Salary of nurse in Australia per hour: award rates, median earnings, and what you take home

What is the salary of nurse in Australia per hour?

When you search for the salary of nurse in Australia per hour, the answer depends on experience, classification, and whether you look at award minimums or actual median earnings. Nurses in Australia are covered by the Nurses Award 2020, which sets minimum hourly rates, while broader surveys show what nurses actually earn. This article explains both, using data from the Fair Work Ombudsman and Jobs and Skills Australia, and shows how super and tax affect your pocket.

Award minimum rates under the Nurses Award

The Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034) applies to most nurses and assistants in the private sector and some public sector roles. The award sets minimum hourly rates for dozens of classifications. For example, a Registered Nurse Level 1 Pay Point 1 earns $32.09 per hour from August 2026. That’s well above the national minimum wage of $26.44 per hour. More experienced nurses earn more: a Level 3 Pay Point 4 nurse gets $45.27 per hour, and a Nurse Practitioner in the first year gets $49.39 per hour. The highest classification in the award, Level 5 Grade 6, pays $71.23 per hour.

These rates are for full-time and part-time employees not working in aged care. Aged care employees have slightly different rates, generally a few dollars higher. For instance, a Registered Nurse Level 1 first year in aged care earns $41.36 per hour. The award also specifies penalty rates for Saturday (time-and-a-half), Sunday (double-time), and public holidays (double-time-and-a-half).

Median earnings for registered nurses

While award rates are the floor, most nurses earn more. According to Jobs and Skills Australia, the median full-time weekly earnings for registered nurses (non-managerial) is $2,192. That translates to a median hourly rate of $57 for a 38-hour week. This is significantly above the award minimum and above the national all-occupations median of $1,852 per week. On the Salary Index, where 100 equals full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $2,083.70 per week, the median nurse earns an index of about 105. That means the typical registered nurse earns 5% above the national line.

How superannuation adds to your pay

Superannuation guarantee contributions are 12% of ordinary time earnings from 1 July 2026. This is paid by your employer on top of your gross hourly rate. So if your base rate is $32.09 per hour, your employer also contributes $3.85 per hour to your super fund. Over a year, that adds up. For a nurse earning the median $57 per hour, the super contribution is about $6.84 per hour, or $13,516 per year on a full-time salary. Super is not included in the hourly rate you see on your payslip, but it’s part of your total remuneration package.

Tax and take-home pay

Your take-home pay depends on your total gross income and the tax rates for 2026–27. For a resident, tax is nil on the first $18,200, then 15% up to $45,000, 30% up to $135,000, 37% up to $190,000, and 45% above that. Plus a 2% Medicare levy. Using the median nurse salary of $112,632 (based on $57/hour, 38 hours, 52 weeks), the estimated tax is about $27,500 and Medicare levy $2,253, leaving take-home of roughly $82,879 per year, or $1,594 per week. If you earn the award minimum for a Level 1 nurse ($32.09/hour, annual $63,386), take-home is about $50,700 per year. These estimates ignore HELP debts, salary sacrifice, or the Medicare levy surcharge.

Comparing across states and industries

Nurses work predominantly in Health Care and Social Assistance, an industry with a Salary Index of 97.8 – slightly below the national line. But within that industry, nurses are above average. State indexes vary: for example, Western Australia has an index of 106.9, so nurses there may earn more, while Tasmania’s index is 88.6. However, award rates are national, so differences come from enterprise agreements or market pressures. You can explore state comparisons on our states page.

How the salary index helps

The Salary Index compares any gross annual pay to the national line of $108,352 (the annualised full-time adult ordinary-time earnings). A nurse earning the median $112,632 has an index of 104. A nurse on the award minimum of $63,386 has an index of 58.5. This puts the award minimum well below the national line, but remember that most nurses progress beyond that level quickly. The index is a useful benchmark to see where a pay rate sits relative to the average worker.

Key takeaways

The salary of nurse in Australia per hour ranges from about $32 for a new graduate under the award to over $70 for senior specialists. The median registered nurse earns $57 per hour, which is above the national average. Super adds 12% on top, and tax reduces take-home by roughly a quarter to a third depending on income. For the most up-to-date award rates, check the pay guides on the Fair Work Ombudsman site. If you’re comparing job offers, use the salary index to see how they stack up against the national line.