Pathology Collector Salary: Award Rates, Super, and Tax in Australia 2026
Understand pathology collector salary for pathology collectors: award minimum rates, superannuation, tax estimates, and how pay compares to the national index.
Based on award minima, pathology collector hourly rates range from $30.45 to $32.67, giving an index around 55–60, well below the national line of 100.
What is a pathology collector salary?
A pathology collector salary is the pay for workers who take blood and other specimens from patients for laboratory testing. Most pathology collectors in Australia are covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award (the Award), which sets minimum wages, penalty rates, and allowances. Because the occupation is small in number, the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish median earnings – but for 2025–26 the figure is marked as not available. That means the best public reference is the Award itself.
Award minimum rates from October 2026
From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 October 2026, the Award’s support services classification includes pathology collectors at Levels 5, 6, and 7. A Level 5 pathology collector (the base grade) earns $1,157.20 per week or $30.45 per hour. A Level 7 qualified collector (the highest classification) earns $1,241.40 per week or $32.67 per hour. These are the minimums – employers can pay more, but not less.
Casual workers get a 25% casual loading on top of the hourly rate. For a Level 5 casual that is $38.06 per hour; for a Level 7 qualified casual it is $40.84 per hour. Junior rates apply for workers under 17 years – a Level 5 junior (under 17) earns $15.23 per hour, exactly 50% of the adult rate.
How does pathology collector pay compare to the national index?
The Salary Index uses full-time adult ordinary-time earnings as 100. That benchmark is $2,083.70 per week (annualised $108,352) from the ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026. A full-time Level 5 pathology collector on $1,157.20 per week has an index of about 55.5. A Level 7 collector on $1,241.40 per week has an index of about 59.6. Both are well below the national line, reflecting that health support roles are lower-paid than the average full-time job.
For context, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $1,004.90 per week (index 48.2), so pathology collectors sit a little above the legal floor. The Award’s rates rose by 4.75% from 1 July 2026, consistent with the Annual Wage Review.
Superannuation on pathology collector salary
From 1 July 2026 the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings. For a full-time Level 5 collector earning $60,174 per year, super adds about $7,221 annually. For a Level 7 collector earning $64,553, super is about $7,746. The super guarantee is paid on top of the salary, so total remuneration is higher. The maximum super contribution base for 2026–27 is $270,830, which is far above any typical pathology collector earnings.
Tax on pathology collector salary
Using 2026–27 resident tax rates (with tax-free threshold, no HELP, no Medicare surcharge), a Level 5 collector on $60,174 pays about $8,849 in income tax plus $1,203 Medicare levy (2%), leaving roughly $50,122 take-home. A Level 7 collector on $64,553 pays about $10,169 tax plus $1,291 Medicare levy, take-home about $53,093. These are estimates; actual tax depends on deductions, HELP repayments, and other factors.
Penalty rates and overtime
Pathology collectors who work outside ordinary hours get penalty rates. Saturday work is paid at time-and-a-half (e.g., Level 5 Saturday rate $45.68 per hour). Sunday is double-time ($45.68 for Level 5). Public holidays are 2.5 times ($76.13 for Level 5). Overtime on Monday to Saturday after 2 hours is also double-time. Casual workers get the same penalty rates on top of their casual loading.
Where pathology collectors work
According to Jobs and Skills Australia, about 12,000 people work as pathology collectors. The median age is 44, and 90% are women. Most work in Health Care and Social Assistance. Only 43% work full-time hours, which is lower than the all-occupations average of 64%. That means many collectors work part-time or casually, which affects annual earnings.
How to find current pathology collector salary information
The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes pay guides for the Health Professionals and Support Services Award. You can also check the Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database for the latest rates. For state comparisons, see the states page. For industry context, industries shows health care and social assistance has an index of 97.8 – meaning the average health worker is close to the national line, but pathology collectors are below that average.
If you want to understand how the index is calculated, read how the index works. For more on award pay, see pay guides. And for a broader look at Australian salaries, start at [Salary Index](
The bottom line
A pathology collector salary is set by an award that pays between $30.45 and $32.67 per hour for adults. That puts the index around 55–60, well below the national average of 100. Super adds 12%, and tax reduces take-home by roughly 17–20%. Because median earnings are not published, these award rates are the most reliable public figure available.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum hourly rate for a pathology collector in 2026?
Under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award, a Level 5 pathology collector (entry-level) earns $30.45 per hour from 1 October 2026. A Level 7 qualified collector earns $32.67 per hour. Casual workers receive a 25% loading, making the casual rate $38.06 and $40.84 respectively.
How is superannuation calculated for a pathology collector?
From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings. For a full-time Level 5 collector earning $1,157.20 per week, super would be $138.86 per week, or about $7,221 per year. The maximum super contribution base is $270,830 per year, so most collectors will have super on all earnings.
What is the take-home pay for a pathology collector after tax?
Using 2026–27 tax rates (no HELP, no Medicare surcharge), a full-time Level 5 collector earning $60,174 annually would pay about $8,849 in tax plus $1,203 Medicare levy, leaving roughly $50,122 take-home. For a Level 7 qualified collector earning $64,553, take-home is about $53,400. These are estimates only.