What a registered nurse salary looks like after super and tax
Registered nurse salary guide: median weekly earnings $2,192, index 105.2. Award rates, super guarantee 12%, and tax explained for Australian nurses.
The median full-time registered nurse salary sits at an index of about 105.2, slightly above the national line of 100.
Registered nurse salary: where it sits on the index
If you're looking up a registered nurse salary in Australia, the most reliable starting point is the median full-time figure. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (May 2025, via Jobs and Skills Australia), the median weekly earnings for full-time registered nurses are $2,192. That annualises to $113,984 — about 5.2% above the national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $108,352 (the index line of 100). On the Salary Index, that gives a score of 105.2.
That index number matters because it lets you compare any pay figure to the national benchmark. A registered nurse on median earnings earns more than the average worker across all occupations (index 100), but less than, say, a mining worker (index 154.7) or a professional in scientific services (index 114.7). The health care and social assistance industry as a whole sits at index 97.8, so registered nurses tend to earn above their industry average.
Award minimums: the legal floor
Under the Nurses Award 2020 (Fair Work Ombudsman), minimum hourly rates for registered nurses range from $32.09 (Level 1, Pay point 1) to $71.23 (Level 5, Grade 6) as at 1 August 2026. These are the legal minimums — many nurses are covered by enterprise agreements that pay more. For aged care, separate rates apply: a Level 1 registered nurse in their first year earns at least $41.36/hr, while a Level 5 earns $71.35/hr.
The Fair Work Ombudsman notes that the award was updated after the Work Value Case, with phased increases from March 2025, October 2025, and August 2026. If you're checking your pay, always look at the latest pay guides for your classification.
Gross pay, super, and tax
Let's run the numbers on a median registered nurse salary. Gross annual pay: $113,984. Superannuation guarantee at 12% (from 1 July 2026) adds $13,678, paid by your employer into your super fund. That brings total remuneration to $127,662, but the super isn't accessible until retirement.
On the tax side, using 2026–27 resident rates (excluding Medicare):
- Income tax: approximately $27,847
- Medicare levy (2%): $2,280
- Total tax: $30,127
- Take-home pay: $83,857 per year, or about $1,613 per week
These figures assume you claim the tax-free threshold and have no HELP debt, salary sacrifice, or Medicare levy surcharge. Your actual take-home will vary.
How location affects the index
State indexes show where earnings typically sit relative to the national line. For example:
- New South Wales index 101.2
- Victoria index 98.0
- Western Australia index 106.9
- ACT index 109.9
A registered nurse working in WA or the ACT might earn above the national median, while those in Tasmania (index 88.6) or South Australia (94.6) may see lower typical pay. However, award rates are national — the difference comes from enterprise agreements, market conditions, and cost-of-living adjustments.
What this means for your pay check
The registered nurse salary you see on a job ad or award table is gross — before tax and before super. To understand your real buying power, you need to subtract tax and add super (which you can't spend now). The index helps you see where you stand against the national average. At 105.2, a registered nurse on median earnings is doing slightly better than the typical full-time worker, but not by a huge margin.
If you're negotiating a pay rise or changing jobs, compare your offer to both the award minimum and the median. Use the how the index works page to calculate your own index score. And remember: the award is a floor, not a ceiling.
Industry context
The health care and social assistance industry index is 97.8 — below the national line. That means the average worker in that industry earns slightly less than the all-industries average. Registered nurses, however, tend to earn above that industry average, likely because of skill shortages and specialised roles. Other industries like retail trade (index 75.9) or accommodation and food services (72.5) sit much lower.
For more on related topics, see our guides on nurses award pay and how super works.
Questions people ask
What is the average registered nurse salary in Australia?
The median full-time weekly earnings for registered nurses are $2,192, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (May 2025 data reported by Jobs and Skills Australia). That works out to about $113,984 per year before tax. On the Salary Index, where 100 is the national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $108,352, a registered nurse on that median sits at index 105.2. Award minimums start lower, around $32–$71 per hour depending on level and experience.
How does superannuation affect a registered nurse's total pay?
From 1 July 2026, the superannuation guarantee is 12% of ordinary-time earnings, paid on top of your salary. For a registered nurse earning the median $113,984, that adds about $13,678 in super contributions each year, bringing total remuneration to roughly $127,662. The super is paid into a fund and generally not accessible until retirement. It's separate from the gross pay shown on your payslip.
What tax will a registered nurse pay on their salary?
Using 2026–27 resident tax rates (excluding Medicare levy), a registered nurse earning $113,984 would pay an estimated $27,847 in income tax, plus a 2% Medicare levy ($2,280), for total tax of about $30,127. That leaves a take-home pay of roughly $83,857 per year, or about $1,613 per week. These figures assume the tax-free threshold and no HELP debt, salary sacrifice, or Medicare levy surcharge.