Monash salary rates: how academic pay compares to the national line

What are Monash salary rates?

Monash salary rates refer to the pay scales set out in the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2024, approved by the Fair Work Commission. The agreement covers academic staff from Level A (Associate Lecturer) to Level E (Professor), as well as professional staff. The rates are negotiated between the university and the National Tertiary Education Industry Union, and they apply to continuing and fixed-term employees. For anyone reading a job advertisement at Monash, these rates are the starting point for understanding the offer.

How the rates compare to the national line

The Salary Index uses a benchmark of 100 for full-time adult ordinary-time earnings, which the Australian Bureau of Statistics sets at $108,352 per year (May 2026). Monash academic salaries sit well above that line for most roles. For example, a Level B (Lecturer) at step 1 earns $146,228 in 2026, giving an index of about 135. That means the salary is 35% above the national average. Even a Level A at the top step ($116,981) is above the line (index 108). Only the lowest Level A steps fall below, such as step 8 at $86,195 (index 80).

To put it another way, the national minimum wage is $52,255 (index 48.2). Monash academic pay starts well above that. The enterprise agreement also includes scheduled increases: 3% from December 2022, 4% from June 2023, 3% from June 2024, 3.5% from June 2025, and another 3.5% from April 2026. The rates shown in the search results are the final scheduled figures, as the agreement expires on 30 June 2026.

Reading a job ad and comparing offers

When you see a Monash job ad, it will usually list the academic level and sometimes the step. For instance, a Lecturer position might be Level B, step 1 to step 6. You can look up the exact salary in the enterprise agreement table. The table from shows annual rates for each step and each year. If the ad says "Level C, step 3", the 2026 salary is $164,694 (index 152). That is well above the national line and also above the Education and training industry average of index 105.5.

It is also useful to compare against pay guides for other sectors. For example, a professional role in the same university might be covered by a different classification. The enterprise agreement also covers professional staff, but those rates are not shown in the search results. If you are considering a casual academic role, the hourly rates are separate and include a loading. The sessional rates are published on the same Monash page.

What the index tells you

The index is simply the yearly gross salary divided by the national line ($108,352) times 100. For a Monash Level D step 1 salary of $200,092, the index is about 185. That means the pay is 85% above the national average. This helps you see how an offer stacks up against typical earnings across Australia. Remember that the index is based on ordinary-time earnings, not total remuneration. Superannuation is extra: from 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12%, so the total package is higher.

Caveats and other details

These rates are specific to Monash University. Other universities have their own enterprise agreements. The Monash agreement was approved by the Fair Work Commission in August 2024 and is available on the website. The rates shown are for academic staff only; professional staff have a separate schedule. Also, the agreement includes provisions for loadings, such as professorial and clinical loadings, which are not included in the base rates.

Tax and Medicare levy apply. For a salary of $146,228, the 2026–27 resident tax (excluding Medicare) is roughly $35,000 to $40,000 depending on deductions, plus a 2% Medicare levy. The take-home pay will be less than the gross figure. But the index comparison uses gross ordinary-time earnings, which is standard.

Using the index for your own comparison

If you are comparing a Monash offer with a job in another industry or state, the how the index works page explains the calculation. For instance, the index for Mining is 154.7, so a Monash Level C salary (index ~150) is comparable to the mining average. In contrast, Retail trade has an index of 75.9, so a Monash academic role pays much more. State indexes also vary: Victoria (where Monash is based) has an index of 98, slightly below the national line, but Monash academic salaries are above that.

In summary, Monash salary rates under the current enterprise agreement are competitive, especially for senior academic roles. When reading a job ad, check the level and step, then use the published table to find the exact figure. Compare it to the national line to see where it sits. The index gives you a quick sense of whether the pay is above or below average.

FAQs

How do Monash salary rates compare to the national average?

Monash academic salary rates are generally above the national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $108,352 (index 100). For example, a Level B Lecturer at step 1 earns $146,228, giving an index of about 135. Even the lowest Level A step 8 ($86,195) is below the national line (index 80), but most academic roles at Monash are at higher levels. The rates are set by an enterprise agreement approved by the Fair Work Commission.

What academic levels are used at Monash University?

Monash uses standard Australian academic levels: Level A (Associate Lecturer), Level B (Lecturer), Level C (Senior Lecturer), Level D (Associate Professor), and Level E (Professor). Each level has multiple salary steps. The 2024 enterprise agreement lists annual rates for each step from 2022 to 2026. Job ads usually specify the level and sometimes the step.

Are Monash salary rates the same for casual staff?

No. The rates shown in the search results are for continuing and fixed-term academic staff. Casual academic staff (including sessional teaching and research assistants) are paid hourly rates under the same enterprise agreement. Those rates are not included in the search results but are published on Monash's enterprise agreement page. Casual rates typically include a loading in lieu of leave and other entitlements.