Pay Breakdown › Starting step
What step would I start on?
Public schools. How each state counts your teaching experience, from its own rules, and what that step pays. Where a state's rule doesn't give a step, this says so: it never guesses. The department makes the final decision.
Example: New South Wales · 5 years of teaching · Another Australian state or territory · 4-year qualification. Change it
New South Wales matches your salary
New South Wales places experienced teachers by matching their recent salary, not by counting years. Do the match on Moving states. With no experience you'd start on Step 3.
SourceNSW's rule, read 14 Oct 2026Open the source ↗
The department makes the final decision. Send it statements of service.
Your details
How it's worked out
NSW's rule: Proficient teachers can ask NSW to match their base salary from the past five years (no allowances, full-time rate), at the next step up if it falls between steps. Interstate service also counts in whole terms of 50 days.
“PD-2024-0483-07 1.3.3: The department will, where possible, match the salary paid by former employing authorities for full accredited (Proficient) school teaching service within the last 5 years ... eligible for appointment at the department's next higher step”
Source, read 14 Oct 2026
More tools
- Take-home payYour pay before and after tax, in each state.
- Check your payslipYour fortnightly base pay against the figure your state's pay sheet prints.
- Promotion payWhat a leadership or principal role pays against your classification now.
- Career earningsYour pay added up year by year at today's rates, as far as your state's rule goes.
- HECS-HELP repaymentsThe compulsory repayment on your salary, at the ATO's rates for this year.
- Long service leaveHow much long service leave your years of service give you, from your state's rule.
- Parental leave payYour paid parental leave weeks and their pay, from your state's rule.
- A year of relief workPlan relief or casual teaching from each state's day rates.
- Super calculatorYour employer super, and an estimate at retirement.
Still studying? What you'll earn on placement and in your first year →
Moving from another state with a salary to match? Moving states compares every state.