Childcare educator salary: where it sits on the Australian salary index

What counts as a childcare educator salary?

The term 'childcare educator' covers several roles: child care workers in long day care, family day care educators, nannies, and out of school hours care workers. The official occupation is Child Care Worker (ANZSCO 421111). Jobs and Skills Australia counts 123,800 people employed in this occupation, with a median age of 34 and 97% female. That gender split matters because the Fair Work Commission recently ruled that the work of early childhood educators has been historically undervalued due to assumptions based on gender.

Where the salary index comes in

Salary Index uses a simple benchmark: full-time adult ordinary-time earnings are set at 100. That figure is $108,352 per year (based on ABS Average Weekly Earnings of $2,083.70 per week, May 2026). Any job's index is its yearly gross divided by that line, times 100. For example, the national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, annualised to $52,255, giving an index of 48.2.

For childcare educator salary, the index is harder to calculate because the ABS does not publish median weekly earnings for this occupation. Jobs and Skills Australia explicitly states 'median weekly earnings: N/A' for Child Care Workers. That means we cannot give you a single reliable index number. But we can look at the award floor and industry context.

Award minimums and the March 2026 changes

Most childcare educators are covered by the Children's Services Award 2010. From 1 March 2026, the Fair Work Commission has introduced a new classification structure with 8 Children's Services Employee (CSE) levels, replacing the old system of 36 rates. The increases are meant to address historical underpayment. The exact new rates will be published in the updated award by 1 March 2026. Currently, the entry-level award floor is $25.74 per hour, which annualises to about $53,539 for full-time work (index 49.4). Even after the increases, childcare educator salaries are likely to remain below the national line of 100.

Part-time work and the real picture

Only 46% of Child Care Workers work full-time hours, compared to 64% across all occupations. The average full-time week is 39 hours, slightly below the all-occupations average of 44 hours. Many educators work part-time or casually, which pulls down annual earnings. Casual employees receive a loading (typically 25%), but that doesn't always make up for fewer hours. The industry index for Health Care and Social Assistance (which includes childcare) is 97.8, and for Education and Training it is 105.5, but those averages include higher-paid roles like registered nurses and teachers.

What the index might look like

If we take a typical full-time childcare educator on the award rate after the March 2026 increase (say around $30 per hour for a mid-level classification), annual earnings would be about $62,400 (index 57.6). A more experienced educator on a higher classification might reach $75,000 (index 69.2). That's still well below the national line. The state indexes show some variation: NSW is 101.2, Victoria 98, Queensland 97.9, but those are overall averages, not specific to childcare.

How to find current rates

The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes pay guides for each award, including the Children's Services Award. You can also use the Pay and Conditions Tool on their website. Remember that award rates are minimums; some employers, especially in high-demand areas, may pay above award. But the sector is known for low pay relative to qualifications and responsibility.

Super and tax considerations

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% on earnings up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. For a childcare educator earning $65,000, that's an extra $7,800 into super each year. Tax depends on your total income. For 2026–27, the tax-free threshold is $18,200, then 15% up to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, and so on. Medicare levy is 2%. A single educator earning $65,000 would pay about $10,867 in tax plus Medicare, leaving a take-home of about $54,133.

Bottom line

A precise childcare educator salary index figure isn't available because the ABS doesn't publish median earnings for this occupation. What we do know: award rates are rising from March 2026, but even after that, most educators will sit well below the national line of 100. The industry is predominantly female and part-time, and the recent Fair Work Commission decision acknowledges that the work has been undervalued. If you're comparing salaries, use the award pay guides and remember that the index is a benchmark, not a guarantee.

For more context, see how other industries compare, or read about how the index works. You can also explore topics related to pay equity and award wages.