Queensland Nurses Pay 2026: Nursing Salary & Pay Rates by Grade
Queensland nurses pay are set by the Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health and Department of Education) Certified Agreement (EB12) 2025. From 1 April 2026 a new-graduate registered nurse or midwife earns $87,367 a year and the top of the RN scale pays $112,063 – about $2,640.56 to $3,284.24 a fortnight after tax, before shift penalties and salary packaging. The next pay rise is due on 1 April 2027. These are the latest rates we could confirm from the official tables; check the note on the increases below.
Updated 2026-10-03 · rates in force from 1 April 2026 · ATO 2026–27 tax
| Instrument | Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health and Department of Education) Certified Agreement (EB12) 2025 |
| Rates shown apply from | 1 April 2026 (latest confirmed rates – a newer increase may be due) |
| Full-time hours | 38 a week |
| Employer super | 12% – Greater of the 12% superannuation guarantee and the rate set under the Superannuation (State Public Sector) Act 1990 (EB12 cl. 16.4); default fund is the Government division of Australian Retirement Trust (QSuper). Accumulation members who contribute 5% typically receive 12.75% – check your fund. Public hospital employer: salary packaging is FBT-exempt up to the $17,000 grossed-up hospital cap (about $9,010 of benefits a year), plus a separate $5,000 grossed-up meal entertainment / holiday accommodation cap. |
| Next pay rise | 1 April 2027 (2.50%) |
| Agreement nominal expiry | 31 March 2028 |
Queensland nurse pay calculator
| Base salary | $83,464 |
| Hourly rate (ordinary) | $42.09 |
| Gross per fortnight | $3,199.20 |
| Salary packaged (tax-free) | $9,000 |
| Income tax | $12,859 |
| Medicare levy | $1,489 |
| Take-home a year | $69,115 |
| Employer super (12%) | $10,016 |
- Take-home $69,115 82.8%
- Income tax $12,859 15.4%
- Medicare $1,489 1.8%
Your result is ready
Queensland nurse pay scale from 1 April 2026
| Classification | Step | Annual | Hourly | Take-home / fortnight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Grade 1 – Assistant in Nursing / Midwifery | NG1 PP1 Pay point 1 | $69,498 | $35.05 | $2,174.82 |
| NG1 PP2 Pay point 2 | $70,933 | $35.78 | $2,212.22 | |
| NG1 PP3 Pay point 3 | $71,867 | $36.25 | $2,236.57 | |
| NG1 PP4 Pay point 4 | $73,490 | $37.06 | $2,278.86 | |
| NG1 PP5 Pay point 5 | $75,186 | $37.92 | $2,323.06 | |
| NG1 PP6 Pay point 6 | $76,096 | $38.38 | $2,346.80 | |
| Nurse Grade 3 – Enrolled Nurse | NG3 PP1 Pay point 1 | $75,204 | $37.93 | $2,323.54 |
| NG3 PP2 Pay point 2 | $76,282 | $38.47 | $2,351.62 | |
| NG3 PP3 Pay point 3 | $77,406 | $39.04 | $2,380.93 | |
| NG3 PP4 Pay point 4 | $78,570 | $39.63 | $2,411.26 | |
| NG3 PP5 Pay point 5 | $79,814 | $40.25 | $2,443.70 | |
| Nurse Grade 4 – Enrolled Nurse Advanced Skills | NG4 PP1 Pay point 1 | $82,178 | $41.45 | $2,505.30 |
| NG4 PP2 Pay point 2 | $87,202 | $43.98 | $2,636.27 | |
| Nurse Grade 5 – Registered Nurse / Midwife | NG5 Re-entry Re-entry to practice | $83,464 | $42.09 | $2,538.83 |
| NG5 PP1 Pay point 1 (graduate) | $87,367 | $44.06 | $2,640.56 | |
| NG5 PP2 Pay point 2 | $91,471 | $46.13 | $2,747.52 | |
| NG5 PP3 Pay point 3 | $95,587 | $48.21 | $2,854.82 | |
| NG5 PP4 Pay point 4 | $99,694 | $50.28 | $2,961.86 | |
| NG5 PP5 Pay point 5 | $103,816 | $52.36 | $3,069.30 | |
| NG5 PP6 Pay point 6 | $107,941 | $54.44 | $3,176.80 | |
| NG5 PP7 Pay point 7 | $112,063 | $56.52 | $3,284.24 | |
| Nurse Grade 6 Band 1 – Clinical Nurse / Midwife | NG6.1 PP1 Pay point 1 | $113,978 | $57.48 | $3,334.16 |
| NG6.1 PP2 Pay point 2 | $116,662 | $58.84 | $3,404.13 | |
| NG6.1 PP3 Pay point 3 | $119,344 | $60.19 | $3,474.03 | |
| NG6.1 PP4 Pay point 4 | $122,047 | $61.55 | $3,544.48 | |
| Nurse Grade 6 Band 2 – Associate Clinical Nurse Consultant / Associate NUM | NG6.2 PP1 Pay point 1 | $128,115 | $64.61 | $3,702.65 |
| NG6.2 PP2 Pay point 2 | $130,805 | $65.97 | $3,772.76 | |
| Nurse Grade 7 – Clinical Nurse Consultant / Nurse Unit Manager | NG7 PP1 Pay point 1 | $139,949 | $70.58 | $3,997.82 |
| NG7 PP2 Pay point 2 | $146,286 | $73.78 | $4,145.99 | |
| NG7 PP3 Pay point 3 | $149,926 | $75.61 | $4,231.08 | |
| NG7 PP4 Pay point 4 | $151,948 | $76.63 | $4,278.36 | |
| Nurse Grade 8 – Nurse Practitioner | NG8 PP1 Pay point 1 | $157,578 | $79.47 | $4,409.99 |
| NG8 PP2 Pay point 2 | $161,499 | $81.45 | $4,501.68 | |
| NG8 PP3 Pay point 3 | $164,517 | $82.97 | $4,572.25 |
Rates: Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health and Department of Education) Certified Agreement (EB12) 2025, in force from 1 April 2026. Hourly = annual ÷ 52.178 weeks ÷ 38 hours. Take-home is for an Australian resident in 2026–27 with the tax-free threshold, Medicare levy, no HELP debt and private hospital cover (no Medicare levy surcharge). Employer super is paid on top and not included.
