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Nurse Manager salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a nurse manager is $138,200 per annum, before tax, up $28,900 since 2018.
- Most nurse managers in public hospitals are paid under a state health enterprise agreement, so the classification level, years of nursing experience and whether the role carries an after-hours or on-call component move the figure more than anything else.
- Private hospitals and aged care providers set their own rates, and some positions sit on a management contract rather than a nursing classification, which changes both pay and conditions.
The median salary rose by $28,900 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
How to negotiate a higher nurse manager salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time nurse manager salary is $138,200; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Operations management and Budgeting and forecasting tend to command a premium over general nurse manager experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Nurse Manager salary questions
How much do nurse managers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a nurse manager is $138,200 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is nurse manager pay rising or falling?
The median nurse manager salary is up $28,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
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- Director of Nursing salary
- Aged Care Manager salary
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- Community Services Manager salary
- Registered Nurse salary
- Mental Health Nurse salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.