Teachers aide and education assistant pay in Australia: what the award and state instruments set

The Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award covers employers in the school education industry throughout Australia and their employees in the classifications in Schedule A. It defines the industry as the provision of education, including preschool or early childhood education, in a school registered or accredited under the relevant state or territory authority. It does not cover a teacher engaged as a teacher, a principal or a deputy principal, and it does not cover employees who are covered by a modern enterprise award or an enterprise instrument, or by a state reference public sector modern award. That last exclusion is why the award is not the full answer for a government school teacher aide. If an employer is covered by more than one award, the classification most appropriate to the work applies. The Fair Work Ombudsman can confirm coverage. Fair Work award MA000076, read 6 October 2026.

Schedule A lists classroom support services grades 1, 2 and 3 with the occupational equivalent teacher aide or assistant, or integration aide or assistant, at the first two grades. Grade 1 covers general assistance to teachers under direct supervision. Grade 2 covers assistance with the educational program where limited discretion and judgment and specific skills are involved. Grade 3 covers undertaking some responsibility for other employees, liaising between the school, the student and the family, and assisting student learning where some discretion and judgment are involved, including evaluation and assessment of learning needs under the supervision of a teacher. Clause 17.2(c) sets the commencement level for each grade, and an employee moves to the next pay point in a level after each 12 month period following a performance review, unless the review shows performance has not been satisfactory.

The table shows ordinary-hours minimums. Casual employees receive a 25% loading and at least two hours for each engagement, and overtime is 150% for the first three hours and 200% after that from Monday to Saturday. A Saturday ordinary hour is paid at 150% and a Sunday ordinary hour at 200%, and a public holiday at 250%. An employee designated to perform first aid duty who holds a current recognised qualification receives a first aid allowance, which the award prints as $964.19 a year or $4.02 a day from the pay period commencing 1 July 2026. Broken shifts attract a penalty of 15% of the minimum hourly rate. Superannuation is paid on top of these rates. The super guarantee rate is 12% of ordinary time earnings from 1 July 2025 (Australian Taxation Office: Super guarantee). Fair Work award MA000076, read 6 October 2026.

Many teacher aides are not paid during school holidays. The award lets an employer require leave without pay during non-term weeks where the contract says so in writing, provided those periods count as service for leave and do not break continuity. The adjusted annual salary is the annual salary multiplied by working weeks plus four weeks of annual leave, divided by 52.18. The award's own example is a full-time employee at level 3.1, whose annual rate for a full school year is printed as $58,436, and who is required to work 39.4 term weeks. The adjusted annual salary in that example is $48,601. An employee can elect in writing to be paid only for the time worked. Ask whether your contract pays an adjusted annual salary or only time worked.

Government school support staff are generally paid under state instruments, and we print no amounts for them because the rates tables were not readable on the pages we checked. In New South Wales the Department of Education handbook for non-teaching staff refers to the Crown Employees (School Administrative and Support Staff) Award. In Victoria the Department's policy library lists the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022, and a new agreement was in the approval process in August 2026, so check the Department for the agreement in force. In Queensland the teacher aide role descriptions name the General Employees (Queensland Government Departments) and Other Employees Award – State 2015. In Western Australia the Department lists the Teachers' Aides' Award 1979 and the Education Assistants' (Government) General Agreement 2025, and in South Australia school services officer rates are published under the school and preschool education staff enterprise agreement 2024. Use each department's own pay page.

A junior appointed at level 1 or 2 is paid a percentage of the adult rate by age: 50% under 17, 60% at 17, 70% at 18, 80% at 19 and 90% at 20. Apprentices follow Schedule D, and trainees follow the terms of Schedule E to the Miscellaneous Award 2020 as incorporated by the award. An employee who is asked to perform the duties of a higher classification for a period is covered by the higher duties clause. If a role was advertised at one level but the duties fit another, ask the employer in writing which classification applies, because clause 13.3 requires the employer to advise the employee of their classification in writing.

They are award minimums for full-time employees in non-government schools, not averages, offers or what CrossNation candidates earn. An employer can pay more, and many schools use an enterprise agreement that must leave employees better off overall than the award. Government school staff are outside the award. Rates are reviewed each year and apply from the first pay period on or after 1 July, so always check the date beside the figure. The Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay Calculator shows the minimum for a specific level and shift. CrossNation does not promise pay, roles or a start date, and this page is not legal or employment advice.