Private school teacher salary: award rates, enterprise agreements and what you actually take home

What does "private school teacher salary" mean?

When people search for "private school teacher salary", they usually want to know how much a teacher at a non-government school earns. The answer isn't a single number because private schools range from low-fee independent schools to high-fee elite colleges, and each may have its own enterprise agreement. However, the starting point is the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020, which sets minimum rates for teachers in preschools, schools and long day care centres. Many private school teachers are covered by this award unless their school has a registered enterprise agreement that overrides it.

Award rates for teachers in schools and long day care

The Fair Work Ombudsman's pay guide (June 2026) shows five classification levels for teachers. For teachers in preschools and schools (not long day care), the weekly rates are:

• Level 1: $1,455.40 per week ($38.30 per hour)
• Level 2: $1,590.70 ($41.86)
• Level 3: $1,731.70 ($45.57)
• Level 4: $1,872.70 ($49.28)
• Level 5: $2,013.70 ($52.99)

Annualised (multiply by 52), that's $75,680 to $104,712. Against the national line of $108,352 (index 100), these range from index 70 to 97. Teachers in long day care centres have slightly higher rates, with Level 5 reaching $2,094.30 per week ($108,903 annual, index 100.5).

Independent school enterprise agreements: NSW and ACT

Private schools that are members of the Association of Independent Schools (AIS) in NSW and the ACT have a cooperative multi-enterprise agreement approved by the Fair Work Commission. The IEU NSW/ACT publishes pay tables for these schools. According to the union, teachers who started before 1 January 2025 are paid under a translocation schedule, while new teachers from 1 January 2025 use a different scale. Importantly, an Accomplished Teacher allowance of $5,203 per year applies from 1 February 2026 for existing Band 3 teachers, on top of their base salary and any leadership allowance. This means experienced private school teachers in NSW/ACT can earn well above the award minimum.

How the Salary Index helps compare

The Salary Index converts any yearly gross salary into an index where 100 equals full-time adult ordinary-time earnings ($108,352). So a teacher on award Level 3 for schools ($90,048 annual) has an index of 83. A teacher on the long day care Level 5 ($108,903) has an index of 100.5 – right at the national line. Independent school teachers on enterprise agreements often sit higher, especially with allowances. You can explore how different industries compare, or see how states like NSW (index 101.2) or ACT (index 109.9) affect the benchmark.

Gross pay, super and tax: what you actually take home

Understanding a private school teacher salary means looking beyond the base rate. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary-time earnings. For a teacher earning $90,000, that's $10,800 in super contributions (not included in take-home pay). Tax on that $90,000 (2026-27 resident rates) would be about $19,717, plus the 2% Medicare levy ($1,800), leaving roughly $68,483 after tax. If the teacher has a HELP debt or salary sacrifices, the take-home is lower. The award also includes various allowances – for leadership, educational leadership, vehicle use – that add to gross pay and are subject to super and tax.

Where to find current pay information

For award rates, the pay guides from Fair Work Ombudsman are the official source. For independent school agreements, check the IEU NSW/ACT website or the Fair Work Commission agreement database. Remember that enterprise agreements can set higher rates, so always confirm with the specific school or union. The how the index works page explains how we annualise and compare figures.

Caveats and variations

• Casual teachers are paid a higher hourly rate but are capped at Level 3 if engaged for less than five consecutive days.
• Junior teachers (under 21) may be paid a percentage of the adult rate, as set by the award or national minimum wage order.
• Private schools in other states may have different agreements – for example, Queensland independent schools have their own multi-enterprise agreement.
• The award rates shown are from July 2026; they increase annually (the 2026 increase was 4.75%).

Summary

A private school teacher salary is not a fixed number. At the award floor, a teacher earns around $75,700 (index 70). With experience and in long day care, that can reach $108,900 (index 100). Independent school teachers in NSW/ACT on enterprise agreements typically earn more, especially with the Accomplished Teacher allowance. To get a precise figure, you need to know the school, the teacher's classification, and any applicable agreement. Use the topics page to explore related pay questions.