Midwives are paid on the same scale as registered nurses. Compare with Queensland teacher pay or see every state on the nurse salaries hub.
Take-home pay at the start and top of the scale
| Pay point | Gross a year | Take-home a year | Take-home a fortnight | With HECS-HELP | Employer super |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New-graduate RN | $87,367 | $68,889 | $2,640.56 | $2,537.99 | $10,484 |
| Top RN increment | $112,063 | $85,683 | $3,284.24 | $3,039.69 | $13,448 |
| Enrolled nurse (Grade 3), PP1 | $75,204 | $60,619 | $2,323.54 | $2,290.90 | $9,024 |
| NUM / CNC (Grade 7), PP1 | $139,949 | $104,299 | $3,997.82 | $3,585.10 | $16,794 |
| Nurse practitioner (Grade 8), PP1 | $157,578 | $115,052 | $4,409.99 | $3,882.40 | $18,909 |
Moving from new-graduate rn ($87,367) to top rn increment ($112,063) adds $24,696 a year before tax, or $643.69 a fortnight after tax. Employer super of 12% is paid on top.
Salary packaging: the public hospital cap
Public hospitals and health services are FBT-exempt up to a grossed-up cap of $17,000, which lets staff pay up to $9,010 a year of living expenses (rent, mortgage, bills) from pre-tax salary, plus up to $2,650 of meal entertainment and venue hire. For a new-graduate rn on $87,367, packaging both caps in full lifts spendable income by about $3,731 a year ($143.02 a fortnight). The packaged amount is reported on your income statement as a reportable fringe benefit, which counts towards HELP repayments and some income tests. Try your own numbers in the salary packaging calculator.
Shift and weekend rates
Dollar amounts are for new-graduate rn ($44.06 an hour).
| When | Rate | Per hour | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday (ordinary hours) | 100% | $44.06 | Casual loading 25% of the ordinary hourly rate (EB12 cl. 18.6) |
| Afternoon shift | 112.5% | $49.57 | 12.5% (Nurse Grade 1 AINs 15%) under cl. 15.12 of the Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health) Award – State 2015; casual loading added |
| Night shift | 120% | $52.88 | 20% for Grade 2 and above (Grade 1 17.5%), State award cl. 15.12. Night shift = starts 6pm–7:30am, or for Grades 3–7 starts from 5pm and runs past midnight (EB12 cl. 6) |
| Sunday night shift (after midnight) | 125% | $55.08 | 25% for hours after midnight on a Sunday night shift; the Sunday rate applies until midnight (EB12 cl. 47.2–47.3) |
| Saturday | 150% | $66.09 | Time and a half; casuals (ordinary rate + casual loading) × 1.5 (State award) |
| Sunday | 200% | $88.13 | Double time for all ordinary time on a Sunday (EB12 cl. 36, replacing the award 175%); casuals (base + 25%) × 2 (cl. 18.7) |
| Public holiday | 150% | $66.09 | Public hospital staff ordinarily rostered on public holidays: 150% (they also get 5 weeks' annual leave) (EB12 cl. 42.3). Casual figure assumes the 25% loading is multiplied – check |
| Easter Sat/Sun, Christmas Day | 250% | $110.16 | 250%; 300% when 25 December falls on a Sunday. Labour Day: a full day's pay plus 150% (cl. 42.3) |
Good to know
- Nurse Grade 8 is the nurse practitioner grade; Grade 9 is director of nursing (remote), Grade 10 assistant director of nursing, Grades 11–13 nursing directors and executive directors.
- CUA-adjusted annual examples (third-party copies of Queensland Health's updated table, unverified): Grade 5 PP1 about $87,790, PP7 about $112,607; Grade 6 Band 1 PP1 about $114,532; Grade 8 PP1 about $158,344.
