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Primary School Teacher salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a primary school teacher is $115,800 per annum, before tax, up $24,400 since 2018.
Pay is set by the industrial agreement covering your school sector, so teachers in government, Catholic and independent schools can be on different scales for the same work. Progression comes mainly through years of service and classification, with extra for leading teacher and curriculum leadership roles, and several states pay allowances for rural and remote schools. Relief teaching is usually paid at a daily rate instead of a salary.
Roles that pay more than primary school teacher
The largest typical pay rise is $10,200 a year, moving into Middle School Teacher.
- Middle School Teacher+$10,200/yr
- English Language Teacher+$7,200/yr
- Secondary School Teacher+$4,900/yr
How to negotiate a higher primary school teacher salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time primary school teacher salary is $115,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Primary School Teachers are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Teaching and instruction and Curriculum and lesson design tend to command a premium over general primary school teacher experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Middle School Teacher pays a typical $10,200 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- 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."
Primary School Teacher salary questions
How much do primary school teachers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a primary school teacher is $115,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is primary school teacher pay rising or falling?
The median primary school teacher salary is up $24,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than primary school teacher?
Middle School Teacher pays a typical $10,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to primary school teacher.