Teacher salary Victoria: what you can earn in 2026

Teacher salary Victoria: what you can earn in 2026

When people search for "teacher salary Victoria", they usually want to know how much a teacher can expect to earn in this state, and how that compares to other jobs or other parts of Australia. The answer depends on experience, school sector, and whether you work in a school or a long day care centre. Let's break it down using the latest public information from the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Victorian Government.

Award minimums vs actual pay

The legal minimum for teachers in Victoria comes from the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020, which covers most teachers in schools, preschools, and long day care. Under this award, a full-time teacher at Level 1 (graduate) must be paid at least $75,941 per year in a preschool or school, or $78,979 in a long day care centre. At Level 5 (Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher), the minimum rises to $105,076 (school) or $109,279 (long day care). These are floors, not ceilings.

In practice, Victorian government school teachers earn more than the award. The Department of Education publishes a salary scale that shows classroom teachers (Range 1) start at $79,589 (1-1) and progress through steps to $118,063 (2-6). Leading teachers (Range 3) earn from $123,966 (3-1) to $129,544 (3-2) as of July 2025. The Victorian Government's careers page confirms that teachers earn between $78,801 and $128,262, with principals up to $236,313.

How teacher salaries fit the national index

Salary Index uses a simple benchmark: the national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings, which is $108,352 per year (index 100). Victoria's overall state index is 98, meaning the average Victorian worker earns about $106,137. But teachers are not average. The Education and Training industry index nationally is 105.5, so teachers tend to earn above the all-industries average.

Let's put some Victorian teacher salaries on the index:

• Graduate teacher (Range 1-1): $79,589 → index 73.5
• Experienced classroom teacher (Range 2-6): $118,063 → index 109.0
• Leading teacher (Range 3-2): $129,544 → index 119.6

So a new graduate is below the national line, but after a few years most teachers cross it. Experienced and leading teachers are comfortably above.

State and industry differences

Victoria's index of 98 is slightly below the national average, but that doesn't mean all jobs pay less. The state's education sector is a major employer, and teacher salaries here are competitive with other states. For comparison, New South Wales has an index of 101.2, Queensland 97.9, and Western Australia 106.9. Teacher pay in Victoria is broadly similar to NSW for government schools, though exact scales differ.

Within Victoria, the type of employer matters. Teachers in long day care centres get a 4% loading under the award because they work longer daily hours and have fewer school holidays. Independent and Catholic schools often have their own enterprise agreements that may pay above the award or government scale, especially for experienced teachers.

What about super and tax?

From 1 July 2026, the superannuation guarantee is 12% of ordinary earnings, paid on top of the salary. So a teacher earning $100,000 would have $12,000 contributed to super. The maximum contribution base is $270,830, so most teachers will get the full 12% on their entire salary.

For a resident teacher earning $100,000 in 2026–27, the tax (including Medicare levy) would be roughly $24,267, leaving about $75,733 take-home plus super. This is a rough estimate; HELP repayments or salary sacrificing can change it.

Where to find more

If you're comparing teacher salaries across Australia, check the states page for state-by-state indices. For a deeper look at how the index works, see how the index works. And for more on education industry pay, visit industries.

Bottom line

Teacher salary Victoria ranges from about $79,000 for a first-year teacher to over $129,000 for a leading teacher. Most experienced teachers earn above the national index of 100, and the education industry as a whole pays above the all-industries average. The award sets a floor, but actual pay in government schools is higher and varies by experience and role.