Salary for Nurses in Australia: Award Rates vs National Minimum Wage

What does ‘salary for nurses in australia’ mean?

When you search for salary for nurses in australia, you’re usually trying to work out what a nurse can expect to earn – and how that compares with other jobs or the national minimum. The answer isn’t a single number because nursing pay depends on your classification, experience, and where you work. But we can look at two solid benchmarks: the minimum rates set by the Nurses Award 2020 and the median earnings reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

First, a quick refresher on the Salary Index. The index sets 100 as the national line for full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings – that’s $2,083.70 per week, or $108,352 a year (from ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). The national minimum wage sits at index 48.2 ($1,004.90 per week). So any job that pays more than $1,004.90 a week is above the legal floor.

Award rates: the legal minimum for nurses

The Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034) from the Fair Work Ombudsman sets minimum pay for most nurses in Australia. It covers enrolled nurses, registered nurses, and aged care employees. The award has multiple pay points within each level, so pay rises as you gain experience.

Enrolled nurses

For enrolled nurses not in aged care, the minimum hourly rate is $26.97 for those 21 and over (weekly $1,024.70). That’s already above the national minimum wage of $26.44. An enrolled nurse with a Certificate III gets $29.45 per hour. The award also has five pay points for enrolled nurses, ranging from $30.00 to $31.56 per hour.

Registered nurses

Registered nurses (Level 1) start at Pay Point 1: $32.09 per hour ($1,219.50 per week). That’s an index of about 58.5 – well above the national minimum wage index of 48.2. As you move up through the eight pay points, the rate reaches $38.57 per hour for Pay Point 8 and thereafter. Level 2 starts at $39.59, Level 3 at $42.93, and so on up to Level 5 Grade 6 at $71.23 per hour. For a full‑time nurse at the top of Level 5, that’s about $2,706.90 per week – an index of 130.

Aged care nurses have slightly different rates under the same award. For example, a registered nurse Level 1 in aged care earns $41.36 per hour in the first year, rising to $47.40 after four years.

All these award rates are minimums. Many nurses earn more through enterprise agreements or individual contracts, especially in public hospitals and private health networks.

Median earnings: what nurses actually take home

Jobs and Skills Australia reports that the median full‑time weekly earnings for registered nurses are $2,192 (from ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025). That gives a Salary Index of 105.2 – slightly above the national line. The median hourly rate is $57.00, compared to $47.00 for all occupations. So the typical nurse earns more than the average worker across all industries.

Only 56% of registered nurses work full‑time, and the average full‑time week is 41 hours. Part‑time and casual work is common, especially in aged care and community health.

Awards vs national minimum wage: the gap

The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour (index 48.2). Even the lowest award rate for a 21‑year‑old enrolled nurse ($26.97) is above that. For registered nurses, the gap is wider: a Level 1 Pay Point 1 nurse earns 21% more per hour than the national minimum. At the top of the scale, a Level 5 nurse earns nearly three times the minimum wage.

But the award is only the floor. The median nurse earns $2,192 per week, which is 118% more than the national minimum wage weekly equivalent of $1,004.90. That’s the difference between a legal minimum and what the market actually pays.

Superannuation and tax

Employers must pay superannuation at 12% of ordinary earnings (from 1 July 2026). So on a $2,192 weekly salary, that’s an extra $263 per week into your super fund. The super guarantee applies on top of the award or agreed salary.

For tax, a resident nurse earning $2,192 per week ($113,984 annualised) would fall into the 37% marginal bracket (for 2026–27, the 37% rate applies from $135,000 to $190,000). But with the tax‑free threshold and 2% Medicare levy, the effective tax rate is lower. Remember that HELP repayments, salary sacrifice, and the Medicare levy surcharge can affect take‑home pay.

Where nurses work and how it affects pay

The health care and social assistance industry has a Salary Index of 97.8, slightly below the national line. But that’s an average across all roles in the industry, including lower‑paid support workers. Nurses, as skilled professionals, typically earn above that industry average.

State‑by‑state differences also matter. The states page shows that the ACT has the highest index (109.9), while Tasmania is lowest (88.6). Nurses in the ACT or Western Australia (index 106.9) may earn more than those in South Australia (94.6) or Tasmania, though award rates are national.

The bottom line

Searching for salary for nurses in australia will give you a range, but the key numbers are:

• Award minimum: $32.09/hr for a new registered nurse (index ~58.5)
• Median full‑time: $2,192/week (index 105.2)
• Top award rate: $71.23/hr for senior registered nurses (index ~130)

All of these are above the national minimum wage. Nursing is a profession where even the entry‑level award rate pays more than the legal floor, and experienced nurses can earn well above the national average. For a deeper look at how different jobs compare, see the industries page or read about how the index works.