Midwifery salary: state and industry differences in Australia

What does a midwifery salary look like on the national index?

When you search for a midwifery salary in Australia, the headline figure comes from the Australian Bureau of Statistics via Jobs and Skills Australia: median full-time weekly earnings of $2,114. That’s $56 an hour for a 41-hour week. On the Salary Index – where 100 equals the national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week (annualised $108,352) – a midwife on that median sits at index 101.5. Slightly above the line, but not by much.

Yet the median hides a lot. Only 43% of midwives work full-time. The rest are part-time or casual, and their weekly pay is lower. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour (index 48.2), so a midwife on award rates could earn far less than the median. The Nurses and Midwives Award sets minimum rates, but the Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database holds the exact figures – and they vary by classification and experience.

Industry context: health care vs the rest

Midwives work almost exclusively in Health Care and Social Assistance. The ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025) puts that industry’s average weekly total cash earnings at $1,487.90 for all employees – an index of 97.8, below the national average. But midwives, as professionals, earn above that industry average. The median $2,114 is 42% higher than the industry mean. That’s typical for skilled health workers: nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals often pull the industry average up.

Compare that to mining (index 154.7) or retail trade (index 75.9). A midwife’s salary index of 101.5 is right in the middle of the pack – better than accommodation and food services (72.5) but well behind professional services (114.7) or education and training (105.5).

State differences: where your midwifery salary goes further

State indices from the ABS (May 2026) show how location affects purchasing power. The national line is 100, but states vary:

• ACT (109.9) – highest overall earnings, likely public sector premium
• WA (106.9) – mining state, but health wages also benefit
• NSW (101.2) – close to national average
• VIC (98.0) – slightly below
• QLD (97.9) – similar to Victoria
• SA (94.6) – lower
• NT (95.2) – remote allowances may boost actual pay
• TAS (88.6) – lowest overall earnings

A midwife on the national median of $2,114 per week in Tasmania would have an effective index of about 101.5, but the local cost of living and lower overall wages mean that salary goes further than in Sydney or Melbourne. Conversely, a midwife in the ACT might earn above the national median due to enterprise agreements in public hospitals, pushing their personal index higher.

Tax and super: what you take home

On a midwifery salary of $109,928 (median annualised), the 2026–27 tax (excluding Medicare) is:

• $0 on first $18,200
• 15% on $18,201–$45,000 = $4,020
• 30% on $45,001–$135,000 = $19,478.40
• Total tax = $23,498.40
• Plus 2% Medicare levy = $2,198.56
• Take-home ≈ $84,231 per year, or $1,620 per week.

Superannuation guarantee is 12% from 1 July 2026, so your employer pays an extra $13,191 into your super fund (up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830). That’s not in your pocket, but it builds retirement savings.

Award rates and the real floor

If you’re starting out or working part-time, your midwifery salary might be set by the Nurses and Midwives Award. The Fair Work Commission’s database includes minimum hourly rates for each classification. After the 4.75% increase from 1 July 2026, a registered midwife at the lowest classification would earn at least the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour. But most midwives are on higher classifications – Level 1, Level 2 – which pay more. The median $56 per hour suggests many are well above the award floor.

Casual midwives get a 25% loading, taking the minimum to about $33.05 per hour. That’s still below the median, but casual work often includes shift penalties and weekend rates that can lift hourly pay.

Putting it together

A midwifery salary in Australia sits just above the national average on the Salary Index, but the real picture depends on state, employer, and hours. Public hospitals in the ACT or NSW may pay above the median; private practices in Tasmania may pay less. The industry itself (health care) is slightly below average, but midwives are among the better-paid roles within it.

For more context, see the Salary Index, pay guides, and how the index works. You can also compare states and industries to see where your midwifery salary fits.