Nursing Pay Rates 2026-27
Minimum pay rates for nursing workers in Australia under the Nurses Award. Updated 1 July 2026.
Last verified: 2 August 2026Nursing Minimum Pay Rate
Nurses Award 2020 (MA000034)
$27.65
Base rate/hr
$34.56
Casual rate/hr
The minimum pay rate for nursing workers is $27.65/hr under the Nurses Award. Casuals receive $34.56/hr (base + 25% loading). Rates effective from 1 July 2026.
Nurses are among the highest-paid award workers in Australia, and rightly so. Whether you're an enrolled nurse, registered nurse, or nurse practitioner, the Nurses Award sets out your minimum rates. With shift work being the norm, penalty rates make a real difference to your take-home pay.
Nursing Classification Rates
| Level | Classification | Base Rate/hr | Casual Rate/hr | Annual (38hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing Assistant Yr 1 | Nursing Assistant — 1st year | $27.65 | $34.56 | $54,636.40 |
| Nursing Assistant Yr 2 | Nursing Assistant — 2nd year | $28.09 | $35.11 | $55,505.84 |
| Nursing Assistant Yr 3+ | Nursing Assistant — 3rd year and thereafter | $28.54 | $35.68 | $56,395.04 |
| Nursing Assistant (Cert III) | Nursing Assistant — experienced (Certificate III) | $29.45 | $36.81 | $58,193.20 |
| Student EN <21 | Student Enrolled Nurse — under 21 | $25.69 | $32.11 | $50,763.44 |
| Student EN 21+ | Student Enrolled Nurse — 21 and over | $26.97 | $33.71 | $53,292.72 |
| EN Pay Point 1 | Enrolled Nurse — pay point 1 | $30.00 | $37.50 | $59,280.00 |
| EN Pay Point 2 | Enrolled Nurse — pay point 2 | $30.39 | $37.99 | $60,050.64 |
| EN Pay Point 3 | Enrolled Nurse — pay point 3 | $30.80 | $38.50 | $60,860.80 |
| EN Pay Point 4 | Enrolled Nurse — pay point 4 | $31.24 | $39.05 | $61,730.24 |
| EN Pay Point 5 | Enrolled Nurse — pay point 5 | $31.56 | $39.45 | $62,362.56 |
| RN 4yr Degree Entry | Registered Nurse — 4 year degree entry rate | $33.51 | $41.89 | $66,215.76 |
| RN Masters Entry | Registered Nurse — masters degree entry rate | $34.66 | $43.33 | $68,488.16 |
| RN Level 1.1 | Registered Nurse Level 1, pay point 1 | $32.09 | $40.11 | $63,409.84 |
| RN Level 1.2 | Registered Nurse Level 1, pay point 2 | $32.75 | $40.94 | $64,714.00 |
| RN Level 1.3 | Registered Nurse Level 1, pay point 3 | $33.55 | $41.94 | $66,294.80 |
| RN Level 1.4 | Registered Nurse Level 1, pay point 4 | $34.45 | $43.06 | $68,073.20 |
| RN Level 1.5 | Registered Nurse Level 1, pay point 5 | $35.51 | $44.39 | $70,167.76 |
| RN Level 1.6 | Registered Nurse Level 1, pay point 6 | $36.53 | $45.66 | $72,183.28 |
| RN Level 1.7 | Registered Nurse Level 1, pay point 7 | $37.59 | $46.99 | $74,277.84 |
| RN Level 1.8+ | Registered Nurse Level 1, pay point 8 and thereafter | $38.57 | $48.21 | $76,214.32 |
| RN Level 2.1 | Registered Nurse Level 2, pay point 1 | $39.59 | $49.49 | $78,229.84 |
| RN Level 2.2 | Registered Nurse Level 2, pay point 2 | $40.22 | $50.28 | $79,474.72 |
| RN Level 2.3 | Registered Nurse Level 2, pay point 3 | $40.92 | $51.15 | $80,857.92 |
| RN Level 2.4+ | Registered Nurse Level 2, pay point 4 and thereafter | $41.59 | $51.99 | $82,181.84 |
| RN Level 3.1 | Registered Nurse Level 3, pay point 1 | $42.93 | $53.66 | $84,829.68 |
