+$8,610
Level 1 · first year
$2,746 a fortnight after tax
$2,746 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 (14) ▾Hide sources ▴
- ACT Education Directorate: Pay and benefits (as at 4 Dec 2025)
- ACT Government / Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate: ACT Public Sector Education Directorate (Teaching Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026 (as at 5 Jan 2023)
- ACT Government / Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate: ACT Public Sector Education Directorate (Teaching Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026 — Annex A (as at 4 Dec 2025)
- ACT Government / Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate: Explanatory Notes: Education Directorate (Teaching Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026 (issued June 2023)
- 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: NSW and ACT Catholic Systemic Schools Enterprise Agreement 2025 (AE531578) (as at 24 Dec 2025)
- Fair Work Commission: Teachers (Daramalan College, Marist College Canberra, and St Edmund's College, Canberra) Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2025 (AE529321) (as at 18 Jun 2025)
- 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)