Minimum pay rates for physiotherapists under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020, including base rates, casual rates, penalty rates, and classification levels.
Last verified: 21 May 2026Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (MA000027)
Physiotherapists assess, diagnose, and treat movement disorders and physical conditions. They work in hospitals, private practices, sports clinics, and aged care facilities.
$31.35
Base rate/hr
$39.19
Casual rate/hr
Hourly (Full-Time)
$31.35
Hourly (Casual)
$39.19
Weekly (38hrs)
$1,191.30
Annual (Full-Time)
$61,947.60
Physiotherapists in Australia are generally covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (MA000027). This Modern Award sets out the minimum terms and conditions of employment including pay rates, hours of work, rosters, breaks, allowances, penalty rates, and overtime.
Some physiotherapists may be covered by an enterprise agreement instead, which must provide conditions that are at least as favourable as the award overall (the Better Off Overall Test).
View full Health Professionals and Support Services Award pay rates →
| Level | Description | Base Rate/hr | Casual Rate/hr | Weekly (38hrs) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 (Year 1) | Graduate physiotherapist | $31.35 | $39.19 | $1,191.30 | $61,947.60 |
| Level 1 (Year 4+) | Experienced physiotherapist | $33.42 | $41.78 | $1,269.96 | $66,037.92 |
| Level 2 | Senior physiotherapist / specialist | $35.50 | $44.38 | $1,349.00 | $70,148.00 |
| Level 3 | Principal physiotherapist / clinic lead | $37.80 | $47.25 | $1,436.40 | $74,692.80 |
Rates effective from 1 July 2025. Casual rate includes 25% loading.
Casual physiotherapists receive a 25% casual loading on top of the base hourly rate, increasing the minimum from $31.35/hr to $39.19/hr.
The casual loading compensates for not receiving paid annual leave, personal leave, notice of termination, or redundancy pay. Over a full year, a casual physiotherapist working 38 hours per week would earn $77,439.44 (before tax and penalty rates).
From 1 July 2024, casual employees who have worked regular hours for at least 6 months can request conversion to permanent employment. Check your casual conversion eligibility →
Part-time physiotherapists receive the same hourly rate as full-time employees ($31.35/hr) but work fewer than 38 hours per week on a regular, agreed pattern. Part-time employees receive all the same entitlements as full-time employees (annual leave, personal leave, notice, redundancy) on a pro-rata basis.
Penalty rates apply when physiotherapists work on Saturdays, Sundays, or public holidays. Rates shown are for Level 1 permanent employees ($31.35/hr base).
Saturday
$47.03/hr
1.5x base
Sunday
$62.70/hr
2x base
Public Holiday
$78.38/hr
2.5x base
Casual employees may receive different penalty rate multipliers. Check the full award pay rates for detailed penalty rate tables.
Physiotherapists in private practice are sometimes underpaid through sham contracting arrangements or flat-rate pay that doesn't account for weekend and evening clinics.
If you earn less than $31.35/hr as a full-time or part-time physiotherapist, or less than $39.19/hr as a casual, you may be underpaid. You can claim up to 6 years of back pay.
| Job Title | Base Rate | Casual Rate | Annual (FT) | Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physiotherapist | $31.35/hr | $39.19/hr | $61,947.60 | MA000027 |
| Dental Assistant | $24.73/hr | $30.91/hr | $48,866.48 | MA000027 |
| Psychologist | $33.42/hr | $41.78/hr | $66,037.92 | MA000027 |
| Dental Receptionist | $25.15/hr | $31.44/hr | $49,696.40 | MA000027 |
The minimum hourly rate for a physiotherapist in Australia is $31.35/hr for full-time/part-time employees and $39.19/hr for casuals (including 25% loading) under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020. Actual rates may be higher depending on classification level, experience, and any enterprise agreement that applies.
Under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (MA000027), the minimum wage for a physiotherapist starts at $31.35/hr (Level 1 adult rate). This equates to $1,191.30/week or $61,947.60/year for a standard 38-hour week. The national minimum wage is $24.95/hr.
Physiotherapists in Australia are generally covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (MA000027). This award sets out minimum pay rates, penalty rates, allowances, and other working conditions. Some physiotherapists may be covered by an enterprise agreement instead, which must meet or exceed the award.
A casual physiotherapist receives $39.19/hr, which includes the 25% casual loading on top of the $31.35/hr base rate. The casual loading compensates for not receiving paid leave and other permanent employment benefits.
Under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020, physiotherapists receive: Saturday 1.5x ($47.03/hr), Sunday 2x ($62.70/hr), and Public Holiday 2.5x ($78.38/hr) at Level 1 rates.
Embed this calculator on your site — free
One line of HTML. Auto-updates with the latest Australian rates. Click to copy the code.
Copy & paste into any HR blog, payroll docs, intranet, or CMS.
<iframe
src="https://fairworkmate.com.au/embed/pay-rates?partner=YOUR_NAME"
width="100%"
height="700"
frameborder="0"
loading="lazy"
title="Physiotherapist Pay Rate Australia 2026 by FairWork Mate"
style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:8px;max-width:680px;"
></iframe>YOUR_NAME with your site identifier for attribution (optional).“I'm using the Physiotherapist Pay Rate Australia 2026 on FairWork Mate. Walk me through what this typically tells me and what I should do next.”
Ask FairWork Mate AI →
Get notified when rates change
Free alerts when minimum wage, award rates, or workplace laws are updated.
Free forever. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Stuck on your numbers?
Ask our AI advisor — it'll talk you through your specific situation in seconds.
FairWork Mate is an independent commercial service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Fair Work Commission, or any Australian Government agency. Content is general information and estimates only — not legal, financial, or tax advice. Always verify with the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified professional.
Complete guide to modern award pay rates for 2025-26. Covers the 3.75% increase, how to find your award, minimum wage levels, penalty rates, overtime, and allowances under the Fair Work system.
KFC Australia Pay Rates 2026: Crew Member to Manager PayKFC Australia hourly rates 2026 — crew member, cook, team leader, and manager pay under the Fast Food Industry Award. Junior rates and weekend penalties.
Coles Pay Rates 2026: Award Rates by Age, Casual & Penalty RatesWhat Coles workers should be getting paid in 2026. Full breakdown of hourly rates by age, casual loading, weekend and public holiday penalty rates under the General Retail Industry Award.
Free tools surface the issue. Our partners help you solve it.
Authorised Employment Hero Partner
Australian HR, payroll, rostering and award interpretation in one platform. Used by 300,000+ businesses. Fixes the underlying payroll/compliance issues our calculators surface.
Best for: SMEs that have outgrown spreadsheet payroll or want automated award interpretation.
See Employment HeroAuthorised Lawpath Partner
Register an ABN, form a Pty Ltd, or grab an ongoing legal plan. 400,000+ Australian businesses use Lawpath for fast, fixed-price legal admin without the $400/hr solicitor bill.
Best for: contractors, sole traders, scaling businesses, anyone forming a company.
See LawpathAffiliate partners — commissions fund the free tools on this site. We only recommend partners we've vetted as a good fit for Australian workplaces.