| RN Level 3.2 | Registered Nurse Level 3, pay point 2 | $43.71 | $54.64 | $86,370.96 |
| RN Level 3.3 | Registered Nurse Level 3, pay point 3 | $44.47 | $55.59 | $87,872.72 |
| RN Level 3.4+ | Registered Nurse Level 3, pay point 4 and thereafter | $45.27 | $56.59 | $89,453.52 |
| RN Level 4 Grade 1 | Registered Nurse Level 4, grade 1 | $48.99 | $61.24 | $96,804.24 |
| RN Level 4 Grade 2 | Registered Nurse Level 4, grade 2 | $52.50 | $65.63 | $103,740.00 |
| RN Level 4 Grade 3 | Registered Nurse Level 4, grade 3 | $55.57 | $69.46 | $109,806.32 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 1 | Registered Nurse Level 5, grade 1 | $49.44 | $61.80 | $97,693.44 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 2 | Registered Nurse Level 5, grade 2 | $52.06 | $65.08 | $102,870.56 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 3 | Registered Nurse Level 5, grade 3 | $55.57 | $69.46 | $109,806.32 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 4 | Registered Nurse Level 5, grade 4 | $59.03 | $73.79 | $116,643.28 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 5 | Registered Nurse Level 5, grade 5 | $65.11 | $81.39 | $128,657.36 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 6 | Registered Nurse Level 5, grade 6 | $71.23 | $89.04 | $140,750.48 |
| Nurse Practitioner Yr 1 | Nurse Practitioner — 1st year | $49.39 | $61.74 | $97,594.64 |
| Nurse Practitioner Yr 2+ | Nurse Practitioner — 2nd year and thereafter | $50.86 | $63.58 | $100,499.36 |
Rates effective from 1 July 2026 under the Nurses Award 2020. Casual rates include 25% loading.
Casual Nursing Pay Rates
Casual workers get a 25% loading on top of the base rate. This compensates for no paid leave, no notice period, and no redundancy pay. Here's what that looks like for each level:
| Level | Base Rate | + 25% Loading | Casual Rate/hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing Assistant Yr 1 | $27.65 | +$6.91 | $34.56 |
| Nursing Assistant Yr 2 | $28.09 | +$7.02 | $35.11 |
| Nursing Assistant Yr 3+ | $28.54 | +$7.14 | $35.68 |
| Nursing Assistant (Cert III) | $29.45 | +$7.36 | $36.81 |
| Student EN <21 | $25.69 | +$6.42 | $32.11 |
| Student EN 21+ | $26.97 | +$6.74 | $33.71 |
| EN Pay Point 1 | $30.00 | +$7.50 | $37.50 |
| EN Pay Point 2 | $30.39 | +$7.60 | $37.99 |
| EN Pay Point 3 | $30.80 | +$7.70 | $38.50 |
| EN Pay Point 4 | $31.24 | +$7.81 | $39.05 |
| EN Pay Point 5 | $31.56 | +$7.89 | $39.45 |
| RN 4yr Degree Entry | $33.51 | +$8.38 | $41.89 |
| RN Masters Entry | $34.66 | +$8.67 | $43.33 |
| RN Level 1.1 | $32.09 | +$8.02 | $40.11 |
| RN Level 1.2 | $32.75 | +$8.19 | $40.94 |
| RN Level 1.3 | $33.55 | +$8.39 | $41.94 |
| RN Level 1.4 | $34.45 | +$8.61 | $43.06 |
| RN Level 1.5 | $35.51 | +$8.88 | $44.39 |
| RN Level 1.6 | $36.53 | +$9.13 | $45.66 |
| RN Level 1.7 | $37.59 | +$9.40 | $46.99 |
| RN Level 1.8+ | $38.57 | +$9.64 | $48.21 |
| RN Level 2.1 | $39.59 | +$9.90 | $49.49 |
| RN Level 2.2 | $40.22 | +$10.06 | $50.28 |
| RN Level 2.3 | $40.92 | +$10.23 | $51.15 |
| RN Level 2.4+ | $41.59 | +$10.40 | $51.99 |
| RN Level 3.1 | $42.93 | +$10.73 | $53.66 |
| RN Level 3.2 | $43.71 | +$10.93 | $54.64 |
