Child care salary: award rates and where they sit on the Australian salary index
See how child care salary under the Children's Services Award compares to the national line. Award rates range from index 48 to 84, well below the average.
Child care salaries under the Children's Services Award range from an index of about 48 to 84, well below the national average of 100.
What is a typical child care salary in Australia?
When people ask about a child care salary, they usually want to know what a child care worker actually takes home. The answer isn't straightforward because there is no single published median figure for the occupation. Instead, the best public benchmark comes from the Children's Services Award 2010, which sets legal minimum rates for most workers in long day care, preschools, out-of-school-hours care, and similar settings.
This article explains where those award rates sit on the Salary Index, a tool that compares any gross yearly wage to the national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings (index 100 = $108,352 per year as of May 2026).
Award minimums for child care employees
The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes the Children's Services Award 2010, updated to include the 4.75% increase from the Annual Wage Review 2026. The award has eight classification levels for children's services employees (CSE), plus separate rates for support workers.
Key full-time weekly rates (38 hours):
- Level 1 – Introductory Educator: $1,094.80 per week ($28.81/hr)
- Level 2 – Educator: $1,128.40 ($29.69/hr)
- Level 3 – Qualified Educator (standard rate): $1,233.90 ($32.47/hr)
- Level 4 – Experienced Educator: $1,316.70 ($34.65/hr)
- Level 5 – Advanced Educator: $1,389.50 ($36.57/hr)
- Level 6 – Room Leader: $1,453.50 ($38.25/hr)
- Level 7 – Assistant Director: $1,519.90 ($40.00/hr)
- Level 8 – Director: $1,752.70 ($46.12/hr)
Support workers (e.g. kitchen hands, cleaners not required to hold an ECEC qualification) start at $1,004.90 per week ($26.44/hr) for Level 1.1, rising to $1,119.10 ($29.45/hr) for Level 3.1.
Where child care salary sits on the index
To put these numbers in context, the national line (index 100) is $2,083.70 per week. Here’s how the award rates compare:
- Support worker Level 1.1: $1,004.90 → index 48.2 (equal to the national minimum wage)
- Level 3 Qualified Educator: $1,233.90 → index 59.2
- Level 6 Room Leader: $1,453.50 → index 69.8
- Level 8 Director: $1,752.70 → index 84.1
Even the highest award classification sits well below the national average. For comparison, the Education and Training industry index is 105.5, and Health care and social assistance is 97.8. Child care workers, despite being essential, are paid significantly less than the typical worker in those sectors.
Casual and part-time realities
Only 46% of child care workers work full-time hours, according to Jobs and Skills Australia. The average full-time week is 39 hours, slightly above the award standard of 38. Many workers are part-time or casual.
Casual employees get a 25% loading on the hourly rate. For a Level 3 Qualified Educator, that means $40.59 per hour. But casual work often means irregular hours and no paid leave, so annual earnings can be lower than the full-time weekly rate suggests.
Junior rates
Junior employees (under 21) in Level 1 or Level 2 classifications are paid a percentage of the adult Level 2 rate ($1,128.40/week). For example, a 17-year-old gets 70% = $789.88/week (index 37.9). The award does not allow junior rates for Level 3, 4, or 5 roles – those must be paid the adult rate regardless of age.
Superannuation and tax
From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% on top of wages. For a Level 3 Qualified Educator earning $64,163 per year, the employer must contribute about $7,700 to super. Tax on that salary (2026–27 rates, including 2% Medicare levy) would be roughly $8,600, leaving a take-home of about $55,500. That’s an index of about 51 after tax – a reminder that the salary index uses gross figures.
Why no median market rate?
The Australian Bureau of Statistics and Jobs and Skills Australia do not publish median weekly earnings for child care workers (ANZSCO 421111) because the sample size is too small for a reliable estimate. This means the award rates are the only public benchmark. Some employers may pay above award, especially for experienced room leaders or directors, but there is no transparent data to confirm typical market rates.
How the salary index helps
The Salary Index lets you compare any pay figure to the national line. For child care salary, the award floor starts at index 48 (national minimum wage) and tops out at index 84 for a director. Most qualified educators sit around index 59. That’s roughly 40% below the national average – a gap worth understanding when negotiating or evaluating job offers.
For more context, see our pay guides for other industries, or check how your state compares on the states page.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum hourly rate for a child care worker under the award?
Under the Children's Services Award 2010, the minimum hourly rate ranges from $26.44 for a support worker Level 1.1 to $46.12 for a Director Level 8. The most common classification, a Level 3 Qualified Educator, is paid $32.47 per hour. Casual workers get an extra 25% loading, making their minimum $40.59 per hour.
How does child care salary compare to the national average?
The national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings (index 100) is $2,083.70 per week. A Level 3 Qualified Educator at $1,233.90 per week has an index of about 59, meaning they earn roughly 59% of the national average. Even the highest award classification (Director Level 8 at $1,752.70) sits at index 84, still below the national line.
Do child care workers get superannuation and what about tax?
Yes, employers must pay superannuation guarantee of 12% on top of wages from 1 July 2026. For a Level 3 Qualified Educator earning $1,233.90 per week, the super contribution would be about $148 per week. Tax is withheld according to the 2026–27 resident rates: nil on the first $18,200, then 15% up to $45,000, plus a 2% Medicare levy. A full-time educator earning $64,163 per year would pay roughly $8,600 in tax and Medicare.