Minimum rates for the Nurses Award (MA000034) from 1 July 2026: 56 classifications on 42 distinct hourly rates, with casual and weekend rates.
This page lists the minimum pay rates under the Nurses Award, set out by classification and pay point. For each role you can see the base hourly and weekly minimum, the casual rate, and penalty rates for shift work, weekends and public holidays.
The Nurses Award covers nursing and personal care staff employed across the health sector, including public and private hospitals, aged care, medical practices, community health and occupational health settings. It applies to nursing assistants and assistants in nursing, enrolled nurses, registered nurses, nurse practitioners and occupational health nurses. The classifications follow the recognised nursing structure, with pay points that increase as a nurse gains experience and moves through the levels, from student and enrolled roles up to senior and clinical registered nurses. Doctors, allied health professionals and many general aged care support staff are covered by different awards.
Pay rates by classification
Full-time minimum rates, Nurses Award, from 1 July 2026. Annual is weekly × 52.14 unless the pay database publishes a salary.
Classification
Hourly
Weekly
Annual
Casual/hr
Student enrolled nurse—other than aged care employees
Adult rates in the Nurses Award run from $26.97 an hour (Student enrolled nurse — 21 years of age and over) to $71.23 (Registered nurse — level 5 — grade 6), a spread of $44.26 an hour or 164.1%, $1,682.20 a week full-time.
The award’s 56 classifications in this dataset share 42 distinct hourly rates.
A casual Student enrolled nurse — 21 years of age and over is paid $33.71 an hour, 25% above the full-time hourly rate, in place of paid leave.
What changed on 1 July 2026
For the entry classification, Student enrolled nurse — 21 years of age and over:
The hourly rate rose $1.23 (4.8%) from $25.74 on 30 June 2026 to $26.97, and the full-time weekly rate rose $46.50.
Penalty rates
Full-time and part-time rate for Student enrolled nurse — 21 years of age and over, as a percentage of the minimum hourly rate, against the median of the awards on this site
Day
Nurses
Median
Rank
Saturday
150%
150%
2 of 19
Sunday
175%
187.5%
11 of 20
Public holiday
200%
250%
21 of 22
The Sunday rate of 175% is lower than the median of 187.5% across the 20 awards with a Sunday rate for their entry classification, and ranks 11th.
The public holiday rate of 200% is lower than the median of 250% across the 22 awards with a public holiday rate for their entry classification, and ranks 21st.
The Nurses Award entry rate is $0.84 an hour lower than the Pharmacy Industry Award entry rate of $27.81.
The Nurses Award entry rate is $0.80 an hour lower than the Aged Care Award entry rate of $27.77.
The Nurses Award entry rate is $0.31 an hour lower than the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award entry rate of $27.28.
Allowances
The pay database lists 3 wage-related allowances and 7 expense-related allowances for this award. All-purpose allowances count towards penalty rates, overtime and leave.
Allowances, Nurses Award
Allowance
Amount
Paid
All-purpose
On-call allowance—between rostered shifts or ordinary hours on—Monday to Friday inclusive
$28.66
per 24-hour period or part thereof
no
On-call allowance—between rostered shifts or ordinary hours on—Saturday
$43.17
per 24-hour period or part thereof
no
On-call allowance—between rostered shifts or ordinary hours on—Sunday, public holiday or non-rostered day
$50.37
per 24-hour period or part thereof
no
Uniform allowance, the lesser of—per shift or part thereof
$1.26
per shift or part thereof
no
Uniform allowance, the lesser of—per week
$6.41
per week
no
Laundry allowance, the lesser of—per shift or part thereof
$0.33
per shift or part thereof
no
Laundry allowance, the lesser of—per week
$1.53
per week
no
Meal allowances—overtime
$17.30
per occasion
no
Meal allowances—further meal allowance where overtime exceeds 4 hours