| RN Level 3.3 | $44.47 | +$11.12 | $55.59 |
| RN Level 3.4+ | $45.27 | +$11.32 | $56.59 |
| RN Level 4 Grade 1 | $48.99 | +$12.25 | $61.24 |
| RN Level 4 Grade 2 | $52.50 | +$13.13 | $65.63 |
| RN Level 4 Grade 3 | $55.57 | +$13.89 | $69.46 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 1 | $49.44 | +$12.36 | $61.80 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 2 | $52.06 | +$13.02 | $65.08 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 3 | $55.57 | +$13.89 | $69.46 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 4 | $59.03 | +$14.76 | $73.79 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 5 | $65.11 | +$16.28 | $81.39 |
| RN Level 5 Grade 6 | $71.23 | +$17.81 | $89.04 |
| Nurse Practitioner Yr 1 | $49.39 | +$12.35 | $61.74 |
| Nurse Practitioner Yr 2+ | $50.86 | +$12.72 | $63.58 |
Nursing Penalty Rates
Penalty rates are calculated on the base rate (Level 1: $27.65/hr). Casual employees receive penalty rates on their base rate before casual loading is applied.
Saturday
$41.47/hr
1.5x base
Sunday
$48.39/hr
1.75x base
Public Holiday
$55.30/hr
2x base
| Penalty Type | Multiplier | Level 1 Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 1.5x | $41.47/hr |
| Sunday | 1.75x | $48.39/hr |
| Public Holiday | 2x | $55.30/hr |
| Afternoon Shift | 1.125x | $31.11/hr |
| Night Shift | 1.15x | $31.80/hr |
| Overtime (first 2 hours) | 1.5x | $41.47/hr |
| Overtime (after 2 hours) | 2x | $55.30/hr |
Full Nurses Award Details
View the complete Nurses Award including all classification levels, break rules, allowances, and more.
View Full Nurses Award Pay Rates →Getting Paid Less Than This?
If your payslip shows less than $27.65/hr (or $34.56/hr casual), you might be getting underpaid. It happens more than you'd think in nursing. Use our underpaid checker to calculate what you're actually owed.
Check If You're Underpaid →Pay Rates by Industry
Nursing Pay Rates FAQ
What is the minimum pay rate for nurses in 2026?
A Registered Nurse Level 1.1 earns a minimum of $32.09/hr base ($40.11/hr casual) under the Nurses Award. Enrolled nurses start at $30.00/hr. An RN Level 3 earns $42.93/hr base.
Do nurses get shift loadings?
Yes. Afternoon shifts attract a 12.5% loading and night shifts get 15% on top of your base rate. Saturday is 1.5x, Sunday is 1.75x, and public holidays pay 2.5x.
What is the difference between enrolled nurse and registered nurse pay?
Enrolled nurses (EN) start at $30.00/hr under the Nurses Award. Registered nurses (RN) start at $32.09/hr — about $2/hr more. The gap reflects the additional qualifications required for RN registration.
Are nurses covered by enterprise agreements or the award?
Many nurses in public hospitals work under enterprise agreements that pay above-award rates. Private sector and aged care nurses are more likely to be on the Nurses Award minimum. Always check whether your workplace has an EA.
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General information and estimates only — not legal, financial or tax advice. Always check your specific award, agreement or contract, or a qualified professional, before you rely on the result.