- Public hospital staff ordinarily required to work public holidays get 5 weeks' annual leave (cl. 41).
Queensland nurse pay rises – next on 1 April 2027
| From | Increase | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 April 2025 | 3.50% | Paid | 3% (cl. 14.1(a)) plus the CPI Uplift Adjustment of 0.5% (cap) triggered by March 2026 Brisbane CPI, paid as part of the Year 1 rise and back-paid; the Schedule 1 figures here exclude the 0.5% |
| 1 April 2026 | 2.50% | Paid | 2.5% on the (CUA-adjusted) Year 1 rate (cl. 14.1(b)); wage increase and back pay were reported as paid in August 2026 |
| 1 April 2027 | 2.50% | Scheduled | 2.5% (cl. 14.1(c)) plus a further CUA of up to 1% if March 2027 Brisbane CPI exceeds 2.5% (cl. 14.2(b)) |
| 1 December 2027 | 3.0% | Scheduled | Government election commitment (GEC) increase (cl. 14.1(d)); new Grade 5 pay point 8; Grade 6 Band 1 pay point 1 removed |
How pay progression works
- Pay points advance yearly (annual increment) within each grade, e.g. Grade 5 pay point 1 (graduate) to pay point 7.
- From 1 December 2027 Grade 5 gets an eighth pay point; anyone with 12+ months at pay point 7 then moves up automatically (cl. 27).
- Grades 5–7 and 9 can get accelerated pay-point advancement and a qualification allowance (3.5% of Grade 5 PP7) or advanced qualification allowance (5.5%) for relevant post-graduate study (cl. 29).
- Clinical nurse (Grade 6), NUM/CNC (Grade 7) and nurse practitioner (Grade 8) are position classifications you are appointed to.
- Professional development allowance (permanent staff working 16+ hours a fortnight): $3,726 a year (Category B) or $2,981 (Category A), paid in two halves (Schedule 2).
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Professional development allowance | $3,726 a year (Category B) / $2,981 (Category A) | Paid in September and March instalments (Schedule 2) |
| Nurse practitioner allowance | $236.25 a fortnight | From 1 April 2026 (cl. 32, Schedule 2) |
| Endorsed midwife allowance | $211.80 a fortnight | New from 1 July 2026 (cl. 33) |
| On-call allowance (Grade 3+) | $32.51 per weekday on-call period; $59.47 per weekend/PH/RDO period | From 1 April 2026 (Schedule 2) |
| Relieving in-charge allowance | $16.92 per shift | From 1 April 2026 (cl. 25) |
| Rural and remote (RANIP) isolation bonus | $3,695 after 1 year, $11,085 after 2 years, $7,390 each year after | From 1 April 2026 (cl. 61.4) |
Queensland vs other states
| State | New-graduate RN | Top RN increment | Take-home / fortnight (top) | Rates from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland | $87,367 | $112,063 | $3,284.24 | 1 April 2026 |
| New South Wales | $81,692 | $114,694 | $3,355.07 | 1 July 2026 |
| Victoria | $84,420 | $107,806 | $3,175.42 | 11 May 2026 |
| Western Australia | $82,945 | $106,630 | $3,143.33 | 12 October 2025 |
| South Australia | $77,824 | $106,187 | $3,131.77 | 1 January 2026 |
Related
- Nurse salaries by state
- Salary packaging calculator (hospital cap)
- Salary sacrifice calculator
- Hourly pay calculator
- Salary calculator
- Teacher salaries in Queensland
Frequently asked questions
How much does a registered nurse earn in Queensland?
$87,367 a year as a new graduate and $112,063 at the top RN increment, from 1 April 2026. Shift, weekend and public holiday penalties are paid on top, and public hospital staff can salary package up to $9,010 a year tax-free.
What is the take-home pay of a graduate nurse in Queensland?
About $2,640.56 a fortnight after income tax and Medicare levy on base pay, or $2,537.99 with a HECS-HELP debt. Penalty rates and salary packaging usually lift this.
When is the next nurse pay rise in Queensland?
1 April 2027 (2.50%): 2.5% (cl. 14.1(c)) plus a further CUA of up to 1% if March 2027 Brisbane CPI exceeds 2.5% (cl. 14.2(b)).
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.
- Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health and Department of Education) Certified Agreement (EB12) 2025 (QNMU copy) – Schedule 1 fortnightly/annual/hourly rates from 1 April 2025, 2026, 2027 and 1 December 2027; cl. 14 increases and CUA; cl. 2 expiry 31 March 2028; cl. 18, 36, 42, 47; Schedule 2 allowances
- Queensland Health: Nursing stream wage rates (updated mid-2026 to include the 0.5% CPI Uplift Adjustment; page not readable by our fetcher – figures not copied)
- QIRC: certified agreement CB/2025/126
- Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health) Award – State 2015 (QIRC reprint, September 2025) – shift loadings cl. 15.12